|
Forums
Discussion of
metro area trails can be found
here.
Please feel
free to report any errors or trail related information in the
appropriate forum.
|
|
| |
 Getting
There
From St. Paul/Minneapolis take I-94 east
to the CR-15 Manning Ave. (exit #253). Head south on
Manning Ave. for 7 miles. Take a left onto 70th Street
South, heading east for approx. 3 miles, then follow the
signs into Afton Alps.Check the
Afton Alps web site
here.
Beware that Bailey road is under
construction, so don't follow a mapquest route that
suggests using that road.
Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 7 a.m. - Sunset
(all trails must be cleared by sunset)
 The
Details
Afton Alps is a $7 per rider pay trail
built on one of the metro areas larger ski hills.
The trail system features excellent signage breaking the
trails into sections allowing the rider to select how
much of a challenge they wish to experience. This
allows the whole family to go out and have a great time
riding.
For the racers among us, the Afton
Avalanche, Afton Off-Road Series, and our own 24 Hours
of Afton are well worth becoming a permanent part of
your race schedule. For more detailed info
reference their
site or the MNSCS site
here.
Like other ski resort/biking areas,
the mountain biking trail is a mixture of brutal
climbing, screaming descents, and winding singletrack
combined with great views overlooking
the beautiful St. Croix River Valley.
 For
the experienced rider, you won't want to miss trails
such as "Bridge Loop", "Cliffs Edge", "Southern
Switchbacks", and "Express". Novice riders will
appreciate trails such as "Southbound Crossing", "Shady
Lane", and "Deer Path". To get to the best views,
you'll have to climb up "Birchwood Lane" and "Mountain
Trail" up to "Northwest Crossing" before dropping back
down "The Hideaway" onto the very sketchy "Midmountain
Crossing" before reaching the chalet where you can grab
a bite and get ready to head out for another lap.
(see map below for trail names and locations)
Race Hint: If you like watching bike racing, park
yourself near "Midmountain Crossing" and you'll see some
huge wipe-outs for sure. Racers come flying over a
hill onto a very thin/rough stretch of singletrack that
tends to be a little too much for even those with full
suspension. If a rider strays just a bit off the
trail in this section, they are in for a big surprise.
If you ride this section of trail, SLOW DOWN and RIDE
SAFE!
Like Buck Hill, Afton doesn't run
their chair lifts for bikers, so no lift assist in
getting to the top of the slope. You must work for
those great views!
 Overall
Impression
Unlike Buck Hill, Afton is open for
public riding. You have to pay a little, but it is
certainly better than not being able to experience the
trail at all unless you race or patrol. (you
listening Buck Hill?) Like Memorial Trail, the
addition of trail names is a real plus that more bike
areas should adopt.
For the racing crowd, you certainly
feel like you are at a major event when you are at
Afton. It is not uncommon to find 400-500 racers
of all ages and skill levels, and there are plenty of
great places for the family to camp out and enjoy the
events and scenery.
If you haven't been to Afton, be sure
to put it on your calendar at least a few times each
year - especially in the fall when the leafs start to
turn and the scenery rivals none.
|
|
|
