Highbridge Flow Trails
Photo: Avid Trails
Overview:
Just last year, the town of Highbridge, NJ hired Avid Trails to construct three new trails in a nearby park to hopefully increase mtb tourism and revenue for the town. Currently, there are two downhill trails: Green Flash (beginner) and Blue Steel (intermediate) that are both 0.6 miles each. These trails are accessible by taking Forge Ahead, a bidirectional trail that runs around the downhill runs. You can climb up either side of this trail and both options are a 0.3 mile climb.
Pros:
These trails are extremely unusual for a place as rocky as North Jersey. Because they’re new, you also won’t find many braking bumps, unlike the nearby frequented bike parks. This smooth nature to these trails makes them a great place to take a beginner rider, as everything can be rolled and the climb up goes by pretty fast. However, for advanced riders, there are tons of doubles, especially on Blue Steel. This trail is so special as there are so many different ways to ride it, and its only as difficult as you want it to be.
Cons:
Despite the trail quality here being amazing for the most part, there are a few notable issues. First of all, the corners on these trails are pretty tight which probably won’t be a problem on a dirt jumper or at slow speeds, but it’s still worth noting. Another issue is that some of the table tops, especially those on Green Flash, might buck you forward and potentially over the bars if you don’t use proper technique. While this isn’t an issue for most, it might discourage beginner riders from progressing while learning to jump. Lastly, there are only two downhill trails here, both of which are flow oriented, so I wouldn’t spend more than a half day here. I’m pretty sure the town plans on adding more trails, but time will tell.
Rating: 5.75/10
Although there are very few issues with the actual trails here, I can’t give it a higher rating simply because this place hasn’t been around long enough, and its only in phase one of what could potentially be an mtb mecca. I look forward to seeing what’s next for Highbridge!