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:
1 Garman Park
10 reviews
3.6 of 5
Rolling, semi-technical, logs, small drops, tight and narrow, and fast, good climbing for such a short trail. It will feel like you rode more than you do. Cool wet creek crossings. No hunting, no horses, no ATV's very well built trail, three different loops with increasing difficulty. Bring Grandma for the recreational singletrack 1.2 miles, bring the wife for the first 1.5 miles of narrow singletrack, have a blast on the rest of the singletrack for yourself. Not an extreme trail, just a good in town ride.
Find Oakland Ave, go to Ravina Park Road turn on Fairview (sign for Garman there) Trailhead at the end of the road on the rocks to the left. Nice map display at parking area. This trail is brought to you by the Central IL. Mountain Bicycle Association (CIMBA). See the cimba.org web site for more trails in the area.
Summary: Fun short little trail, makes good use of available land. Properly built trail. I only made it around twice before i got a two inch thorn in my front tire, had to walk back to truck for a repair. There are trucks starting to encroach on the trail and come and dump cut trees and foliage almost on the trails. Before long they will probably destroy the trail. Besides those two negatives i liked this trail.
Recommended Route: everywhich way you can come up with, its short.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: Its a great trail if your pressed for time and cant go anywhere else. The drainage is terrible and the track is all but unridable unless conditions have been really dry. Im not that great of a rider and the water crossing is a pain. The backside is almost verticle and has large rocks you cant see till its too late. The water crossing makes half the trail unaccessable when the creeks up or the weather is cold. This place really needs a bridge so you could ride in the winter.
Recommended Route: Really only one way to go.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Camp Canfield by Sullivan, Comlara Park at Bloomington,Kickapoo St. Park Danville.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Review Date December 1, 2003
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Aerobic Difficulty 3 of 5
Technical Difficulty 5 of 5
Ridden Trail: Ridden Once
Reviewed by: Gherkin
,
Weekend Warrior
Summary: I just rode this trail for the first time on Friday, Nov. 18. WOW is what I have to say after that ride. I live in the Chicago area and did not expect much, but I found plenty of obstacles that challenged me and went beyond me. I haven't been on trails outside of Illinois so I might not be the best judge, but I had a lot of fun. They have started building some north shore-style riding on the other side of the creek, which is turning out very nice. The only complaint I have is getting across that creek in the cold temperatures. I ended up driving around to a trailer park and hiking through the woods carrying my bike to ride the trails on the others side of the creek.
Recommended Route: Ride it all it's short enough why not.
Other recommended trails in the same area: I'm not familiar with any trails in the area, but I definitly recommend Palos Forest Preserve in the Chicago area.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Review Date October 9, 2003
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Aerobic Difficulty 3 of 5
Technical Difficulty 3 of 5
Ridden Trail: Once a week
Reviewed by: sambarider
,
Cross Country Rider
Summary: First I'll start by stating I'm one of the trail builders. First I'll start by stating I'm one of the trail builders. This is a good example of how to build a trail in limited space and yet make it appear to the rider that it's much longer. To the previous reviewer it's only just under 3 miles long. Most people think it's about 5 miles or so long. There's a bit of everything packed into this one. Tight twisty sections, multiple switch-backs, single logs and log piles, two creek crossings where the water can be 2 inches or two feet deep and all built to IMBA's specifications. No, it's not a race course. Yes, it is a FUN trail!
Recommended Route: For your first time try clock-wise, then change directions for an entirely different experience.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Not many near by. Try Camp Camfield or Lick Creek in Springfield. If you don't mind a drive any Peoria trail or Kickapoo or Comlara.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: WOW! What a great use of very limited space! These CIMBA guys were able to put in what I got to be about 4 3/4 miles of of road riding in a very tight space! I think there is only about 20-30 acres of land out there....but WOW! they layed down a great trail for that small area. I've road trails all over the nation and I have to say that this trail has the best variety of flow and design I have ever seen in a inner city trail. They really know there stuff! It would be awsome if they could get the use of a bigger area in Decatur to build on....just imagine what kind of trail they would be able to put in a 300 acre place. I am really stoked about riding in Decatur again. This trail is a blast and easy to get around on too. Get here and try it out!
Strengths: The trail is a little short sure, but for this small area it is terrific! You got a little bit of stuff for everyone. From log piles (I love em') to fast open areas that you can really open it up on, if you want to fly try the easy section and let your legs pump it up!
Weaknesses: I hope that these CIMBA guys get more area to put trails in is the only thing I can see wrong in Decatur.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Camp Camfield near Sullivan ****, Dirkson Park in Pekin *****, Kickapoo in Danville *****, Farmdale near Peoria ****.
Would you like to Comment? Join MTBR.com for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
3.6 of 5
3 of 5
2 of 5
2 of 5
3 of 5
4 of 5
4 of 5
5 of 5
5 of 5
0 of 5
