Taxonomy upgrade extras
DULUTH, MINNESOTA
WORDS : Tara Steele
PHOTOS : COGGS and Bill Schwalbe
There are some things that I just love about mountain biking; riding under tall trees with ferns and singletrack that keeps your attention with a variety of features. It just puts a smile on my face.
We spent the weekend exploring the trails in Duluth, MN preriding many trails in preparation for upcoming races later in the season. Of the three trails that we rode, Lester-Amity, Piedmont and Mont du Lac, the trail system at Piedmont impressed me most.
Located atop of Skyline Parkway in West Duluth, Piedmont is a gem of a trail, offering the intermediate to advanced rider over 10 miles of trails over a variety of granite outcroppings, bridges, roots, rocks and boardwalks.
The Piedmont Trail system has been built and maintained by COGGS (Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores). A map of the area is available on their web site (www.coggs.com ), as well as parking information and trail descriptions. In addition to this, COGGS has done a fantastic job with signing all the trails and designating levels of difficulty, similar to those found on ski slopes. We started our ride off of Haines Road, just a few blocks above West Skyline Parkway. I would recommend parking to the east, at the lot off of Hutchinson Road, which features a large parking lot with trail maps.
We began our ride on the snowmobile trail and after a short climb, entered into the singletrack at Section 7. Ridden from Haines Road, Section 7 features a gradual climb over roots, rocks and step-ups. I later decided that it would be a blast as a descent.
At times the trail is fast and flowy, with short, steep climbs and descents and a few tight trees. The trail also features its’ fair share of rocks, both large and small. One of the highlights was riding on the granite boulders buried into the earth, especially in Section 5A where they are stepped up and vary in size and shape. I was reminded of riding on slickrock, but without the drive half way across the country.
We rode most of the trails, only missing out on a few sections. It was great to ride the intermediate terrain first to get a feel for the trail. The intermediate trails at Piedmont keep your attention and require your focus to clear them cleanly, but are not overly difficult. There are plenty of bridges and boardwalks over marshland areas and rock step ups that require focus on what lays ahead instead of the flora and fauna around you.
The black trails, in my opinion, were more difficult than most of the black and double black trails in the Twin Cities area. For example, Section 8A featured many, many large rocks and drops with exposure that require some advanced bike handling (think trials), skills, that I for one, do not possess.
Like many trails in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, much of your time is spent riding the under the canopy of tall trees, with ferns brushing your calves. On occasion, you are rewarded with views of Duluth and the lake; a great reminder of how much fun mountain biking can be.
Next time you’re in the Duluth area, be sure to check out Piedmont. It’ll put a smile on your face and I promise that you won’t be disappointed!
