I’ve ridden a lot of trails in Michigan, and I do know one thing is for sure: Michigan has GREAT mountain biking. The fact that there are so many choices makes Michigan a great destination; but the fact that most of it is maintained by specially-trained people makes Michigan mountain biking exceptional.

Playing around at the Michigan Tech trailhead.

As May rapidly approaches, and many are already bombing through singletrack, I thought it would be a good time to come up with some top five lists. The following are the trails that I am judging and the criteria I am using for my decisions.

The Contenders

It is only fair to let you know which trails are in the running, as I can only judge those which I’ve ridden. Here is the competition:

• Al Quaal

• Anderson Park
• Aspen Park
• Boyne Highlands
• Brighton Recreation Area
• Burchfield Park
• Cannonsburg Ski Area
• Cannonsburg State Game Area
• Copper Harbor Trails
• Churning Rapids
• Fort Custer Recreation Area
• Hanson Hills Recreation Area
• Harlow Lake
• Highland Recreation Area
• Holdridge Lakes
• Lakeshore Park – The Tree Farm
• Luton Park
• Maasto Hiihto
• Marquette South Trails
• Michigan Tech Trails
• Mid Michigan Community College
• Pontiac Lake Recreation Area
• Ruby Campground
• Sleepy Hollow State Park
• Stony Creek Metropark
• Swedetown
• Yankee Springs

Judging Criteria

Variety. Variety is the spice of life, especially if you ride the same trail system day in and day out. Some trails systems consist of only one trail, like Pontiac Lake or Mid Michigan Community College, but that trail may change quite a bit throughout the course.

Michigan Tech’s Time Trial loop is one of several that challenges riders’ skills and abilities.

Technical features. A challenging trail is a fun trail. I like a trail that will occasionally force me off of my bike due to a combination of difficult climbs and technical features. Michigan Tech, for example, has some features that I can clear one of three times. Some features require more practice to master. Some are repeatedly conquered.

Elevation. Climbing and descending are a big part of mountain biking. Climbs are often painful and oftentimes require patience, discipline, and skill, but the short, steep climbs also add some variety and challenge. Descents are great when they’re long and rip-roaring fast.

Flow. Possibly one of the most difficult characteristics to build into a trail, flow is how the different aspects of a trail tie in. Does a trail allow you to gain speed on every climb only to immediately brake hard to make a sharp turn or safely ride through a sand pit at the bottom of the hill; or can you gain speed on a descent and use the momentum to clear another hill or technical trail element?

Pontiac Lake is a great intermediate trail with a little bit of everything.

Sustainability. Trails are best when they can be ridden all season and are built to last. Yankee Springs Recreation Area has a great mountain bike trail, but there are a lot of erosion issues and the trail turns into a sandpit as the summer progresses. Most of the Copper Harbor Trails are fairly new and have been built using the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s sustainability guidelines.

Navigation. Trails are only good when you can find them. Maps and signs are very important for riders who aren’t familiar with the trails.

What do you look for in a trail?