Review Date
August 25, 2009

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: Darktrader ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
I am from Minneapolis and I bought my bike down just to get a workout in while in Sioux Falls. I called the local bike shop and they told me this or newton hills was the best closest ride. The trail is a figure 8 and there is no real challenge. Its a great workout over looking some great plains and its a descent trail and I wouldn't say technical by any means. This trail is just ok some good points but mostly a little boring. Its best if you have buddy to ride with and chat the whole time.

Recommended Route:
Rode only once..

Review Date
October 2, 2006

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: thedroy ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Park has two different sections. One labeled as multi-use is a 4.2 figure eight. My GPS has it gaining and losing about 200 feet for each of three ridges that the two loops cover. I don't know who posted the inital review, but I don't know that I'd consider the trail single track. The mow it with what must be a 72" mower, because it's really wide for the horses that you have to dodge on the weekends. I try to ride this park 2-3 times a week because it's a good workout with a few terraces that work well as jumps for fun.

Recommended Route:
Since it's a figure eight and relatively short, riding either direction works. If you ride the southern half in a clockwise motion, there's a straight drop of about 200 feet that has a couple of quick turns at the bottom leading into a 100-200 yard sprint before a switchback climb that gains about 200 feet. The northern half is just plain a workout either direction that you ride it.

This may be frowned upon by most, but after riding a couple of loops on the figure out, I normally go and pirate the "hiking" trails. Guestimating that there's about 1-1.5 miles of the narrowest single track that I've found in the state. Very twisty and turny, as well as a section along the creek that gets more technical as it has a couple of root crossings and exposure to the creek bank on one side. Maybe not 100% legal, but no goes to this park to use the trails (I've seen no hikers and only two bikers all year) and these trails are a nice way to finish off a workout ride.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
I typically ride UG after work 2-3 days a week, then on my days off rotate between Stone Park in Sioux City, Ponca in NE, South Shore in Yankton, and every now and then I forget how bad Newton Hills is and I go up there.