Big Ring Adventure Team
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Bennington H.I.C.K. Ride | Flatlander's Lament v1 | Franklin County Vatican Ride | Haw Ridge | Holly Bay and Bee Rock | Levis Trow Mound | Mitchell Memorial Forest | Monte Sano State Park | Montgomery Bell SP | Raccoon Mountain | Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge SP
Monte Sano State Park
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Key Search Terms: Monte Sano State Park; Huntsville AL; SORBA Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association; Alabama State Parks; US Space Rocket Center.
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Text: Rich Ries. Photos: Rich Ries. Event: Mountain bike ride. Location: Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, Alabama. Time of Visit: Multiple visits. Miles: 14. Rich repeated some sections and skipped others, ending the ride with about 12 miles. Total Elevation Gain: 984 feet. Fee: Yes. Closures: None posted, but check with the Park before making the trip. Accommodations: We stayed at a hotel, but the Park has camping and cabins.
The Good: Probably the best beginner/family trail you've ever seen. Lots of variety of trail types, from very easy to technical descents. Convenient to Huntsville and all it offers, such as restaurants, bike shops, lodging, and other attractions, including the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. There's a group lodge available. SORBA does an excellent job of maintaining the trails. Well-signed. Decent map available.
The Bad: The trail layout is confusing for first-timers, even with a map. Some trails have only certain segments open to mountain biking. Trails are color-coded on the map and so several are virtually invisible to those of us who are color blind.
The Summary: Another jewel in a long necklace of area trails.
If your main objective is to ride and have fun, that's all the reason you need to visit Monte Sano. The name is Spanish for “Mountain of Health” and was given to the place in the 1800s when it was a popular destination for those seeking the restorative powers of a clean mountain environment. A visit to Monte Sano still has restorative powers, but there are other reasons to visit, especially if you're involved in building mountain bike trails.
Three things stand out about Monte Sano's MTB trails. First, there's a lot of variety, from true beginner trails to highly technical sections. Second, it's another great example of how urban areas can include MTB trails nearby. Two other such examples are Oak Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama and Lebanon Hills in south suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. Third, the Family Trail at Monte Sano is the best beginner trail I've ever ridden. It's fast, fun, scenic, and exposes newcomers to an authentic singletrack experience without overwhelming them. There are multiple sections of roots and rocks, but none is difficult. One big challenge in acclimating newbies to mountain biking is to get them over the psychological barrier to riding technical stuff. The benign roots and rocks on the Family Trail will allow them to realize, “Hey, I really can ride over this stuff!”
Julie and I stayed in a hotel to be near our business meeting the next morning, but we vowed to come back and stay at one of the Park's cabins. Rates are less than a hundred bucks a night, with tax, and the cabins have rustic charm, modern conveniences, and stunning views. I don't think they have Wi-Fi; I use an air card so I didn't bother to check.
Finding your way along the trails can be a bit daunting as there are lots of intersections and mountain biking isn't allowed on every section of every trail. A map - available from the Park office for $2 - is a big help. But so is local knowledge. Call a bike shop or contact someone from the SORBA Web site.
Our limited time on this trip allowed only a cursory examination of Monte Sano Park and its trails. What we saw convinced us we need to go back and spend a couple of days.
Photos
The views from the trail (above) remind you that you're 1,600 feet up. That's not high by Western standards. It's not even high compared to many other sites in the Southeast. But it's high enough to provide some nice views and some challenging riding.
The Family Trail (above) is an excellent training ground for newcomers to mountain biking. A good example would be that root running diagonally across the trail the foreground. Even if a rider fails to unweight the wheels and the bike gets nudged sideways, the risk of crashing is low.
On the other hand, descents like the one above are best left to riders with advanced skills.
The there's the descent to McKay Hollow (above), which is mostly moderately technical with a few truly tricky sections thrown in.
These three shots are examples of the excellent signage at Monte Sano.
The Lodge (above) is available for groups.
The cabins are affordable, have great views, and there's some breathing room between them. There are newer ones (above) as well as some older stone units built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (below).
The map above shows the proximity of Monte Sano to downtown Huntsville. Our Magellan GPS brought us right up to the Park, but the Park's Web site warns against using Google's instructions for finding the place. They suggest you call for driving instructions.
I did the entire Family Trail and repeated some sections plus a loop past the cabins and an out-and-back on the McKay Hollow trail, so this map doesn't really provide much information on the overall trail system. Buy a map at the Park office
Ditto for this elevation profile, which offers only representative information. You will note, however, that the descent to McKay Hollow (starting just past Mile 7) is a steep one.