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Knox Co. Parks and Rec asks mountain bikers to avoid muddy trails as temps rise

We get it... it's the perfect weather to get out and ride but the department's director said the ground hasn't caught up yet.

Despite our a major warm up in temperatures, Knox County Parks and Recreation has asked mountain bikers to wait before hitting the Urban Wilderness trails.

We get it... it's the perfect weather to get out and ride but the department's director said the ground hasn't caught up yet.

During thaws like the one we're seeing now, he said it can take as much as a week for the ground to dry out.

Riding too early can actually severely damage the trail for future use.

"If you go out and ride a muddy trail, you can actually rut it up. So, there's both a lot of volunteer time that goes into the trails, as well as city and county funds that go into maintaining the trail," Knox County Parks and Recreation Senior Director Doug Bataille said. "So when you put a mountain bike on that trail, it really just destroys all that work."

Bataille said a great way to know when you're clear to ride is to join the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club. Information is posted to its Facebook page about top trails available and safe to ride.

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