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Owen-Putnam State Forest Trails
3 reviews
2.67 of 5
Aprox. 6-mile loop with mix of double and singletrack. Big elevation changes with some long downhill runs. Can ride in either direction.
From Hwy. 231 go west at Carp, IN (about 12 miles south of I-70), continue west through Cuba, IN, start looking for small gravel parking lot on the northside of road. Trailhead is right there.
Summary: Due to the negative feedback this trail has received, I feel compelled to stand up for the horse trodden gem that has loads of potential. Granted it is a multi-use trail so mud holes are common and can interfere with the level of enjoyment on this ride, however after a few dry weeks this is one of the best rides in Indiana. I should have prefaced my opinion with the fact that I am from PA, argueably the best x-country riding in the country. And I have sampled many of the trails in the Hoosier state including, Youngs Creek, Knobstone, Brown County State Park, Plummers and Fitters, France Park, Kickapoo(Illinois) and Birdseye. All good rides but sans personality. Now if it has rained in the past week, trust me, I drive as far from Owen-Putnam as possible. But man, when its dry, this trail can be so fun and challenging. Portaging around a few mud holes hardly overshadowes the technical terrain, ten climbs and the ten rewarding downhills. Not to mention the beautiful soft and hardwood forest the trail winds through. Say what you will about the ol' gal but I feel with a little attention this trail could be great. Try it out on a dry day, you'll still get your bike muddy, but com'on that's part of the sport. Mabey with the help of DNR this trail could be resurrected. Final note, pushing your bike up the hills an riding down the hills is not mountain biking, its sled riding. Rock On.
Recommended Route: Counter clockwise, Its easy to miss the first hard right hand turn on the trail that will make this 12 mile ride only 6. So keep your eyes peeled.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Knobstone
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Summary: This is "last resort" trail for mountain bike riding in this area. It is primarily a horse trail and is heavily used as such. I've run on this trail many times and ridden it twice. It has never been dry and is very mucked up by the horses. There are a few sections of good downhill riding, but overall it is very slow going due to the endless mud bogs.
Recommended Route: Counter-clockwise loop. Horses spook easily, so walk your bike near them.
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Review Date November 20, 2002
Overall Rating 2 of 5
Ridden Trail: Ridden Once
Reviewed by: Larry
, from Brownsburg, IN, USA
Summary: I rode this trail in mid-Nov. so there were probably some freeze-thaw issues, but I found large segments of this loop to be unrideable at this time of the year despite the fact that there wasnt rain for about five days prior to my ride. The main problem here is the numerous horse bogs (and boy do they stink). Nearly every creek entry and exit is rutted up so bad from horse hooves that you have to shoulder your bike. That being said, Id have to say this trail has the potential at least to be one of the best in Indiana. Its only an hour out of Indy. For westsiders this is as close as Town Run. Some of the downhill runs are long and a real blast (think Wapahani downhills, but four and five times as long). And there is some true elevation here. The uphills are challenging, but not too demanding for intermediate and above riders. If enough riders could ride the trail to run it in it would be awesome. Ive heard this trail is much more rideable in the summer months, but I would not recommend in the late fall, winter or spring. Ill try to ride on the trails next summer and make an updated report. I can only give this trail two chilies in its present condition, but it could easily be made into a four if the trail was more hard packed overall.
Recommended Route: Trail starts right out of the small gravel parking lot.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Wapahani, Avon
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2.67 of 5
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