MtbREVIEW.com supports IMBA and responsible riding. Please submit only legal
trails to our list. If you discover a trail posted on this site that is not
open for public mountain biking, please email our IMBA friends at
info@imba.com with detailed info.
They'll help us remove the unauthorized trail from the site.
Click here for info about keeping our trails open.
If this is the correct location, click "Save Point" below or type the nearest location (country, city, Zip, or land mark) and the map will pan over to the location if the location is found.
Save Point
Go to Nearest Location:
Lat:
Lng:
Ho Chi Minh
80 reviews
3.55 of 5
Advanced/Expert Trail with plenty of "safe" trail for the beginner: watch for other bikers and hikers (the trail is marked as a mountain bike trail). It's challenging and through some of the most beautiful wooded areas of the city, but it can be dangerous and strenuous. There is hard ground, loose sand, ROOTS, single trail to wide, DEEP creeks for fast up and down rides which are dangerous for beginners - do not ride when wet, and bridges that can be washed out after a heavy rain.
From Loop 610 West turn east (toward downtown) to the first light after the railroad underpass. Portions of the park are now on your right and left. Turn right at the light and park along the road or in the lots around the baseball fields. If you're approaching Memorial Park on Memorial Drive from the east, bear left onto the loop road. If you miss this turn, continue to the traffic light and turn left.
Summary: This is a flat, sandy, windy little trail a few miles long. It's basically good for a loop or two just to keep the senses sharp, but there's no challenege here. I put my geared axe in storage and build a SS to get SOME excitement and labor out of riding this park. The best part about it is that it IS a park and you can take your eyes off cars and concrete...the worst is Houston MTB'ers. They have no clue, come down on their dualies with 2.4 inchers, disk brakes and all, ride like mad, never call out around bends, and have zero skills. If you like company, the best competition you get around here is some roady who's got endurance but ends up running into a tree after a while. And they just LOVE to ride after it rains, lol...and then they whine that the park authority wants to kick them out, sigh. Also watch out for the doggy crap and Californains riding this park -- you'll know b/c they have their noses way up in the air. But in closing let me say I appreciate all the people who work on this park and the fact that it's here. I am very thankful.
Recommended Route: Yuh, it's all one trail.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Go to Waco to see a real MTB course. That's why NORBA races there. For those who think the HCM trail is "awesome" or "tough," you hurt no one but yourselves with your vicious lies. It's never too late to repent. Say it with me, Ho Chi Minh, you suck, but we love you anyway, cuz you're all we've got.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
When I lived in Houston (I'm from San Francisco) A guy I rode with thought this place was IT. I went with him one sunday in 97 on his old mountain bike... passed all the boy racers... rode around for two hours while he said 'is,'t this AWESOME' over and over and over. I went back the next week and did the same thing on my cross bike... only faster. Most of the guys I met on my cross bike gave me $hit till I told them I raced expert in SF. Then they wanted to ask me questions about Mount Tam. and Santa Cruz. What a joke.
And yes I was on the correct trail. Roots and all.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: Quite simply the best trail in Houston. People that think Ho Chi Minh is easy are probably on the wrong side of the park. Ho Chi Minh is the green trail on the east side of the park and has a bike-only entrance (no parking lot) at one end along Memorial Dr with the other end being the east side of the east vehicle entrance. The trail starts out pretty easy with some nice tight and twisty singletrack amidst the trees. They have even added some new trails here (or just reopened old ones...not sure). About 1/3 of the way thru (about 2 miles) it starts to get pretty technical. 3 good drops with lots of rocks and roots and some really tough climbs. In one spot, you go down a good drop, hit the brakes to make the turn at the bottom and then have to climb a very technical uphill that turns as you go with huge roots and rocks along the way. I have never cleared this part in about 10 attempts and I've never seen anyone else do it either. Once you clear the 3 big drops, you go back to some tight singletrack with lots of roots and a few small drops and log jumps.
On the west side of memorial park (between the two parking lot entrances) there are lots of other trails that range from beginner to intermediate. They are color coded for easy navigation and they all make loops off the main trail which makes finding your way and timing your loops easy.
All the trails are under dense forest so no need for sunscreen. I would recommend mosquito repellent though. Do not ride this course when wet which is seemingly half of the summer. Not only is it dangerous, it plays havoc with the erosion.
On the negative side: all the trails are relatively short and there are no extended uphills or downhills (we are at sea level after all). You can string all the trails together and get in about 10 or 12 miles though and some are definitely worth multiple laps. Be careful, these are all two way laps and are very busy. Be prepared to yell "Rider" at every blind section.
Overall, I think that Ho Chi Minh is the most technical trail in Houston and the Memorial park system is as good as you can get in Houston area.
Recommended Route: Start at east entrance (bike only entrace) and catch the green trail and head west. Then cut across the park to the softball fields and catch the main blue trail and take all the little loops off of that. When you're all done and getting tired, head back to the green trail and do it backwards. If you clear everything, then sign in here and tell me Ho Chi Minh is easy.
Other recommended trails in the same area: This is the best with Ant Hills a distant second. Cypress Wood, Jack Brooks, etc. only if you're bored and don't want to drive towards Warda, Smithville, etc.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Review Date June 9, 2003
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Ridden Trail: Once a week
Visitors rate this review 5.00 of 5,
1 votes
Reviewed by: yrw
, from houston
Summary: i been riding for the past 7 year. I love it, the best in the houston area, no sand!!! Singletrail. Bottom line. This is one great singletrail.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Womble Arkansas Trails 37 miles or so!
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Review Date December 7, 2002
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Ridden Trail: Once a week
Reviewed by: I LIKE IT WET
, from wetland
Summary: If these trails say CLOSED cause of wet or other condidions..DO NOT RIDE THEM!! You'll take some of the park home with you when you are cleaning Sand from Memorial park out of the crevices of your bike!! AND IT GETS WORSE!! They are trying to close these trails cause of erosive soils...I wonder which riders are causing that. they should have polica out there tickiting those selfish riders that can't wait one more day to ride wonderful trail.
Recommended Route: Uphill when it is really muddy
Other recommended trails in the same area: In case you noticed DON'T ride these trails WET!!
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
3.55 of 5
2 of 5
2 of 5
1 of 5
0 of 5
0 of 5
5 of 5
3 of 5
5 of 5
