Mountain Biking
Mountain bikers of all ages are drawn to Hale’s rugged, varied terrain just miles from Boston’s city line. Whether you like to ride on your own or as a participant of our programs, we’re glad to welcome you to our community of riders.
About MTB at Hale
There are many ways you can (courteously) shred Hale’s trails. We’ll be glad to help you learn, practice, and progress through our clinics, clubs, and programs.
Youth Mountain Biking
Youth riding is our specialty. Many of these programs offer opportunities for adults to participate as well—by joining us as a staff member or volunteer, you can help kids learn about the sport.
Elementary and middle school-age students focus on skill-building and ride time throughout summer. Campers execute drills, increase endurance, and learn about bike maintenance and trail stewardship in our private skills park and beyond.
Shred with the best. Our premier mountain biking program for older kids and teens includes options in cross-country and downhill. Regular practice rides focus on building skills and maintaining fitness as coaches prepare young riders for the world of racing.
Hale offers youth skills clinics and programs with coaches and instructors who teach technique and increase confidence. Sign up for a single session and focus on a specific goal, or join a season-long program and learn with a community of riders.
Mountain Biking Clinics
Youth and adult clinics and special events improve skills and build community. Whether you’re new to riding or you’ve been shredding for years, develop skills to safely enjoy mountain biking on a variety of trails, through rock gardens, and beyond. Maintain an adventurous spirit and embrace the ‘challenge by choice’ motto as you set your own pace and explore features and challenges. Coaches offer personalized feedback that improves technique, increases confidence, and builds community. Hale’s Youth MTB Clinics are best suited to ages 8–14. Riders must be at least 15 years old to participate in Hale’s Adult MTB Clinics.
Essentials
Review and practice the essentials in a controlled environment as you focus on the importance of body positioning and technical skills such as braking, shifting, and steering. This clinic includes small features, drills, and demonstrations.
Intro to Jump
Make progress with fellow riders as you go from wheel lifts to bunny hops to small gap jumps. These clinics explore the mechanics of taking off and safely landing on flats and descents. Expand your riding capabilities to confidently hit trail features you wouldn’t have before.
Advanced Jump
Work with experienced coaches to improve and stylize your jumping skills. Tap into your mechanics to progress and challenge yourself using the airbag lander and jump training mulch pit. Previous completion of our Intro to Jump clinic is recommended but not required.
Progression
Discover the importance and power of body positioning and learn to navigate tight situations, work on climbing and descending, tackle tough features, and practice cornering. This clinic spends more time on open trails and stops to session certain features.
Trail Ride
Hit single track and put your skills to the test with climbs, features, and downhills. Trail Ride is the real deal and tackles drops, jumps, corners, and tricky rocks. You should feel comfortable on a mountain bike, but this clinic is NOT limited to experts—embrace the challenge on this friendly group ride.
Bike Mechanics 101
Learn the ins and outs of bike maintenance, from fixing flat tires to adjusting gears and brakes. Our fun, supportive environment makes it hard to be intimidated. Coaches break down technical jargon so you can easily understand how to take the best care of your bike.
Explore On Your Own
Hale’s 20+ miles of multi-use trails are available for mountain biking year-round. Please review our Visitor Guidelines for trail maps, general information about public use, and rider expectations.
Annual Races & Events
Hale is proud to host two annual MTB races and a women’s mountain biking day that feature some of Hale’s favorite trails and sections that offer something for riders of all ages and abilities. Our fall race, the Great Pumpkin Smash, is in October. Everwild Women’s Mountain Biking Day and our spring race, the Final de Barro, are in early May.
The Great Pumpkin Smash
This XC Olympic format race features some of Hale’s best trails.
Everwild Women’s MTB Day
Celebrate the power of women on mountain bikes.
Final de Barro
Each spring, we welcome the end of mud season with a ride on terra firma.
FAQs
Mountain biking is an inherently dangerous sport with an injury risk profile similar to skiing, snowboarding, and contact sports such as soccer, hockey, and basketball. The most common injuries are minor cuts and bruises. Programs guide novice riders on trails that allow them to safely develop their stamina and technical skills so they can discover their comfort zone and limits. Always wear a helmet. Body armor is also recommended. Those who ride at Hale do so at their own risk.
Terrain at Hale varies in technical difficulty. You may encounter tight switchbacks, banked turns, rollers, small bridges, table tops, gap jumps, and rock drops. Always ride within your ability and work your way up to more difficult features. Remember to inspect features before riding, as conditions change due to weather and use. Do not enter Hale MTB Camp’s skills park without staff supervision. Please refrain from biking through program areas, especially when camp is in session during the summer.
Programs typically ride in drizzle or light rain, but will delay or cancel rides during heavy rain. We steward the trails we ride, so we refrain from riding during mud season (usually March) and during heavy downpours that can result in damage. Wild Ones MTB races occur rain or shine. Kindly refrain from riding during “mud season,” as it can severely damage the trails we rely on.
It certainly helps to be able to make simple repairs while you’re out on the trails, especially if you’re riding solo. Wild Ones MTB runs a bike maintenance night at the beginning of the pre-season to develop these skills and help you learn to keep your bike in tune. During practice sessions, riders and coaches on the trails are ready to help. During races, professional support is available.
Learn More
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Protect the Land
Advance the Sport
No matter how you choose to explore Hale by bike, we hope you’ll consider helping steward the property by making a gift and joining us as an annual member.