50 Mountain Unicycle Trails to Ride in America: Part Three

Get ready to adjust your seatpost clamp for the long haul. We’re gearing up with the third and final installment of our “50 best mountain unicycle trails to ride in America” series.

Check out the first two installments here: Part One and Part Two, and get ready for the finale.

Ohio

You might not think of mountain biking (or unicycling) when a state as flat as Ohio comes to mind, but then you need to remember that part of the state borders Appalachia. Mohican State Park is home to a 24-mile singletrack trail in the heart of Mohican Memorial Forest that will challenge riders of all skill levels. The best part? You can take numerous approaches and routes to customize the trail.

Oklahoma

Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area is an interesting name - urban and wilderness in the same name is curious, to say the least - but this area comprises 300 acres just south of the Arkansas River, along with plenty of primitive multi-use trails that are highly technical in nature, with plenty of twists and steep grades. Perfect for an aspiring mountain unicycle rider.

Oregon

Oregon was hard to narrow down, but a good one is the McKenzie River Trail, which follows the McKenzie River through the forest just east of Eugene. There’s one section that covers some technical lava rock with no option to ride around, so be ready for it!

Pennsylvania

Another tough one to narrow down; instead of one trail, check out the Allegripis Trail System in the Alleghenies, with 24 trails of varying difficulty to challenge riders of all skill levels.

Rhode Island

Here’s another trail system: look into the trails at Lincoln Woods State Park. The state park boasts tons of singletrack trails, many of which intersect each other so you can piece together your own customized ride.

South Carolina

Try the Horry County Bike and Run Park - known more popularly as The Hulk - is one of the best trails in the state, even though it’s only 6.4 miles. There are tons of challenges, including some low-lying, poor-draining areas and some really steep climbs and descents.

South Dakota

If you’re in for a distance challenge, try Centennial Trail. At 111 miles, it’s no slouch, and it packs plenty of technical challenges like climbs, sharp switchbacks, and more. Get the mountain unicycle packed up for long-distance, and get to it.

Tennessee

Need a solid challenge that isn’t too long? Try Warriors’ Path, 8.3 miles of singletrack rated as intermediate to difficult by MTB Project. Don’t let the short distance fool you, there are plenty of challenges on this short ride.

Texas

It’s hard to pick a best trail in Texas but the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail, which follows Barton Creek, is a good one. It’s 14.4 miles long, so it’s right in the middle in terms of length, if not decidedly on the short side, and it has plenty of rocky technical challenges. Other good trails and systems in Texas include the Madrone Trail, Reveille Creek Ranch, Goodwater Trail, and the trails at Big Cedar Wilderness.

Utah

It’s almost impossible to pick a single best trail in Utah, but one place in Utah that all serious mountain unicyclists should visit at least once in their lives is Moab. The sandstone trails out there will change the way you think about mountain unicycling.

Vermont

Look into the Kingdom Trails network near Burke. It consists of over 120 miles of trails with plenty of exciting climbs and descents. Nearby Burke Mountain Bike Park even has a lift so you can get the most of descents without having to hoof the climbs. And here’s a pro tip - go in the fall, Vermont is legendary for its fall foliage.

Virginia

If you’re game for a loop, it’s hard to beat the Lookout Mountain Loop, which offers 13.5 miles of relatively easy climbs, exciting descents, and some seriously beautiful lookouts. Plus it has some technical rocky challenges. It balances challenges and aesthetics quite nicely.

Washington

Galbraith Mountain in Washington state has over 70 miles of mountain biking trails overlooking the city of Bellingham; you can choose your own trail adventure and enjoy the sights and sounds of the area while doing so. Some other good trails and systems include Tiger Mountain, Ape Canyon and Raging River State Forest.

West Virginia

The Cooper’s Rock Enduro Course consists of two stages, and the latter of these two offers a fairly consistent grade with minimal challenges and turns. The trick here is not to let the mountain unicycle get away from you as you can pick up quite a head of steam unless you are conscientious about the descent.

Wisconsin

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is the trail to conquer in Wisconsin, and though there might be some sections where you’ll have to dismount and walk, there are long portions that are mountain bike and unicycle-friendly. Easily one of the more challenging trails on this whole series simply because of the length, the Ice Age trail traverses more than 1000 miles through the state, following the southern margin of the last ice sheet that covered the state during the last major glaciation.

Wyoming

There are tons and tons (and tons) of good mountain biking trails in Wyoming, but let’s end the whole series with one that’s short and downhill only: the Lithium Trail in the Teton Pass area. It’s a good challenge nonetheless as you have to navigate the downhill grade skillfully, despite the fact that the trail itself is only 3.5 miles in length.

Other great Wyoming mountain unicycling trails include but are not limited to Wilkins Peak Trails and the trail systems at Glendo State Park, Black Hills National Forest, Bighorn National Forest and Curt Gowdy State Park, not too far from Cheyenne.

Get Ready to Hit the Trail

There you have it: some of the best trails from all 50 states in the Union. Put these on your list and let us know which ones you thought were the best - we’d love to hear from you!

So gear up the unicycle, fill up your tire, get ready to adjust the seatpost clamp’s grip on the seat tube, and make sure you pack plenty of water. You know the trails, the ball’s in your court.