Review Date
July 19, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: edwards8368 ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
JB is perfect for 29ers, probably single speeds also, or just a regular hardtail rig( no need for full sus. rig here). no major climbs no nasty descents, just lots of nice quick rolling singletrack(just watch out for trees). its nice to ride a trail where there is nothing so hard that i have to walk it. i also liked how all the trails start and end on the same fire road. this is a trail where you try to ride as fast as you can. time trials are held here throughout the year(fast laps)). trail can take a couple of days to dry out. check trail conditions at mtbohio.org . this trail is very well maintained, and conditions are updated almost everyday. trail is also located within 30 min. of another great trail, MoMBA(huffman metro park).

Recommended Route:
start on powerline follow onto abbra. then keep going onto the great scott trails. trails are well marked and you will have a hard time getting lost! you can always bailout at the end of any trails onto the fireroad(this will take you back to the parking lot). trails are rideable from either direction though.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
MoMBA(for sure), harbin park, east fork, MMF

Review Date
March 21, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: doug hamilton ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Around 9 miles of single-track that takes advantage of the slight ups and downs of the area. In places, the trails weave in, out & around like a curve looking for a straight line. There are also enough open trails to get some nice speed-and-turns.
There are creek crossings, boardwalks, bridges and several long roll-overs to keep your intrest up.
This is a nice system to use if you are looking for a good, easy to maintain workout pace. The trails are family frendly, but they are also used for time trials for those who want to test their high speed skills.
Lots of small changes being made to this trail system in 2007 and will be fine tuned thoughout 2008. These trails are always very well kept and clean.

Recommended Route:
You can start on Powerline and follow the arrows to do the entire route, there are maps at the kiosk. Can also run in any direction using any or all of the Powerline, Abracadabra, & Great Scott sections.
The Park office rents bikes for these trails.

Review Date
March 26, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: doug hamilton ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
The mtb trails at John Bryan State Park have something for beginners to expert . It’s all how you would like to ride. Since this is mostly level ground you can come out and not have to blow your lungs out if a smooth ride though the woods is your cup of tea that day.
Now, start to ramp up your speed and see what happens. Those nice tight turns, little log overs, ramps (all with by-passes) and creek crossings start to come at you faster than before . Now goto race mode during the FAST LAPS (time trials) and this system will test your skills and nerves.
If you are out for the first time and do the entire system (8.5 miles) plan on around 90 min. As there are many ways to run these trails you will find many different ways to enjoy your biking.
There is a small gravel parking lot right before the Day Lodge, park here or go up just a little more past this lot to the big gravel lot. In the middle of these two lots is a Kiosk, stop here to sign in and check out all that is going on at the Park.

Recommended Route:
If you are just getting started with these trails go to Power Line first. This trail is about 2miles and has and nice boardwalk, some creek crossings, and enough turns to get you warmed up for the rest of the trails.
Cross over to Abracadabra (about 2 miles) and there are some places to pick up speed, and test your skills if you like. This section also has some very nice woods & pine.
Next is Great Scott, the longest at 4.5 miles. Lots of everything here from turns, creeks and some cool ramps.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Harbin, Paint Creek

Review Date
October 5, 2005

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: luckyrider ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
John Bryan mtb trails are 7.5 miles of pure fun. No, there isnt much elevation but there are plenty of logpiles, ramps, bridges and boardwalks to keep you busy...not to mention the wildlife...deer, owl, skunks, fox, etc. The trails are always in beautiful shape thanks to the MVMBA bike club. MVMBA also sponsors trail days, group rides and races so checkout the latest events on MTBOHIO.ORG. Over the winter, there will be more trail added to connect to a skills park so lots of stuff is happening here.

The trails are great for beginners who want to cruise and enjoy the woods and great for advanced riders who know how to carve up the trail and still stay upright. For those who think these trails are easy, just go faster and see the workout that you can get.

Recommended Route:
Start at the kiosk by the Day Lodge and take Arboretum (the big gravel loop) to Power Line. Enter Power Line on the left which is 1.5 miles of some twisty stuff at the start and then it opens up. After finishing Power Line, cross Arboretum to Abracadabra which is 2.5 miles of open flowing single track with some log piles, a nice boardwalk, fun ramp and a bigger ramp. Abracadabra is the easiest section and a nice place for kids and beginners to start. If you get tired halfway through, there is a bailout at the ramp (with the bike perched on it). Complete Abracadabra and cross over to Great Scott. This is the longest trail at 3.5 miles and has a little bit of everything including a creek crossing, big ramp, board walks and some nice log piles. When done, you'll find yourself back at the parking lot by the Day Lodge where you started with a big grin on your face.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Caesar Creek, East Fork, Alum Creek

Review Date
April 26, 2005

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: RutRoe ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
John Bryan State Park, located in Yellow Springs, has a terrific set of mtn bike trails for riders of all levels. The trails are very scenic, fast and fun. No, they aren't hilly - but they still offer something for everyone, beginner through expert. If you're a beginner you can take your time and learn to ride on well-designed, well-maintained trails. Experts can challenge their skills on the tight turns which require excellent handling and agility at high speeds. A lot of heart was put into building these trails and continues to be put into their maintenance. There's almost 8 miles of singletrack now including several ramps (with bypasses), log crossings and boardwalks. These elements add to the trails' character and are a lot of fun for riders of all levels. The park is very wooded and has areas with pine trees and creek crossings. You'll see lots of deer, birds and wildlife while riding. I bike at JB at least once or twice a week when it is dry enough and have yet to get tired of it. Anyone can get a good workout if they pick up the pace. It's by far the best place to mtn bike in the greater Dayton area. Watch for the time trials in the Spring and Fall if you'd like to try racing -- very informal yet still a fun & competitive challenge -- with all the proceeds going to the Park. For group rides at JB, check out the OMBA website (under the Miami Valley forum). And the park is a great place to picnic or hike with the family if you want to make a day of it - with a nice campground as well.

Recommended Route:
Please sign in at the kiosk -- you can then pick up the trails at Powerline, Abracadabra or Great Scott off the main loop (Arboretum)- depending on your mood or how long you want to ride. The main way is to ride Powerline to Abracadabra to Great Scott and Lower Scott, but you can mix it up for variety. The kiosk has a good map posted.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
There's not a lot of other mtn bike trails in the same area, but Doin' it Outdoors in Liberty, Indiana is a lot of fun. It's about 1.5 hrs from John Bryan and just about an hour from Dayton. Hilly, scenic and a lot more technical, but well worth the drive for those who like a challenge. These trails are privately owned but very well designed and host one of the DINO series races too.