Of last Wednesday's post about the 6-mile Lake Crabtree Lake Trail reopening, reader Greg Hamlyn writes: Do you know why this trail is closed to mountain bikers. Once upon a time it was open to mountain bikers and shared with hikers, just like the rest of the Lake Crabtree trail network currently is multiuse. But for some reason this one is not? Any reason?"
You can hike across this new bridge on the Lake Crabtree Lake Trail, but you can't ride across it.
I put Greg's question to Lake Crabtree County Park manager Drew Cade, widely recognized as the most mountain bike-friendly land manager in the region. He says the trail is closed to mountain biking for two main reasons.
"First and foremost, most of those areas are still subject to flooding," says Cade. "Given the volume of mountain biking we have there would be multiple ride-arounds and the trail widening [along Aviation Parkway] would be an issue. Plus, it would just be a muddy mess. It wouldn't be pleasant."
Another main reason its hiking only: "Many sections of the Lake Trail have steps. It's just not appropriate for mountain biking."
Comments
The steps were the best part
Sun, 11/02/2008 - 11:30 — Randy (not verified)The steps were the best part of the trail. That's where I learned to shift my weight back to avoid going over the handlebars on steep technical descents.