NOTE - new trail section added Summer 09: Green Trail. Adds @3 miles length of easy-moderate terrain. Good warm-up or to add needed length bringing he total trail distance to @13 miles. PLUS it is IDEAL for newbs and or kids and gets them off some of the harder stuff.
check the Tarheel Trailblazer website or the Natiaonl Whitewater Center for maps.
NOTE $5 now charged for for parking! (yeah - it 'used' to be a free park. But now we have the NWWC - and they gotta make their $ somehow)
The NWWC facility is a big bonus here - making this a terrific destination. (PLEASE come spend $ at the NWWC so we locals don't get taxed anymore AND we riders don't have to pay any more $'s for what used to be a 'free' park)

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Lots of side trails so easy to miss some of the best stuff. While it has a few technical and or difficult climbs, for the most part this is a cross-country rider's dream course. Most dangerous thing out here is oncoming hikers, and lost 'new' riders riding wrong direction.
Buy a map at the NWWC or grab the wheel of a local.

NOTE - for those confused by the naming convention of the "Carpet Trail, aka Magic Carper Ride" - You should figure it out when you 'stick' the steep off camber climbing turn. (That lime green patch of carpet has been maintaining that slope for over 12 years! Plus it looks much better there than it did in my den!)

Super fun ride, not many jumps but great cardio workout. Some challenging sections like the North Trail and Figure 8. But also plenty of level rides and fire trails for the beginner to get acclimated too. I've taken first time riders and they have fun but totally walk away with more respect for mtn biking and have come back. I've been with experienced riders who loved it. Best part, is the The Eddy and the cold beer waiting at the end of the ride while watching the white water rafting.

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North trail to Main trail, take the Weigh Station Loop and the Toilet Bowl. I'm still not good enough yet for the Goat Hill or maybe it's ballsy enough.

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Poston Park off Exit 22 in Lowell. Great trail don't let the mileage fool you, it's not measured in miles. When finished you'll know you've been there and the Camelbak will be dry.

Both loops as well as the figure 8 section are now open. Length is somewhere over 10 miles. Great intermediate singletrack. Fast downhills (including short dhill course with a jumps/drops) and lung busting climbs (goat hill). Ride at least once a week and still have to drag my carcus to the side of the white water course to cool down. How many other singletracks offer a place to grab a beer and some grub?

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North loop, figure 8, South Loop, Carpet Trail (must do), Goat Hill, Dhill course, Toilet Bowl. Don't care so much for the weigh station section.

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Lots of good trails in the Charlotte area.

it was a good trail not to insanley technical but tons of climbs and goo long descents tons of fun worth the trip and the white water center is really cool too

This is one of the best trails i have ever ridden on.

it wasn't as diffcult as people make out to be, but it's a lung buster, leg burning, mind blowed trail. i rode weight station, goat hill, carpet ride, and the main loop. all where awsome.

just got finish ridding and the conditions were awsome.

hats off to the trail blazers for doing a job well done.

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main trail

goat hill loop

carpet ride loop

weight station loop

all of them are awsome, u can't get lost either it just all flows nice.

The trailhead is now at the US National Whitewater Center. Follow signs from Sam Wilson exit off of I85. Nine niles of trail are now open with another two/three to be completed by Dec.06. Trails are mostly singletrack with some powerline and fireroad, it is an intermediate to advanced trail with extremly fast downhills and plenty of technical options. The technical difficulty is not real high but combined with the speed of the downhills this trail will keep you on your toes. The trail has several loops and lots of climbing, can be ridden as a 3 mile, 6 mile or 9 mile trail depending on how many of the loop trails are ridden. It is built around an awesome whitewater park, USNWC http://www.usnwc.org/ this is a place to spend the whole day, there is a climbing wall and ropes course too. Trails are maintained by the Tarheel Trailblazers mountain bike club and are in excellent shape. They have details of this and other trails in the Charlotte area on their website

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From the trailhead drops into the valley, continue straight ahead, the trail loops out to the river and back. All loops are marked as loop trails and the main trail is also marked. The south end has the biggest climbs, the goat hill and toilet bowl trail are singletrack at its finest. At the south end, near I85 you will cross the powerline at the top of the dual slalom course and continue into the woods and return to the trailhead up the east side of the powerline. Much of the return is singletrack that loops into the woods and back onto the powerline.

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Poplar Tent, North Meck, Rennissance

This trail was designed from start to end with a clear concept and flow. Very fast and the first time, in Charlotte, that I wished for more brake and I have the Hayes9 Hydralics. I've heard some complain that there should be more benching, but i disagree. Loved the DH section, very fast. Goat hill is brutal going up.

Poplar tent was my favorite but this trail edges it out. the advantage is all in the vertical.

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The whole trail.

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Poplar tent

Back up and running. A lot of the trails are still closed off due to the White Water Center. But this place was worth the trip from Mooresville(40 min). Steep ups and down abound. Most of the difficulty of this trail is created by sudden, steep, rooty, uphill switchbacks. The DS course is a bit grown over, and only wide enough for one. But hey, they just got this place going again. Fun, challenging trail to ride that won't bore you.

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Don't miss: Goat hill, the DH course, and everything in between.

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Poplar Tent remains my favorite Charlotte area spot.

It's OPEN!!!

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all intermediate and advanced trails...

Great trail. By far the best in the Charlotte area. However, this review is to let everyone know THIS TRAIL IS CLOSED UNTIL JUNE 2006, while they build the new whitewater rafting center on the bank. I would hate for someone to drive a ways to ride here and be turned away.