Lincoln Woods trail - open to mt biking?

[Bumpsis]

Does anyone know if the Lincoln Woods Trail off Kangamangus is open to mountain biking?
I'm looking at a topo map of that area (from the AMC guide book) and that trail looks very bikable.
So does the parallel fire road that's just on the opposite side (eastern side) of the Pemi River. But that ends fairly shortly and then it turns into a trail.

On the map, at least, it looks like it would be a great ride, exteding all the way up to Thoreau Falls Trail. I've done some rides in that area, off the Sawyer River Road ( through Sawyer Pond and trail) so I'm looking for something simlar.

 

[LindsayW]

Mountain biking is permitted on Forest Service trails unless specifically prohibited. Bikes are ALWAYS prohibited in White Mountain National Forest Wilderness areas, and other trails may be closed per a specific "Forest Closure Order." Something that looks good on a topo map may not be great riding, however, as unless a trail is specifically maintained for mountain biking (and it will be marked with a bike symbol at the trailhead if it is), it's not maintained with mountain bikes in mind. It sounds like you're familiar with some of the riding off of Sawyer River road, and I'd suggest the Nanomocomuck Ski Trail if you haven't ridden that, as it is maintained for biking. There's also some sweet riding in the area of the Moats that can be accessed off of Passaconaway Road at the Mineral Site trailhead. The trails there have been maintained for biking for some time, and in the last year have been officially recognized by the Forest Service as mountain bike trails. The Red Jersey or EMS in North Conway should both have the latest maps.

Also check out http://www.fs.usda.gov/whitemountain for more information about specific trails that may or may not be open to biking, and www.wmnemba.org for more general info about mountain biking in the Mt. Washington Valley.

If you're willing to venture further north, Moose Brook State Park in Gorham has some great riding; a very passionate group of locals has put a ton of time and energy in the trails up there.

 

[LindsayW]

Also, my first reply isn't showing up yet (awaiting moderation I guess?), but you definitely cannot ride the Lincoln Woods trail all the way up to Thoreau Falls, as the trail goes into the Pemigewasset Wilderness.

 

[LindsayW]

Not sure why my second reply showed up by not my first. In general, Forest Service trails are open to mountain bikes unless biking is specifically prohibited. That doesn't necessarily mean that the trails are maintained for biking, or are fun to bike on, no matter what they look like on a topo map. Bikes definitely are NOT allowed in any of the White Mountain National Forest Wilderness areas. It sounds like you may have done it if you've ridden in the Sawyer Pond area, but the Nanamocomuck Ski Trail is a good mountain bike ride and similar to the other trails in that area. There's also some great riding that can be accessed from the Mineral Site trailhead on Passaconaway Road. Those trails are specifically signed as bike trails and maintained by the local NEMBA group. You can pick up a map to that area at the Red Jersey or EMS in North Conway. If you're inclined to head further north, there's some sweet riding in Moose Brook State Park up in Gorham. A bunch of passionate local riders have done some awesome work maintaining and building trails.

 

[Nick]

Hey Lindsay!

The first reply was moderated because of the links. We had a lot of spam before so the first 5 posts that people make, if they have links, go into a moderation queue. I just approved the post. Thanks for the great info!

 

[Bumpsis]

Thanks for good info Lindsay.
With regards to having ridden some trails in the Sawyer Pond area, now I feel like a poacher
Yet, the trail I took was a really exciting, regardless it being a forbidden fruit. I did not know that at the time. Ignorance can be a bliss sometimes.