You heard about new mountain bike trails in Mason City and now you want to check them out? Excellent! Here’s a guide as you begin your decent into being a crazy person that plays bikes in the trees for fun. If you’re already that person, then welcome – you’re among friends here.
A couple basics before getting too far. You’ll need a bike capable of riding on single track mountain bike trails – hardtail mountain bikes, full suspension and even fat tire bikes will all work. Can you ride these trails on your grandpa’s old 1960’s Schwinn? Sure, but you can also eat paint chips. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. You will also need a bicycle helmet no more than 3 to 5 years old. You get one brain, protect it. Equally important is to have hydration and carry your phone in case of emergency.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get to the main dish.
Perfect for beginners with optional features like log/bridge skinnies, an extremely short loop that can be easily repeated, and a wide dirt path where the penalty for error is low. It also features an optional stairstep drop and a rock jump that can be easily ridden in either direction. The Rapids can be accessed from the Winnebago River kayak launch point off of 12th Street NE. If you’re feeling adventurous, try dropping in from the dead end on 10th Street NE.
Cyclists describe this trail as an adult playground, which features seven progressive jump/tech lines. Each jump line is easily repeatable, and each progression offers new obstacles like table tops, knuckle jumps, and gap jumps. The two technical lines feature steep drops followed by rock garden navigation. The outer loop has a great cross-country feel, with many rollers and berms flowing through trees. The outer loop can be ridden in either direction. The inner loop from the eastern hub features a jump line with an optional stone drop and an observation point where you can rest. The inner loop is also easily repeatable. While the inner loop can be ridden in both directions, the preferred direction seems counterclockwise. Evans Preserve is excellent for intermediate to advanced riders.
A linear multi-directional trail with a great cross-country feel and flow through trees. (Hit at speed for an extra thrilling ride!) Jumps can be performed in several different areas, or you can simply roll over them. The trail is just under a mile long and has two access points. Enter from the west on Illinois Avenue near the Mason City High School softball field or the south on 4th Street by the Mason City High School parking lot.
Little Riverhawk is excellent for beginners as the dirt trail is wide, and the penalty for failure is relatively low. It features a short square loop with many rollers that weave through trees along the south side of the property. It has dual inner pump tracks as well. The trail is located behind Lincoln Intermediate School on the large field at the corner of 18th Street SE and South Massachusetts Avenue.
For the best tour of the new trails, start at Zerbles Trailhead/City Dog Park parking lot. The future Mason City Bike Park is being constructed just north of this area!
Easily follow the route with GPS by clicking >>HERE.
If you have the time and endurance, catching another 15 to 20 miles on city-side pathways and more mountain bike trails at Lime Creek Nature Center is easy.
The city side trails are relatively easy to navigate and are multi-directional with clear pathing. They are a cross-country trail with many sections involving punchy climbs, log features, skinnies, A-frames, and many optional rocky routes/drops.
If you’re interested in riding into Lime Creek Nature Center, you should have a guide. Even with all trails added to Trailforks, it’s easy to get lost. There are many entrances to trails that are easily missed. Some sections have a preferred direction to ride (though it can be done in either direction if you are crazy enough). Many sections can splinter off, and getting lost is a real thing.
If you’re looking to find a friend, there are a few options. The best is to post in the North Iowa Human Powered Trails Facebook group that you are visiting. Lots of us are out riding the trails anyway, and quite a few of us are comfortable playing tour guide. Another good option is to join the Wayne’s weekly shop mountain bike ride. We often ride the city side and into Lime Creek Nature Center. That event is every Tuesday at 6:30 PM starting at Zerble’s Trailhead. >> RIDE WITH US
Written by Wayne’s Ski and Cycle Service Advisor Abraham Wolf with revisions by Visit Mason City.
Abe has been a mountain biking enthusiast for the past 7 years. He is a volunteer with North Iowa Human Powered Trails and the Mason City Mountain Bike Club. When he isn’t at work at Wayne’s Ski & Cycle as Service Advisor, he can often be found crashing bikes on the trails – likely from trying to send it a little too hard.
