Umstead State Park

These are great gravel routes, but not much for a mountain bike IMO. With that in mind it is still a decent ride, and you can really get some miles in.

Roads only. There are plenty of very nice trails but bikes aren't allowed on any of them. Nice, forest roads are too sandy & gravely for road bikes but I still wouldn't think of riding these roads as 'mountain biking'.

awesome spot for long endurance rides and getting those hills in. Be careful on the areas that say "slow down".. you can get going and slide into a ditch

No single track here. Only fire roads. The climbs are steeper than anywhere else in the area, so if you are looking for an intense workout, this is a fun place.

Been to this trail many times and enjoy it thouroughly. I take my 4 young children so that they can learn trail etiquette although some people forget they had to learn. Received some odd looks and my better half was verbally assaulted in the parking lost. I have been out of the saddle a while with multiple knee and back surgeries and have to say the turkey hill portion kicked my butt. Overall a enjoyable experience and a great place for the family to ride.

Wasn't impressed and honestly let down, the trails are essentially gravel roads with washed out hills. The state site boasts one of few state park trails but lacks any delivery Hike only trails are the ones that actually go through the woods and trees but bikes are permitted to use them. If you want to get some fast non challenging (except for the uphills) miles in this will be the place to do it.

First and foremost its not single track. It very well maintained bridle trails. I road there for the TORC Gravel Grind race recently. That is what the trail is best used for, getting in training miles on a cross or gravel grinder bike. It can also be used as a way to connect the greenway with the singletrack in Crabtree.

I encountered 2 kinds of riding at the park. You can stick to the gravel double track and have a mostly smooth, but sometimes grueling hill climbing ride, or you can dip into the woods on a single track that cuts the middle of the park. The single track trail is rooty, rocky, and pretty tricky at points. This trail is for advanced and ballsy intermediate riders. Bring a map or a gps with track back because once you start mixing the single and double track trails you can get a little lost. Spend a couple hours and it is good for a 1000 cal ride.

Anyone who says this is just a gravel road missed the obvious single track that cuts through. It's about 3/4 mile off the multi use trailhead parking lot after the restrooms. I just did it and it took about 30 min. Sweated my ass off. Just a hilly, rooty, rocky good time. Nothing a beginner couldn't handle on a MTB.

It's a gravel road. You could drive a Lexus on this "trail" and have a smooth ride. Maybe a family fun ride at best. It's a big loop with some long climbs good for cardio. That's it. Umstead would be so much better if they let us ride all the hiking trails we pass on the road. It's not an MTB experience at all.

Mostly well kept bridle gravel roads. You have to go into the park and the take a left off of the main road to find the "multi-trail head" parking area. It's where the horse trailers and stuff park as well. It was my wife's first time on mtb trails so a few of the drops with hair pin turns were a rush. There are some good climbs but nothing really technical or hard for regular riders. I passed several road bikes on the trails. Good for a workout and with folks starting out. We loved it

Easy double track. It is a cool way to spend a day though as it is a big loop around the entire Umstead State Park and covers a lot of ground.

If you want a challenge, jump over to Rocky Road. Not an official trail, but recognized by the locals as a hell of a technical challenge.

theres a fun hill at the bottom near the lake :)* Review edited 10/15/2007

was disappointed...could almost ride a road bike on it. maybe not a road bike, but you know what i mean. my nine year old son and twelve year old nephew rode the whole thing.

As others have said, it is not a true technical mtb trail at all. I always enjoyed the wide trails, fire roads and the close proximity to the Raleigh area. It is a very easy ride for when you just want a relaxing ride through the woods.