Mountain Biking

Mountain bikers can ride more than 40 miles of trails at Bear Brook State Park, all open to bikes unless posted, from wide old fire roads to rooty, rocky singletrack. The New England Mountain Bike Association's Southern NH chapter rates the riding as suitable for all abilities. Riders pay the same day-use fee as hikers, $4 for adults, and NH State Parks' own photos of the park are mostly of mountain bikers.

What the Riding Is Like

NEMBA's Southern NH chapter describes Bear Brook as dirt roads, double track and singletrack with many natural features, and tags it for beginner through advanced riders, technical rocks and roots, family riding, fat bikes and adaptive riders. It lists more than 25 connected miles. NH State Parks' own trail sheet says the One Mile Trail, a former fire road, is often used by mountain bikers.

The official trail map names dozens of trails. Some names hint at what to expect: Broken Boulder, Carr Ridge, Cascade and Alpe d'Huez. The map does not rate trails for bikes or give lengths, so riders usually lean on NEMBA and on local knowledge.

Where to Start a Ride

• Catamount Pond, Deerfield Road: the One Mile Trail starts here, and you can swim after.
• Podunk Road lot: the second tollbooth, close to the Bear Brook trails and the dense grid in the middle of the park.
• Hayes Field, farther down Podunk Road, and the archery field on Lower Road.
• Bear Hill Camp and the south lot: for the Hall Mountain network.

Lots fill on fine weekends. A hiking pass, which covers riders, can be reserved up to 30 days ahead; see reservations and parking.

Ride and Stay

The Bear Hill Pond cabins sit next to the Hall Mountain trail network, and the park's promotional photos show riders gathered around a campfire there. Beaver Pond Campground is another base, with showers and a store. Both are booked on ReserveAmerica.

Trail Etiquette

• Every trail is shared with hikers, dog walkers and horses. Slow down on blind corners.
• Yield to horses. Stop, speak to the rider and let them tell you how to pass.
• Stay off trails posted closed, including the area of the 2025 forest harvest.
• Pay the day-use fee. NH State Parks says all trail use requires it.
• Carry out what you carry in, including gel wrappers and tubes.

Who Keeps the Trails Up

NH State Parks says volunteers help maintain the park's trails, and it links to NEMBA's Southern NH chapter from the Bear Brook page. If you ride here often, the chapter organizes trail work. To volunteer through the state, call the NH State Parks main office at 603-271-3556.

Good For

• New riders: the old fire roads are wide and even.
• Experienced riders after rocks and roots on tight singletrack.
• A riding weekend with a cabin or campsite on the trails.

Maybe Skip If

• You want lift-served downhill. Bear Brook is cross-country terrain on low hills.
• You need trails marked by difficulty. The state map doesn't grade them.