Big River never disappoints!

I rode a different section of the park today. The weather was really hot and there was "nary a breeze" but--as always--its magic in there...

Trails I rode:

• Teeter Totter
• Burnt Sawmill Road
• Burnt Sawmill IN
• Logs (great flow!)
• Sizzler (lotsa berms - it was like a mini Kitchel)
• Archie 
• Sizzler Extension

Back at Big River - Finally!

Back ages ago I rode Big River and fell in love with the trails. Last year I tried riding it but it was a disaster - there was 2-4 inches of water on every trail.  Ah... but today the weather was perfect (mid 70s) and it was dry and sunny.

Big River is magical--these photo;s barely capture how awesome riding here is! Out of all the places I've ridden, this is still one of my favorites.

Its a huge place. As you can see from the map, I only rode a small section of it. These were the trails I rode today:

• DNA (awesome!!)
• Lego
• Run In
• Run On
• Arrow
• Pump House (harder than I thought)
• Dead Shed 
• Tarbucket (some tricky rock sections)
• New London Turnpike
• Bottle Extension
• Bottle

A few highlights

After 8 Years - Big River Revisited

It was 8 years ago that I rode this park - my.. my... time has flown! I had fond memories of this place -  lots of trails, abandoned structures and damsmhere and there and no serious climbs!

Its an enormous park (over 8,600 acres!) and I was psyched and thought I would enter in a new way - starting from the western lot and hitting the easy greens until I got down to the Tarbox Pond area.Well everywhere it was overgrown and buggy - as a matter fact long stretches of the trail were just flowing rivulets and huge puddles.

To make matters worse, I unexpectedly hit a rock and got scraped.

Overgrown and the wet branches slapped you in the face!

But there were spots of amazing beauty as well!

After bushwhacking thru a swampy trail not on TrailForks...

 ...I rode back to the access road and tried riding Logs. It looks nice here but further on, it was one continuous puddle.

Bummer!!!

 

Big River - Tarbox Pond

I decided to head back here one more day and try to ride some of the other trails (there are so many!). I made it to Tarbox Pond and headed back out on the western trail. Much of this ride was easier with less climbing than the previous days but it was great ride nevertheless.

I GPS'd this is in three parts.

Photos

Old Fireplace

Moguls (been here before!)

Sweet Trail!

Marsh/Pond

Abandoned Building near the big marsh

At the Rocks by Tarbox Pond

Wounds of Riding :-)

Two more maps to indicate the myriad of trail choices and the elevation:

My ride overlaid on Open Street Map

My ride overlaid on a Topo Map

Return to Big River

After my Big River super hot and humid ride on Sunday, I was anxious to return and explore more of the trails. I tried to follow the IMBA recommended ride (MTB Project Map and Info) but with the huge amount of trail choices and no signage and very minimal blazing, I ended up just "following my fancy". Needles to say, no matter which trail you choose, it is all awesome here!

This map is my ride layered on top of the Open Street Map. It really shows how many trails exist here - it's mind boggling!

Open Street Map (layered)

This topo version helps understand the elevation changes.

Topo 

Elevation Charts (I GPS'd the ride in three Sections)

The slow ascent on the Red Trail has many short rocky sections. Tough to stay on the bike for a first timer here!

The Red trail has lots of short tricky rock gardens

It gets more and more scenic as you climb: big rocky cliffs and boulders all around.

As you climb higher, more and more "big granite" 

Every which way you turn - there are trails and more trails. Without my cell phone GPS tracing and having the OpenStreet map as a reference, I would be completely lost. As it was, I only had vague idea where I was most of the time and I had to check my compass more than once for additional guidance. Yikes!

There are a myriad of trails everywhere
This section had a roller

Once I descended from the hilly area, the trails were super fun and fast to ride.

One of a million choices!

Marsh/Pond on the left

Mammoth glacial erratic

I kinda got my bearings again when I reached the New London Turnpike (which by the way is just a dirt road!) and headed north on a wonderful twisty trail primarily under conifer cover - it was magic!

This is paradise for mountain bikers of ALL skills levels.

Big River Park - a hot but fun ride!

I arrived here around 10 am and it was already freakin' hot and humid. Despite the brutal weather I enjoyed the ride and hope to return to check out more of the park.  The trails are great - fast and flowy and there is a lot of twists and turns and ups and downs (but no extreme climbing) that keep it interesting.

As you can see from the maps, I only did a small section of the park. There are a myriad of trails - all great but not really blazed and there is no signage. I used MapMyRide to try and  keep track of where I was. I got a little nervous of getting lost plus the heat and humidity were not making it easy so I turned around after 75 minutes and made it out in 45 minutes. Two hours was not enough time to really explore the vast network.

My ride (I went in and out the same way...)

Elevation changes

At the Start 

Great trail flow

This is fun riding!

Boardwalk

A few glacial erratics

Hot, sweaty and ready to head home
(it was like a hot sauna!)

Further Info

Maps

• Open Street Map
• MTB Project

Other Big River Rides (and Ride Maps)

• Big River - Tarbox Pond
• Return to Big River 

History

• New London Turnpike - In 1821, the New London Turnpike toll road opened shortening the trip from Providence to New York by taking passengers on a more diagonal overland route connecting with the New York steamships at New London, Connecticut. Developed late in the turnpike era, the introduction of railroad and steamboat service soon rendered the Turnpike obsolete and its owners were forced to abandon it.  More Info >
• Hell's Acre - Along the New London Turnpike, small village and taverns sprung up to cater to travelers.  One particularly notorious area was known Hell's Half Acre, a place where murder, gambling, and prostitution were rampant. More Info >
• Big River Reservoir - The Big River Reservoir was acquired by Water Resources Board to build a reservoir many years ago. Through eminent domain 8,600 acres of land was condemned by the state and 351 owners evicted. In 1990, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concluded that the land was too sandy and porous to support a reservoir and during the same year the project was blocked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More Info >

The Desert of Rhode Island

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dVWKKBRVnQ
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COu40RujgSc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTnOkkmVPvU

 ^ Yep this is Big River! Glacial silt accumulation...