Great Parks Opens New Mountain Biking Features in Western Hamilton County

Great Parks will open a new mountain bike skills course and skills loop trail at Mitchell Memorial Forest, both of which are major enhancements for the park’s existing 8.2-mile mountain bike trail, offering features that will challenge riders and expand mountain biking options available to the region. Everyone is invited to a fun opening ride and celebration of the new attractions, taking place at Mitchell Memorial Forest from 12-4 p.m. on Saturday, November 1. 

“Mountain biking is a thrilling sport that offers outstanding experiences for our guests while highlighting the natural beauty and conservation leadership Great Parks offers,” said Todd Palmeter, Great Parks CEO. “This is an excellent way for us to add to what is already a popular mountain bike trail that has been attracting people to Mitchell Memorial Forest for years.”

The new skills course and skills loop trail will help users learn and improve basic and some advanced mountain biking skills. For example, mountain bikers can ride over progressively more difficult small rises, dips and banked turns to practice keeping their momentum on a slope while enjoying the sensation of weightlessness. The new skills areas are adjacent to the existing longer trail so mountain bikers can immediately put their new skills to use.

Mountain bikers at the opening celebration will be demonstrating on the skills course and skills loop trail. Food and merchandise will be available for purchase. Guests from the Cincinnati Off Road Alliance (CORA) and local mountain biking enthusiasts are expected to join the celebration.

This celebration at Mitchell Memorial Forest represents the second opening of a new natural surface attraction in recent weeks, after a new 1.5-mile mountain bike trail opened at Avoca Trailhead in Great Parks’ Little Miami Scenic Corridor earlier this fall. Great Parks is a leader in trail development and now offers more than 84 miles of trails throughout Hamilton County, including nature and fitness trails, plus mountain bike and shared-use trails.

Funding for the trail comes from a $68,000 grant through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the 0.95 levy approved by Hamilton County voters in 2021 to support critical infrastructure needs and initiatives identified by the public through the master planning process.

(Note: Valid Motor Vehicle Permits are required for every vehicle entering Mitchell Memorial Forest. Information about purchasing MVPs, and accessing free or discounted MVPs, is available at greatparks.org.)