Mt. Penn
Photo: Brice Shirbach
Overview:
After many years of economic depression, the city of Reading is finally starting to make a comeback through tourism, partially in the form of mountain biking. The city has made a massive trail network combining Mt. Penn and Antietam Lake Park with other trail systems nearby on Neversink Mountain and French Creek. Almost all the trails in the A-line sector are downhill only, including everything from enduro runs like Cub, to skinnies in the network, to gnarly steep chutes found on Stage 3 and Area 58, and even a machine-built jumpline!
Pros:
I’d probably have to say that Mt. Penn is the biggest network I often ride. There is just so much there that you’ll almost always find a new trail each time you go. Most of the downhill trails have plenty of features to keep you entertained for days. This place also caters to many skill levels due to the many beginner cross country trails, and the massive features you’ll find on PRO LINE rated trails.
Cons:
Despite seeming like a MTB mecca at first glance, there is one big thing holding Mt. Penn back: the trail quality. Much of the technical riding there seems more like a chore than a fun add-on to a trail. Many of the jumps aren’t well-built making it hard to get airborne. It seems like the trail builders here care more about quantity than about quality. The town of Reading cares more about tourism revenue instead of fun tourism. Also, many of the trails just get boring after only a few runs. Despite the variety here, everything still feels the same.
Rating: 5.5/10
All and all, Mt. Penn is still a great place to ride and still worth heading to if you’re nearby. Yes, there are some areas for improvement, but because of the sheer number of downhill trails Mt. Penn offers, I can’t give it anything below average.
Update (11/25):
Mt. Penn is finally started to step up its game! Recently, Dirt Sculpt has been redoing the lower section of A line, renaming it SKYLINE!
The new trail not only features significantly larger jumps than its predecessor, but is also way less sketchy, with no hip jumps that point into trees, and no tiny lips for super long jumps. Depending on funding, Dirt Sculpt might get started on “phases 3 &4” of the project which I think means redoing the upper section of the trail too! Anyways, I’m super stoked to have a black diamond bike park style jumpline open year round and I can’t wait to check it out.