Review Date
August 30, 2010

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: superford4x4 ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Very nice trail. it was re-routed last year and is now just under 3 miles. its about 3 miles if you leave the parking lot, ride 1 lap, and go back to the parking lot. but its all 100% singletrack. tight, twisty and hilly(for this area). it will give you a good workout, seems like every time you come down a hill with some speed there is a sharp turn or logstack ready to kill your momentum just in time to go up hill. trail is well maintained i believe by a fellow named Rick, nice guy, if you see him out there give him a big thanks, he walks the trails regularly to trim and move downed trees.

Recommended Route:
park in the first parking lot on the left, head up the hill on the other side of the road. take a right and go about 100 yards and you'll see the fork. you can go either way. its a bit easier if you go right as you'll encounter more logstacks going downhill instead of up. but i usually do a few laps in each direction.

Review Date
July 9, 2010

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Jeff S ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Great trail and very easy to get to. I also like the fact that its not super long, I rode it today for the very 1st time and enjoyed it very much and my son who is 6 made it the entire way without complaining about being to tired. The trail could use a little grooming in a few places but otherwise its in pretty good shape. One thing its July and every time I stopped to wait for my son the skitters came out very quick, so don't plan on stopping for a water break.

Recommended Route:
counterclockwise

Review Date
August 21, 2008

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 1 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 1 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: Adam Solko ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
3 miles of thorns that will tear up your limbs. A couple of twigs lay across the trail, they may call them 'log piles". There were downed trees and no hills. I would never ride this course again.

Review Date
June 17, 2008

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: snowboarder ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Actually, not bad. Better than I expected. If you have rode Palos, Palatine, John muir, Des Plaines or Rib Mtn, then it is not as good as those, but it's somewhat technical and different. Let's face it, we don't have much to choose from in IL, so I'll take it. Take the trail counter clockwise(go right) and you'll start out on easy stuff and end up with a great ride the last 1/4 of the track. I didn't mind the tight trail with trees, that's fun. However, I ended up with about 20 or so straches to cuts from brush. Some grass on the trail on spots. I rode early June,so the trail probably gets a little better as its gets ridden.

Review Date
May 5, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: nikwashere ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Not only was it my first time at big E, but also my first ride of the season and first real ride on my new build.

My initial thoughts are, wow, how did this end up in illinois?
The trail as all reports say, is very twisty, tight singletrack. This ride is fun, in both directions. I found clockwise to be a little faster of an overall run, but either way shouldn't take you more than a half hour to complete a lap, it is about 3.5 mile long, based on what others have said. The trail switchbacks the small hills available to give you some nice fast descents and some twisty uphills. There are log jams throughout the trail and the trees are CLOSE!! keep your head up and look down trail to see where it will twist next otherwise you will end up like an unfortunate stormtrooper. I even came across a few deer throughout my ride. There are no huge descents, climbs or hucks, but the tightness of the singletrack combined with the twists is a sufficient XC challenge. No real need for full suspension.
Do a few laps, go both ways and for the area there is no way to be disappointed. You have to rate it based on its own accord, this isn't whistler or the glentress.

Thanks to all that have made this trail a success.

Ride On!

Recommended Route:
on a weekday, like when i went, you will probably be the only person on the trail. Go both ways.