Dual Sport Hard 105 mile - Flatlands & Tray Mtn

Want to ride two of the hardest big bike trails in the area? This route gets both of them in - if you can handle it. Flatlands Trail and Tray Mountain (east side of the mtn.) both can get real technical (more so after heavy rain), especially if your riding a big bike but if your looking for a challenge this is a good ride! This ride is recommended for experienced riders only. You have been warned.
The loop begins at Two Wheels of Suches Campground and you will see some pavement time to get you over to the Helen area. This is where you will find the lead in trail to go up the east side of Tray Mountain. Mostly easy to medium difficulty at the bottom, there are some pretty technical sections getting up towards the top where you need to pick a good line. The guys that run this trail in Jeeps recommend to each other a lift, good tires and lockers for the hard sections. It is more difficult on the bigger bikes and there are a few spots that a big ADV bike will put the skid plate to good use. Once you've made it to the top of the mountain (kind-of a dirt col-de-sac) you are in the clear on this trail. If you are on a small bike you may want to gas up before heading up Tray Mountain.
The route will then take you down the other side of the mountain and point you back west towards your next heavy duty trail. Some really good curvy asphalt will lead you down some more fun gravel roads and back to hwy 180. Here you will make a sharp right turn and you are getting close to flatlands, a local legend. IMPORTANT NOTE::::::: The program (garmin) I made the route on does not show the entire Flatlands Trail and will not let me connect the two sides. When you get to a certain point on Flatlands Trail your NAV will ask you to turn around... DONT. just keep on going, when you get to the creek crossing at the bottom of the hill just follow the creek (in the creek) around the corner. you will pick the rest of the route up here and this road will lead you back to 180. I didn't put any waypoints between these to spots so once you continue your NAV should catch up to you. Sorry for the confusion. Once back on 180 you are almost back to the campsite. Flatlands downhill not hard enough for you? Turn around and go back up it for a challenge!

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