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Bull and Jake Mountain Trail System (Bull Mountain Jake Mountain Dirty Thirty)
Mountain Biking Trail
Hard
27.64 mi
3,808 ft
Explore the southern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains on hard-packed Georgia clay in this IMBA Epic trail system.
The name "Bull Mountain" is firmly cemented in the lexicon of mountain bikers in the southeastern United States, as it was one of the original mountain bike trails in this region. Designated an IMBA epic years ago, this iconic trail system has continued to morph and change over time.
In recent years, many of the old school trails have been rerouted onto more sustainable trail alignments which, overall, have made for a much more enjoyable mountain biking experience. Most notably, the trails on the Jake Mountain side have seen much more rerouting and line modification, making the Jake side slightly flatter, faster, and less technical, whereas the Bull side is steeper and more technical.
While you can find some chunder and gnar when ripping down the iconic Bull Mountain descent (recommended counter-clockwise), overall the trails in the Bull and Jake Mountain Trail System are relatively fast and flowy. Some tight and twisty bits will sneak up on you and keep you honest, but overall the sight lines are long and the curves are gradual, making for high-speed ripping and an overall superb ride experience!
The trail tread consists largely of Georgia's classic hard-packed red clay interspersed with roots. When dry, this red clay makes for fast pedaling but when wet, avoid it at all costs! It's not worth riding these trails when wet, as you'll destroy both the singletrack and your mountain bike.
The Chattahoochee National Forest blanketing the rippled mountains is dark and deep, the trees soaring high above. Thanks to a temperate rainforest climate, the undergrowth is dense, letting little light through even at high noon. Some trails run through dense stands of rhododendron, forming "rhodo tunnels" of green leaves. In the spring, the rhododendron blooms are simply stunning! And in the fall, the vibrant colors of the changing leaves in the Appalachians are incomparable!
Bull Mountain also has the distinction of being one of the most popular horseback riding trail systems in the state, meaning mountain bikers must be prepared to see horses and their riders, and share the trail accordingly. If you come across an equestrian user, please slow down, pull off the trail, and allow the equestrian to pass by. Always ride heads-up and aware, and consider that riding at high rates of speed when the sight lines are short could be a bad idea.
With practice, sharing the trail with other user groups is easy and safe, and the iconic singletrack of Bull and Jake Mountain is oh-so worth it! Written by Greg Heil
The name "Bull Mountain" is firmly cemented in the lexicon of mountain bikers in the southeastern United States, as it was one of the original mountain bike trails in this region. Designated an IMBA epic years ago, this iconic trail system has continued to morph and change over time.
In recent years, many of the old school trails have been rerouted onto more sustainable trail alignments which, overall, have made for a much more enjoyable mountain biking experience. Most notably, the trails on the Jake Mountain side have seen much more rerouting and line modification, making the Jake side slightly flatter, faster, and less technical, whereas the Bull side is steeper and more technical.
While you can find some chunder and gnar when ripping down the iconic Bull Mountain descent (recommended counter-clockwise), overall the trails in the Bull and Jake Mountain Trail System are relatively fast and flowy. Some tight and twisty bits will sneak up on you and keep you honest, but overall the sight lines are long and the curves are gradual, making for high-speed ripping and an overall superb ride experience!
The trail tread consists largely of Georgia's classic hard-packed red clay interspersed with roots. When dry, this red clay makes for fast pedaling but when wet, avoid it at all costs! It's not worth riding these trails when wet, as you'll destroy both the singletrack and your mountain bike.
The Chattahoochee National Forest blanketing the rippled mountains is dark and deep, the trees soaring high above. Thanks to a temperate rainforest climate, the undergrowth is dense, letting little light through even at high noon. Some trails run through dense stands of rhododendron, forming "rhodo tunnels" of green leaves. In the spring, the rhododendron blooms are simply stunning! And in the fall, the vibrant colors of the changing leaves in the Appalachians are incomparable!
Bull Mountain also has the distinction of being one of the most popular horseback riding trail systems in the state, meaning mountain bikers must be prepared to see horses and their riders, and share the trail accordingly. If you come across an equestrian user, please slow down, pull off the trail, and allow the equestrian to pass by. Always ride heads-up and aware, and consider that riding at high rates of speed when the sight lines are short could be a bad idea.
With practice, sharing the trail with other user groups is easy and safe, and the iconic singletrack of Bull and Jake Mountain is oh-so worth it! Written by Greg Heil
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