How To Find Secret Trails

Photo: justinhoelzl/pinkbike

You might be surprised to learn that nearly all the secret trails on this website I’ve found myself. Although some weren’t hard to find at all, others required hours, or even days of research to find the location. So, here are some tips I’ve learned along the way to find these hidden gems.

1.Check the Obvious

Sure, if a trail is called secret, than it probably won’t be on Trailforks or in the comments section of a YouTube video, but there are quite a few places that are well known but have legal issues that you’ll be able to find relatively quickly with a quick look at Trailforks or YouTube. This might not be as obvious, but it’s also worth calling bike shops. This has helped me both find trails where I didn’t know the location, and shops have given me directions to new trails I plan to ride, sometimes regardless of the legal aspect.

2.Find a Landmark

If you’re trying to find the location of a video (using just a photo is basically impossible), then make sure to look for landmarks. If the trail is near by where you live, then you’ll have found your spot right away. But if it isn’t, then you’ll have to spend hours on Google Earth trying to find the exact location.

3.Pinkbike is a Great Resource

If you want to get more intel on the trail you’re trying to find, definitely check out Pinkbike. While the search feature doesn’t always work great, I think its better to search for the profiles of people who’ve ridden at the spot. Once you find these profiles, each one lists the town the person lives in at the top. If the person in your video built the trails you’re trying to find, it’s safe to say they live nearby. Pinkbike has also helped me find secret videos in the first place when I’m looking for new places to ride.

4.Be Wary of Locals

When you finally get to the spot, if its truly secret, then probably don’t ask the locals. I’ve actually been lied to before and told that there’s no trail here, and I’ve also heard “get lost“ quite a few times. In one instance I was told that “we have permission from the owner to ride here” when in fact I knew that the trail was on public land! If your trail is truly hidden, then no one will give you directions and its probably best to keep to yourself.