Are you looking for the perfect cycling trails near you? Then it would be best if you relaxed since this blog is for you. Several tools can help you locate the most suitable bike trail near you. Those tools are specifically designed to help discover the best bike paths around your location.
There are many reasons why you need to bike. In most cases, it could be for more practical reasons, like getting in shape for the New Year, making healthy lifestyle choices, or simply being environmentally friendly. Whatever the case may be, choosing an appropriate bike path near me can be challenging when you don’t have geographically convenient options like nearby parks with trails that are well maintained and lit up at night. This piece shall discuss the best ten tools to help you find the best bike trail near you. Those tools include;
1. TrailForks
TrailForks is among the best tools that help you find the best biking trails near me. You can use this tool as an app on your phone or visit their website. Consider this tool whether you are looking for a great bike trail for trail junctions or single tracks for beginners, intermediate or advanced biking experience.
Ideal uses: Best for paved bikes paths + mountain bikes trails
Pros
Easy to use
Offers trail description
Indicates elevation profile
Shows trail heads
Cons
You must have an internet connection to access the tool
It does not show the distance between trail points
No map view
2. Bike Map
A bike map is a tool that helps you in planning a bike trip. You can use it to discover bike trails around the globe. The bike map shows major cycling routes across the world. When using the bike map tool, you can plan your biking trip or use it to check out the trails around your location. Using the bike map to find where to ride bikes near me, you might discover an excellent path for the best biking experience.
Best use : Paved bike paths and routes
Pros
Simple interface.
Easy to use.
More than 1 million trails are available.
Database of trails from all over the world
Cons
Not accurate enough
3. Google Maps
Google Maps is one of the most popular tools to help find a map of bike trails near me, especially for beginner and intermediate biking experiences. It provides directions to navigate to your desired location, and it also offers bike trails as alternatives to take when biking around your region. If you are looking for the best bike trail near you, you should consider Google Maps one of the top choices because of its reliability in showing exact GPS locations and distances between any two points.
Best for :Mountain bikes trails and paved trails
Pros
Easy to use.
Provides directions
Offers bike trails as alternatives when biking around your area.
Cons
Inaccurate distance measure
It can only be used on mobile phones and not tablets or laptops.
4. Strava
Strava is an app that helps you find trails for bikes near me. It is an endurance sports social network where you can create, share, record, and playback your activities. This app is available on both android and iOS. You can choose to ride a trail, a segment, or a route on Strava with your smartphone for tracking purposes. Another essential function of Strava is to help you discover new bike trails around you that are unknown to your local community. In addition, Strava will be able to show you the location of points along a route on a map.
Ideal for: Road routes and mountain bike trails
The best way to use Strava is by riding alongside other cyclists using the app. It is recommended that you find other cyclists using this tool.
Pros
Easy to use.
An excellent option for beginners and intermediate riders
Can indicate the distance between points
Shows the location of points along a route on a map
It offers the best trails for riding with other cyclists.
Cons
If you do not ride a route of around 20 miles, it does not calculate the distance.
Not accurate enough for advanced riders
5. MTB Project
This tool is helpful for intermediate and advanced riders. MTB project is a tool that helps you discover the best bike trails near you. It has a database of carefully reviewed and researched mountain bike trails worldwide. This tool is specially designed to help bikers and those planning to take up biking as a hobby or activity in their leisure time.
It is not an app but a website. However, you can use it on your phone as an app. MTB Project has a simple interface. With it, you can easily navigate to places of interest that are close to you and also around your region.
Ideal use : Mountain bike trails
Pros
Easy to use.
Allows you to “follow” other bikers and get notifications of their latest activity.
You can see the number of views a trail has.
Maps can be viewed in Google Maps format.
In short, this tool is helpful for intermediate and advanced bikers who are looking to explore biking trails on their own and want to get suggestions from the community.
Cons
You have to create an account before using it.
6. TrailLink
This tool allows you to discover bike trails in your city and bike trails around the country. It has an interactive map showing popular biking trails around the country.
TrailLink has a database of tens of thousands of tracks in the USA and Canada.
The best way to use this tool is by typing “Bike Trails near me” on the search bar provided on the website. You can then use the map to click on any trail you want to check out, which will direct you to that specific trail.
Ideal for : Rail trails and paved paths
Pros
You can discover bike trails around your city.
Offers bike trails in your city
Simple interface.
Easy to use.
You can search for trails by state.
7. IMBA Trail Center Locator
IMBA is among the best tools for helping you find road bike trails near me or anywhere around the country. This tool has a database of bike trails around the country. If you are looking for a great ride, consider this tool. IMBA Trail Center Locator is free to use.
Best for : Paved trails
Pros
Easy to use
Shows accurate GPS location
Allows you to create an account and log in for future purposes
8. Find a Trail
This tool is among the best tools for helping you discover the best bike trails near me. Find a Trail has a database of bike trails across the country, with maps and reviews of each path. It also provides a map showing the location of common bike trails in the USA.
Best for : Mountain bike trails and paved paths
Pros
Easy to use.
Shows accurate GPS location
Allows you to create an account and log in for future purposes
9. Bikely
Bikely is an online tool for helping you find great bicycle trails near me. If you are looking for a great ride with family or friends, consider using Bikely. This tool is also helpful for those who love endurance sports and want to do it in their leisure time. It is recommendable that you include this tool as part of your biking routine.
Ideal for : Mountain bike trails
Pros
Easy to use.
Shows accurate GPS location
Allows you to create an account and log in for future purposes
10. Trail Tracker
This tool is among the best tools for helping you discover a bike path near me. It has a database of over two thousand various courses. If you are looking for a great ride, consider this tool as one of the options available to you.
Best for : Paved bike trails
Pros
Easy to use.
Shows accurate GPS location
Allows you to create an account and log in for future purposes
What are the different types of bike trails?
Mountain biking tends to be an activity that is often based on a mix of off-road and on-road routes. This kind of activity is usually chosen by people who appreciate the challenge brought by a trail full of obstacles such as roots, rocks, and steep trails. This kind of activity has gained popularity among amateur cyclists, primarily due to its immersive features and the fact that it’s an excellent way to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Below are the different types of bike trails you need to know.
1. Paved bike trails
Paved bike trails near me comprise hard surfaces such as asphalt, making it easier to ride on. However, this kind of trail can still be challenging to navigate when it’s wet or even in the rain, as it could cause a lot of damage to your bike. This kind of trail is usually long and wide and can only be used for racing purposes because most bikers opt to go for unpaved trails for bike riding near me, where they can have a greater sense of freedom.
2. Dirt or gravel rail trails
This kind of bike trail is usually composed of one or a combination of those three elements. It’s the most common type, although it’s not always the easiest to ride on, especially when it rains because gravel, dirt, and rocks could all make their way into your wheels to cause damage.
3. Singletrack mountain bike trails
This kind of trail is usually composed of single tracks and dirt and gravel trails. It’s the most challenging type of bike trail to use as you have to make your way through the steep and thin rocks, which can cause a lot of damage to your frame. Amateur bikers usually avoid this kind of trail. Still, experienced riders might use it for racing purposes because it could also be used for racing and has the perfect size for these activities, thanks to its long and narrow shape.
4. Dual-use bike trails
This kind of trail is usually composed of various types of tracks. This kind of trail is generally longer than trails that are made from only one or two parts, making it easier to navigate when it’s not in the stage where it’s rainy.
5. Trials or X-Bike trails
This kind of trail usually comprises various paths like singletrack and dual-use trails. Both casual and experienced bikers can use this kind of trail. At the same time, it’s also a great way to train kids on how to ride a bike fast if you’re the kind of parent who wants your child to learn how to ride a bike fast for the simple reason that it can help them get their licenses early on in life.
Things to consider when choosing the Bike trails tool
Depending on the kind of riding experience you prefer, you should select a tool according to your needs. Following are some things that you should consider before choosing your tool.
Purpose of riding
When considering the purpose of riding, it is essential to choose a tool that meets your needs and provides the performance you expect. Depending on your purpose of riding, some tools could be more suitable than others.
Type of riding
There are various types of riding, such as cross-country riding, recreational riding, and racing. The perfect tool depends mainly on the riding you wish to do. That is important when choosing which tool would be best for you because it could determine your level of comfort and speed.
Experience
You also need to consider your experience in bike trails before choosing the right tool for you. If you’re a beginner, you should select a tool that is easy to use and does not have too many features that could confuse you.
Other features
Depending on your need, some tools have features that might not be useful to you. Choosing a tool based on its features would be best because it could make using it easier. Those features include accuracy, temperature, and distance that could be useful to you, depending on your riding experience.
How do bike trails help in conservation?
If you love biking and appreciate the natural environment, you must find a way to balance these two interests because of their perfect blend. One of the ways to achieve this is by taking part in biking trails that have a close relationship with nature and help conserve it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, bike trail tools are essential in helping users navigate through the right trail. It is crucial to choose the right tool because this will determine how effective your ride on their paths will be. Bike trails should be selected based on your interest and location as they are different in various regions. The bike trail tools above should help you narrow down some choices, so consider giving them a shot.