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Trail Reviews for Garner Rec Park as submitted by trianglemtb.com guests

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CategoryAverage Rating
Overall :   3.6 / 5.0   based on 30 votes
Technical :   3.3 / 5.0   based on 30 votes
Climbing :   3.3 / 5.0   based on 30 votes
Freeride :   2.1 / 5.0   based on 30 votes
Scenery/Wildlife :   2.8 / 5.0   based on 30 votes
Flow :   2.6 / 5.0   based on 19 votes



Garner Rec Park trail has been reviewed 30 times by our trianglemtb.com guests.

Reviewed by:LRamsdell
Reviewed on:10/17/2019
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If I went to this trail when I first started riding mountain bikes I probably would have quit! Haha. But now that I know how to ride over roots and love a good challenge these trails are pretty fun for a quick hard ride. There is not much marked so you just have to ride it a few times to figure out where you are going. I'm not sure why this isn't listed on the mail tail page anymore but it's a fun ride.
Reviewed by:HSDADrider
Reviewed on:03/25/2018
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Rode this trail for the first time today when trying to find trails that were open after the rain. This trail is part of the park, so if the park is open, the trail is most likely open. The entrance to the trail is toward the back of the parking lot and there is no one there monitoring it. Trail is pretty "rooty" is some parts, and pretty tight is some spots.
I wouldn't recommend as a beginner trail, but definitely fun as a good intermediate ride. Some parts had not been traveled on in a while as the path was covered in pine straw and leaves, which made some of the slopes harder to go up, plus they were still a little wet. Trail is not marked very well, and there are several points where it forks and you have no idea where you're going. I actually think we were on private property at some points.
Overall, seems like a really fun trail with some slopes, bridges, creeks, whoop-de-doos, and more. Will definitely try again when it hasn't rained recently.
Reviewed by:PlayWithGravity
Reviewed on:06/08/2015
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Flow is difficult because trail builders took advantage of every whoop, knob, hill, and root ball in the general vicinity of the path. Can be fun for sure but overdone at the expense of flow IMO. It'd also be nice to have a clue where you are and where you're going. I grew weary of pulling out my phone to see where I'd been to try to guess where to go. At one point I just bailed for a ball field I could see at the edge of the woods. The trail has potential tho, with some more use and signage...
Reviewed by:gargisle
Reviewed on:03/20/2015
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This trail has potential but the lack of upkeep and overall simplicity takes out the fun of the trail. this trail is no where near 5 miles and is made up of 3 small trails a blue, red and green trail which totaling maybe 2-2.5 miles. now that is the marked trails if one goes into the no trespassing marked sections it would probably be longer, but i was unwilling to test this hypothesis. overall it seems to be more of a hiking trail where one would take their dog for a walk. the over abundance of high roots makes climbing difficult and slows down the overall pace there are some fast turns and a couple fun drops, but not enough to make Garner my ideal place to ride.
Reviewed by:tjbelge
Reviewed on:05/03/2014
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Reviewed by:Aquajern
Reviewed on:06/30/2013
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The harder stuff lies beyond the park boundaries, I assume these are either illegal trail systems or just plan hard to find. You can get lost going in circles here, many connectors and forks at every turn. Spent more time deciding where to go and how to get back. Once you get a idea of the area though there is some good potential for fun. Some whoops, climbs, creek crossings, flows at back end well. I still don't think I ridden it all yet... Worth it if your in the area, but would be nice if it was more organized and maintained. Lots of dog walkers near beginning of trail system.
Reviewed by:TonyOhh
Reviewed on:11/24/2012
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I think a bad sign of a not so good trail is it being covered with leaves or looking like nobody rides it. I went out there yesterday from Raleigh and probably won't return. Although the trees are clearly marked with paint the trail isn't very organized. If you like a ton of tight lines and no flow go here. Not to mention I ran over dog poop...Not that fun of a ride for me
Reviewed by:jm2e
Reviewed on:06/19/2011
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As mentioned by others, had a little difficulty finding the park as is not prominently marked. Trailhead is obvious once you're in the right parking lot.
The first section of trail (from the trailhead bridge to the "other bridge") seems to be a complete cluster of connector trails with a fork in the road about every 50 feet. Virtually every tree on every connector seems to have paint on it. Once you get to the trails beyond the "other bridge" things improve a little but trail markings dissapear altogether. As far as I can tell, the only good plan here is to give yourself a couple of hours to ride around in circles until you have a general sense of the place. Maybe after a half dozen days like this you could start riding fast with a particular plan.
There are countless ride around sneaks at even the mildest obstacles, which might be nice for accomodating varrying skills, but they add to the confusion making you think you're at yet another fork in the road.
This trail can be fun to ride and has a lot of potential. I'm surprised that with an organised biking community it's not marked better.
Reviewed by:Bright_Light
Reviewed on:03/14/2011
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Where to I start?
First off with the negative:
- Very poor markings for which trail you are on. They have Red, Blue, and Green. It's just paint smeared on some trees. I planned on doing all three but ended up just riding till I had enough. There were plenty of times there was a fork coming up and I had no clue which way to go. If you get lost, good luck finding which way is which.

- Quite a few things like dips, quick turns, big logs, and low tree limbs have a way of coming up with no real idea they are there or coming up until you've hit them. Pay attention!

- I read somewhere someone said that they felt all alone out there. Like it was in the middle of no where and they were at peace with nature... Totally the opposite! Haha, every time I thought I was almost away from civilization, I saw a baseball field, the road, a townhouse, a shelter, power unit, etc.


Positives:
- Nice slopes, quick turns, tight lanes.
- Plenty of ride arounds for those not confident with their riding skill.
- There is another trail that starts inside this one. You'll see a sign that says " Town Trail ends here. Town is not responsible or liable for damage" ETC. Or maybe it's still apart of it but town doesn't keep it up? I don't know but that was fun =)


All and all I will return to this trail and ride it over and over for the next week or two. I say everyone should take the time to ride this trail.

P.S - Be careful on the steepest climb prob close to middle of the overall trail. There is a steep and root filled downhill after the crest. Either keep going and don't stop or walk down it. DO NOT attempt to walk down a little of it and then start riding.
Reviewed by:BigginStampede
Reviewed on:04/08/2010
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Decent trail. Some pretty steep uphills if you are a beginner. Dont know if it is worth the drive from Raleigh. Just my opinion.
Reviewed by:ncmtb
Reviewed on:04/02/2010
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Nice trail, but not easy to navigate. I soon found out there are alot of out and back loops off one or two main trails. Being from Wilmington (flat land) there is plenty of elevation changes and some pretty technical climbs and drops. There are some real fun creek crossings along the way (one of which I didn't even try). The builders of this trail did a good job, now they just need to mark it!
Reviewed by:Surferned
Reviewed on:03/16/2010
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Reviewed by:slirty
Reviewed on:03/08/2010
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Reviewed by:tchrist41
Reviewed on:03/01/2010
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The directions to here are confusing but overall, a nice ride with a little bit of everything for all riding types. Flow is good in some sections but bad in others. Also, the trails are marked very poorly, sone not at all and features like the stream crossing are not marked and can come up on you fast.
Reviewed by:EffortlessMTNB
Reviewed on:02/28/2010
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I was able to go on a quiet day, I only saw about 5 other riders out. Some sections of the trail were pretty rooty, and my bike doesn't have shocks so that was a pain in the ass (literally). Other than that, it was a lot of fun for my first time out, great track for beginners. A note though for first timers, the entrance to the park is unmarked, it took me almost an hour to find it, but it is to the right of the Senior Citizen's Center, not on Creech Rd. Coming from I-40, it's on the right.
Reviewed by:phil306
Reviewed on:09/12/2009
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i was afraid moving from the foothills near pisgah to raleigh would leave me with nowhere to ride. well i found this site and garner is the closest to the dorm so i hit the trails today. while there isnt as much downhill as im use to the trails were still challenging and techincal enough to keep me occupied. i enjoyed the more XC style which will definitely keep me in shape.

Cliffs: i will be back tomorrow
Reviewed by:MarkMTB
Reviewed on:07/31/2009
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Reviewed by:labgeek
Reviewed on:06/09/2009
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tight and twisty are right.. this trail loops back on itself several times, yet it feels like you are pretty far removed from civilization. the trail builders have done a great job designing this trail so you get the most miles out of the acreage. the trails are very well maintained and usually drain and are ready to go within a day of all but the biggest of rainstorms. (still make sure they are open before you head out there) if you are looking for some freeride this is not the place for you, but if you want to get some XC miles in Garner has a good mixture of fast sections and challenging obstacles. Some people say that this is a good place for beginners but i would disagree, of camber rooty sections always give the newbies i have taken out there a hard time. however after the same newbies get some miles and other trails under there belt Garner is a great place to help them move up to the next level.
Reviewed by:Like2ride
Reviewed on:05/25/2009
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This is an OK trail; it would be great for a beginner to learn on. I traveled here one time when the other trails were closed, but as another review mentioned I can only see myself going again if I lived closer.
Reviewed by:Pugslyyy
Reviewed on:03/24/2009
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Went out to Garner for the first time because Crabtree and Harris were closed. Glad I went - really enjoyed the trails. Nothing crazy but just some good fun riding and a few nice long gentle downhills where you can get some good speed going.
Reviewed by:Triebert
Reviewed on:03/21/2009
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OK, if you live near by, otherwise its hard to find myself wanting to drive to ride these trails.
Reviewed by:Dutch
Reviewed on:03/19/2009
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Reviewed by:rialbselur
Reviewed on:03/18/2009
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I ride this trail all the time, and can't imagine having a better place to ride. I usually hit it after work so there is a time frame to consider. That in mind, the length of the trail is perfect. Weekend riding may dictate longer trails, but riding it CW and CCW is certainly a good option, and it remains fresh. My guess is that because there aren't any published maps, people don't know about the entire catalog of trails. Anyway, the mixture of whoops and good down hill sections up top, give this trail good free ride value. You won't get the vistas of other trails in the area, but for a good, challenging time...call on Garner!
Reviewed by:cpraneri
Reviewed on:03/12/2009
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Flow:Not Rated
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FYI to all: The person to contact at the Town to give your positive opinions, thanks and support is Sonia Shaw, Director Parks and Rec. Adding this to the "NOTE" above will make it easier for folks to call. You must call through the main number (shown above) to get to her desk.
Reviewed by:spd2002nc
Reviewed on:03/06/2009
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Amazing Trail!
Reviewed by:DAG
Reviewed on:03/06/2009
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Flow:Not Rated
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My home turf, I love this trail. It's got some sections that will bust a lung out of you if you're into that kind of thing. I also found this trail to be ideal for single speed. And for those of you that enjoy speed, there's a nice out and back that allows for picking up some real nice speed. My son enjoys the huck area, though this trail is definitely not for beginner riders. There are a lot of roots to contend with, and I feel my riding gets better every time I ride here.
Reviewed by:SMAK
Reviewed on:03/06/2009
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Reviewed by:Kurt
Reviewed on:03/06/2009
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These trails are close to home for me so I may be prejudiced, but I definitely prefer them to Harris or Crabtree. Much more technical, challenging and fun. I hear comments about the trails being short, but I suspect some folks do not ride everything out there and there was at least one new loop being worked in last time I was out there. There are 4-5 good long (for this part of the state) downhill runs that allow good speed and some hard braking and cornering. Overall just a lot of run with some challenging climbs.
Reviewed by:edoiron
Reviewed on:03/03/2009
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Reviewed by:nolcar
Reviewed on:03/01/2009
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Fun and challenging trail with numerous moderate technical features. If you can ride the six miles without dabbing, congratulations, your a pretty good rider. 100% single track mostly tight and twisty. Several tough rooty climbs. Several fifteen foot steep drops. Big woop de is smooth and fun. Several good creek crossings. Minimal downhill flow opportunities. Trails are well seasoned and hard packed. Hard to get lost. Enter at the wood stairs at the end of the parking lot for counterclockwise ride or enter the paved drainage ditch left of the wood stairs for clockwise ride. Both ways are fun.

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