Lynn Woods

[Dawgee]

Id like to ride in Lynn Woods but heard some stories and just wanted to know how true they are. I dont want to write it off because from what ive heard the trails are great. 1st story there are gangs that break into your car/truck and steal anything thats not bolted down as soon as you ride down the trail. Story 2 riders have been shot at or have heard gun shots close by as they are riding.

[CouchingTiger]

That was the Lynn Woods of 10 or so years ago. The Lynn Woods of today is one of the most popular, vibrant parks around. The parking lot is relatively safe and secure and there are always other bikers, hikers, runners and dog walkers around to keep you company.

When I first started riding in Lynn, that was not the case. It used to be a free-for-all for local hooligans and miscreants. I recall always seeing a new, burned out car there each time I went as well as loads of fire pits and broken bottles. On any given Sunday you'd bump into some "tasty" folks out enjoying nature with a case of Bud. I recall one ride bumping into a kid on a dirtbike, no gear/helmet with another kid on back in the same attire (or lack of) firmly clutching a case of beer, heading into the woods. Some of you may also recall that more than one body was found in the woods, at least one of them by a group of spectators at a bike race (I think). Additionally, in the summer the park used to perpetually be on fire in one area or another. Recently this hasn't been the case.

Today with the help of the Lynn Woods Rangers, the city of Lynn, NEMBA and the Friends of Lynn Woods and the sheer numbers of bikers that frequent the park, other users have come back and now the place is a model of an urban park.

-Couch

[fellsbiker]

I've been riding the Fells forever, I rode Lynn woods once, and I was on the north end, the side that everyone talks about as having amazing trails, and to be honest, i wasn't very impressed. Oddly enough I am going back tomorrow (thursday) to give the woods another chance, but based on the one ride so far, I'd pick the Fells over Lynn any day (except Thursday I guess ;) )

[CouchingTiger]

Really, the Fells over Lynn? You need to hook up with someone who knows the place (Lynn Woods) ;) The Fells has almost no legal MTB trails and those it does have are mainly access road with the one NEMBA loop.

Are you looking mostly for access road type stuff or are you looking for tight twisty technical stuff? In terms of long flowing singletrack, I'll admit that neither area has much of that. If you are looking for rocky techical madness though, Lynn is pretty hard to beat. Seek out Bow Ridge and the Overlook and the Garrison Loop for a warmup and ...

Give a peek at the map of Lynn Woods on the NEMBA site before you head over.

Good luck!

-Couch

[fellsbiker]

Well of coarse if you are only comparing legal trails, Lynn will win. But if you want technical, try the Skyline trail. If you want insane, try the Rock Circuit Trail.

[BrianK]

I've only been to Lynn and done the technical side once. We did an epic ride though and go to see a lot of the trails there. There is definately some hard stuff there. The one thing I didn't like was that there seemed to be a LOT of dead end trails.
Its not like Vietnam where you can just turn onto any trail any not have to worry about turning around.

Did I just make some poor trail choices, or is this true of Lynn woods and you really have to know the trails to have a good ride?

-BrianK

PS - Hi. I'm a new Nemba member and this is my first post.

[CouchingTiger]

I used to ride the Fells a few times a week back in "the day", before the Fells became the complete disaster it currently is. unfortunately in the mid '90's all hell broke loose and I basically haven't been back since. It's too bad as NEMBA has better then a half dozen trail maint. days there annually and racked up litereally thousands of man hours working on the trails that they were eventually banned from.

You are correct, the White line, the Orange, the Yellow as well as the Blue WERE some really nice technical XC trails. Unfortunately there are all the most popular hiking trails and are all off limits to bikers.

In terms of technical though, the stuff at Lynn and Vietnam has progressed well past that which I have ever seen in the Fells (I.M.H.O.).

Y.R.M.V.

Good luck.

-Couch

[DaBomb]

I had to register just to reply to this thread.

First of all Lynn is an absolutely amazing place to ride. For free riding it is pretty much unparalelled in new England. For XC it has ample quantities of tight, twisty technical singletrack. It offers ocean views, shots of the boston skyline, amazing rock outcroppings and safe secure parking at multiple entry points.

The reason Lynn Woods has seen a rennaisance in the past decade is almost solely attributed to the enormous influx of bikers and a bike friendly ranger, who with NEMBA's help, insures that the future of riding there will be a good one.

If you are comparing it to illegal trails at the fells, it means that you are riding illegal trails at the fells. As far as I am concerned the best that the fells ever had did not touch what Lynn still has.

I used to live in Boston and I rode Lynn Woods for a number of years with no problems. The last few years I have been parking on route 1 at what is now the Naked Fish parking lot...not sure how they feel about it these days. Anyway, some of the best riding starts by heading in at the powerline entrance and then you can pick a couple different loops. I also used to ride the Fells....Lynn Woods blows it away!

[fellsbiker]

To everyone that thinks Lynn woods blows the fells away:

Let me take you for a ride in the fells someday! I can take you to the less traveled east side, reservoir trails, some of the extinct trails. All the illegal trails that I will soon be fighting to reopen, truly amazing, the best around!

[2stroke]

fellsbiker, appreciate the enthuisasm but realize the eco-nazzi's wheeled locusts probably monitor these boards. Best not to fuel their miserable quest. BTW, I agree..., no wait I mean the fells sucks. ;) hehehe

don

[CouchingTiger]

OK, if anyone wants a taste of what Lynn Woods really has to offer and not what you heard it had to offer seven years ago from the friend of a friends aunt, who was blind and only knew the fireroads, I suggest the following. We go ride it, then you decide.

I'd be up for hitting Lynn tomorrow and getting in some of the legal nasties. If anyone wants to see what the real deal is, let me know.

Also, in terms of posting re: the offlimits stuff at the Fells, 2stroke is 100% correct. In fact, if you mention anything about illegal use of the Fells you are guaranteed to be linked/referenced by the wheeledlocust site almost instantly. Don't kid yourself about their persuasiveness either, between them and the F.O.T.F. the M.D.C. has been on the verge of a total ban of MTB for years. The only good thing going for us now is the fact that the sport is dying off for the masses which means fewer people.

-Couch