Local loop begins at the Elks Club parking lot. Take Main St. North from campus, then hang a left on Summit St. Climb the hill and take the first right (after the railroad tracks) up around the bend to the Elks Club (the first driveway on the right). From here, you will see the trailhead at the back of the parking lot. There are a lot of great trails from this point, so feel free to explore, but to ride the entire local loop, you will need to ride with someone who knows the loop. See contact info below. Local loop combines varied terrain from several of the local Ann Arbor parks. The first part of the trail is a somewhat technical loop in the wooded park behind the Elk Club. There are some short steep hills and one stream crossing. From here follows a ride through several other parks with some short paved and dirt road sections in between. There are a few muddy sections, a nice jaunt along the Huron River and a crossing of the Huron River Dam. Towards the end, the trail traverses local neighborhoods, culminating in a high speed drop down a very steep 50+ foot hill (guaranteed smiles!). The loop ends back behind the hospital by Maiden Lane. Overall, the loop is very scenic, and is about 10-12 miles long (depending on your guide) and is of varied difficulty, and can be ridden at any pace. All levels of bikers can find something to enjoy. Email contacts: Erin Stansbury (estans) or Chris Friedl (vetteman). Please feel free to contact us if you want us to show you the local loop, or better yet, come join us on one of our weekly rides! Were always willing to show some new faces the trails! |