Hey! Jaki here! At Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance (CORA), we aim to provide pathways for all levels of trail adventures. This post is designed for beginners and those visiting Greater Cincinnati for mountain bike adventures. These recommended trails are multi-use, so they are accessible to mountain bikers, hikers, trail runners, and adaptive use adventurers!
Disclaimer: Always check the Trail Conditions before your mountain bike ride.
Advice: When mountain biking, it is important to wear a helmet. We also recommend close-tip gloves, and for extra caution, wear some knee pads/ elbow pads. Water is a plus to bring with you!
Check out my curated list of mountain bike gear for your first adventure!
I have put together a list of beginner skills courses and trails to help you gauge the sport. If you are trying mountain biking for the first time, my best recommendation is to walk the section of trail first to understand the terrain. If you are approaching a section you are unsure of, there is no shame in getting off of your bike and walking the feature. Then you can put that on your list of features to work up toward as you progress in the sport.
Use Trailforks to navigate the trails during your experience. Don’t have a Trailforks Subscription? Save 30% in your first year by subscribing here. Each subscription donates $5 toward local trails!
Skills Courses:
Opened in the fall of 2025, this skills course introduces you to rock features, drops, skinnies, wall rides, and more technical skills to help develop balance and comfortability on the mountain bike. Take a spin on the skills loop as well to ride beginner switchbacks on natural surface terrain.
Mitchell Memorial Bike Skills Course & Loop
Opened in the fall of 2025 and located at the trailhead parking lot, the skills course includes wooden tabletop jumps and wall rides, natural surface features, and a teeter totter. This is perfect for learning confidence-building techniques before hitting the trails. There is also an optional skills loop, including an entry wooden table top feature, wooden skinnies varying in height and difficulty, and natural surface terrain. This leads right back to the bike skills course, or you can continue your adventure on A Loop for a mountain bike adventure.
Located at Nagel Middle School, this park is open to the public outside of school hours. This park includes skills features and jumps to advance your skills. This is a great park and kids at Nagel have the opportunity to ride mountain bikes during gym class!
This park offers skill building courses, with two pump tracks and skills features. The dirtjumping section is a local favorite, but approach with caution!
More skills courses to come!
Beginner (Green) Trail Recommendations:
Sargeant Park - whole system
If you are brand new to mountain biking and want to try it out, start here! With less than 2 miles of trail, this can give you an idea of what to expect for a beginner level trail. Look for the Paw Paw trees in the summer!
East Fork State Park - Beginner Loop
This loop is also a great place to start with a little under 3 miles of trail. This trail offers some brief climbs and descents, with light technical obstacles with options to go around them. The view is also breathtaking, so take a break and enjoy it while you’re out there.
Right next to the Little Miami Trail and the Milford Trailhead, this trail is a great place to “get your feet wet” if you are new to the sport. It’s also a local favorite with experienced riders.
Premiere Health Bike Park - Eclipse Trail & Armstrong Trail
These trails offer some punchy climbs and fun features to try. Expect a few switchbacks, roots, and rocks. There are a few wooden features here as well, including varying heighted drops (so approach them before SENDING IT). If you like these trails and are ready for more downhill and climbing, visit the other side of the park with their newer trails, starting on the Pink Trail.
Hueston Woods State Park - Campground Loop & Green/ Blue Loop
Hueston Woods State Park provides great trails that help advance your skill level. The Campground Loop is the easiest trail here, and if you are ready for more of a punch, try the Green/ Blue Race loop. Use Trailforks on your ride to help you navigate around since some of the trails intersect each other. This is a great place to take your beginner skills to the next jump.
Mitchell Memorial Forest - A Loop
The A Loop is a 4-mile loop with varying terrain. Expect to climb with roots, rocks, and switchbacks. This is a great trail to push your skills toward the intermediate level.
England Idlewild - Entry Trail
Remember, what goes down must come back up when talking about trails. The Entry Trail leads you to the trail system, which has amazing views along the creekbed. We recommend using Trailforks to navigate around since some of the trails intersect each other.
This trail branches off of the Little Miami Trail near 50 West Brewing Company and provides a little off-road adventure toward the Little Miami River.
Disclaimer: These trails are not designed for motorized vehicles like ATVs, Dirt Bikes, and mopeds.
Enjoy your riding experience, and remember, it’s always fun to progress! Have fun out there!
Check out more trails at coratrails.org/trails