Western: Luton Park

[dirt]

Post trail conditions and problem reports for the trails at Luton Park.

[RickPlite]

The trail total is up to about three miles and 100% ridable. We will continue expanding trails as we find time. Someday totaling 6-7 miles. The trail is surprizingly not too bumpy for a new trail. Help us ride it in.

Park at D&W plaza and ride about 1 mile east on Ten Mile to the trail head or ride up to the park from the ski area on Myers Lake Rd (about four miles). Enter through and opening in a gate marked with a small MTB sign about 1 mile west of Myers Lake Road on Ten Mile
Road, follow the Green Trail and then the Blue Trail. Easy to navigate and some fun beginner terrain to explore. You may enter the Blue Loop off from Kies Ave near the barn also, but please don't park here.

Here is the deal about parking for now: the county and the wMMBA don't have money in our budget to build a proper parking lot, for now the county has allowed us to build trails as long as we only access them by foot or bike. They do not want us parking along side the road or using the Kies two track for parking as it would only hold about 4 cars before spilling out onto the shoulder of the road. Think CSGA on a very busy Tuesday eve, this is exactly what we don't need! Someday we will have more trails and a real parking lot!
_________________

[RMDoug]

Great trail to introduce new riders to the sport (as it is currently, anyway). I rode tonight with my 11-year old son, and he really enjoyed himself.
Thank you and keep up the good work!

[arnold]

The south trail (near Kies) is now a plowed field some of the trial is there
but plan on walking the soft stuff

[RickPlite]

I just got a call from the County. They intended to (lease) farm the field all along. I will take a look tomorrow, sounds like we will re-locate the field trail right next to the edge of the woods in this area. The plan is to farm soy beans for a few seasons which will in turn make the soil rich for prairie grass in the future..

[ryant]

My wife and I run the trail just about every night, we love it. We were pretty surprised when we showed up last night and the farmer plowed over the trails that were in the field leaving the edge close to the woods pretty rough.

Keep up the good work!

[RickPlite]

Join us at 9am sharp in the D&W plaza at 10 mile and Northland Dr, Rockford. From here we will shuttle folks to one or two parking areas. If you arrive late, drive east on Keis and park near the barn and entrance to the Blue Trail. We will determine the work load by the turnout we get. A good turnout means we can open the next section of more advanced singletrack! We will work from 9am until 1pm then break for lunch(provided). Bring work boots, gloves, bug spray and a water bottle. All other tools will be provided. NO TRAINING REQUIRED, WE WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO WORK ON THESE TRAILS, WE NEED EAGER VOLUNTEERS! Come rain or shine

[Steven_Arnold_Cole]

Is the trail ridable?

[RickPlite]

yes. the field described above is a bit nasty right now, but it is worth checking out. the farming only affects an 1/8 of a mile or so.

[RickPlite]

here is a map showing where to park at Northland Drive and 10 Mile road plus the recommended routes to ride to the two trail heads. Parking near 10 Mile and Myers Lake Road is also another option and a bit closer.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1956136

if someone nows how to upload this map as a picture, that would be great!

[x98myers7]

[de5m0mike]

Here's a quick update on the trail as of yesterday (June 5) at about 6:00. The wind had blown some small branches down over the trail. I tried to pull most of the significant size branches out of the way but there were still a few small ones that you could pretty much just ride over. There was however one larger tree that me and my buddy couldn't get off the trail. Looks like someone will need to go out there with a saw and cut it up to get it out of the way.

Also noticed someone had gone out and trimmed the grass along the edge of the field to get around where the farmer had plowed. It was better than riding on the actual field, but not by much. Hopefully someone is planning to cut a real trail there soon. Let me know if you need some help with it. I live pretty close by and could easily stop over to help with some trail work.

[de5m0mike]

Oh, in case someone is planning to go out and cut up that tree that fell over the trail it's located on that straight section that runs along the creek, near the end of the larger loop, just a little before you connect back in with the small loop.

[RickPlite]

Mike

Thanks for the update. We plan to make the edge of the field more ridable on the workday, June 29th. Hope you can make it out.

Rick

[psycho]

Hey guy's where is the entrance to the trail??
One of the guy's I ride with has tried to find it a few times.

We would like to give it a run.

I will try to make the trail day on the 29th.

P-