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A 9-mile ride that covers most of the east trails at Harbins.


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Map Key

9.2

Miles

14.8

KM

95%

Singletrack

1,019' 310 m

High

823' 251 m

Low

1,083' 330 m

Up

1,086' 331 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (3°)

17%

Max Grade (9°)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

The trails are often closed following wet weather. Always visit mtbatlanta.com/ to check the trail status before heading out.

The park trail hotline is not reliable, so just look at the signs at the parking lot. They are pretty good about keeping it open. It is usually closed only in the the wettest of conditions when you wouldn't want to ride anyway. The GATR folk know their trail building and management stuff!

Overview

This ride is all singletrack except for about a 500 foot paved section and about a quarter-mile log road. This ride takes you around all three Harbins East Loops, then crosses the creek to do the Back Side trails. It bypasses the Rim Bender to maximize distance, goes down the rock face, then doubles back to ride the top loop in the opposite direction.

Description

This featured ride uses MB3 of the east Harbins Loops and Back Side to make a nine-mile ride, with very little backtracking.

Ride Harbins East Three Loops as described in its description to the back of the 2/7 mile loop, and turn right at the junction as described for Harbins East Three Loops to get to Back Side.

Cross the large creek, keeping to the right or extreme left to avoid a little rift on the rock creekbed. Stay on sand and avoid moss as much as possible. Follow the logging road a short distance until you cross a rock pile. Take the singletrack to the right. The trail parallels the logging road and rejoins it just before another creek crossing. Cross the small creek then take the first trail (on the right). This is a steep climb to an approximately 1-mile loop at the top of the hill. At the top of the steep climb, turn right.

You are now on the main loop. You'll come to the top of the Rim Bender, a nice downhill trail which is to the left. You should check it out later. For now, keep left, passing the Rim Bender. This will take you the long way around to the bottom of the Rim Bender hill. Cross the power lines and re-enter the woods, where you'll come to a 4-way junction.

Here are the start of three trails that run pretty much parallel to the power lines and each other. You can ride them in any order of course.

For this ride, take the leftmost, top trail. It comes back out at the power lines. If you continued straight across the power lines, you would come out at the top of the steep climb after the little creek. Turn right and follow the power lines downhill. The dirt will end and you'll be at the top of the rock face. The descent down the rock face is steep—you can forget about stopping, just control your speed. Unless you are an advanced rider, I recommend walking it first. It isn't too difficult if you pick out a line that zig-zags around the steepest areas.

At the bottom of the rock face, you come to a board walk. If you continue straight, you'll come to the bottom of the steep climb and little creek crossing. But take a sharp right where the boardwalk forks, and you'll be heading up the lower of the three parallel trails.

Return to the 4-way junction, take the top trail, follow the power lines again, but take the little trail to the right back into the woods instead of continuing to the rock face. Keep right and return to the 4-way junction via the middle trail.

From the 4-way junction, retrace back to the top of the Rim Bender. Continue until you get to the top of the steep climb that you came up. For variety, pass that and take the next left. It is a longer, not-as-steep descent to the little creek crossing.

For variety, take the log road all the way back to the big creek crossing, bypassing the parallel singletrack section. Retrace hardtop into the woods back to Harbins East Three Loops, and keep right to complete the 2.7 mi loop portion of Harbins East Three Loops. Complete Harbins East Three Loops as described in its description.

Contacts

Shared By:

Dennis Hevener

Trail Ratings

  4.2 from 31 votes

#1

in Harbins Park

#675

Overall
  4.2 from 31 votes
5 Star
45%
4 Star
35%
3 Star
13%
2 Star
3%
1 Star
3%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Harbins Park

#12

in Georgia

#675

Overall
49 Views Last Month
7,762 Since Jun 11, 2014
Intermediate Intermediate

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Photos

Nice creek crossing, lots of butterflies!
Aug 10, 2015 near Grayson, GA
Top of Rim Bender.  It is a lot steeper than it looks here.
Jul 19, 2014 near Auburn, GA
Rider descending Rock Face
Jul 19, 2014 near Grayson, GA
View of rock face, looking NE,
Jun 11, 2014 near Grayson, GA
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Weather


Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 19 days ago
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Jun 10, 2023
Michael Taylor
Apr 24, 2022
J Hollada
15.3mi — 2h 01m
Mar 14, 2022
Thomas Clark
Aug 19, 2021
Ryan mcdaniel
Great ride. Very well kept up. 6mi — 2h 00m
May 29, 2021
Michael Taylor
Mar 6, 2021
Nancy Mawire
2h 46m
Jan 18, 2021
Randy Sharp
8.3mi — 12h 30m
Nov 20, 2020
Michael Taylor
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