5 Flowy Mountain Bike Rides in Cumberland Forest

The first thing you need to know about riding in Cumberland is that most of the trails on the mountain were not originally planned in any which way. The original renegade trails were constructed in a haphazard fashion, and only in recent years have local mountain biking advocates attempted to stitch them together into more logical routes. Even still, to complete most of these "flow" rides, you'll have to string together some amazing descents with a few awkward punchy climbs in the middle. This is simply the reality of Cumberland mountain biking.

For the best flow lap in Cumberland, check up this smorgasbord of trails that includes Sobo No Michi, Above and Beyond, Blue Print, New Vanilla, Upper Climax, Field of Dreams, Blue Collar, the Crafty Butchers, No Hole, and Space Nugget. A tweaked alternative of this route that instead heads over into the Eastern Bloc is also a fantastic ride option.

The Eastern Bloc is home to some fun, flowy, pedal-forward singletrack that sees much less traffic than the trails in the center of the system. While the second route mentioned above leads into the Eastern Bloc, for a more pedal-forward loop option, try out this loop anchored by Double Pumper and Iron Curtain.

If you're a new mountain biker and are looking to dip your toes into the sport, Cumberland can be a great place to learn! This short 2-mile loop provides a great beginner-friendly taste of mountain biking right next to the trailhead. If you're ready to progress your skills and are looking for a stepping stone to the longer rides in the trail system, try this figure-8 route on for size.

Whether you're looking for flowy beginner trails, pedal-friendly swoop and flow, big tabletop jumps, or endless berms, Cumberland Forest has your mountain bike flow needs covered!