When the Snow Falls, the Trails Call—Mountain Biking at Frances Slocum State Park
With a fresh snowfall, NEPA presented me with the perfect opportunity to get some snow miles. I ventured over to Frances Slocum State Park. NEPA winter weather offers a mountain biking experience that will challenge even the most experienced of riders.
Gearing up at the Mocanaqua Trailhead on Carverton Road, against my better judgment, I decided to start my ride, taking the first left and climbing Mocanaqua Trail. This route option offers an immediate 200’ climb covering about ½ mile, offering added technical challenge by way of roots, rocks, and today: fresh snow. It’s a doozie! The snow hiding the roots made them sneaky and slippery. Every time I thought I had some flow going, the roots would catch me by surprise, sending me into hike-a-bike moments.
Dismounting and hiking allowed me to take in the beautiful sights and quietness of the snow-covered forest. The wind gusts would throw resting snow from the trees into a gentle fall. Glancing through the trees, I found wildlife tracks on the forest floor, reminding me that this forest is home to many animals. Attention refocused to the path ahead of me, I continued and mustered my way up the climb.
The snow was making this much more challenging than a typical sunny, dry day. As I reached the top of the climb, I took a moment to gather my breath and thoughts about the rest of my route; given the conditions, how far do I want to take this today? Frances Slocum has 5 miles or so of mountain bike trail, and the layout allows options to double up and extend the ride if you so choose. I also considered that this park offers a significant ascent-to-mileage ratio; if you enjoy climbing, this is a great trail system to ride. With my thoughts now gathered and with limited time to ride, I decided to take the first left at the top and head down the double-track towards “Buck Trail.”
I got some speed heading down the trail and veered to the right to stay on “Buck Trail.” This trail is much flatter. I was finding a lot of frozen leaves and frost heave beneath the snow. OK, so what does that mean? This stuff just grabs your wheels and sinks them, almost like quicksand. As I’m pulled to almost a dead stop, I can’t help but smile and giggle. “This is so silly,” I think to myself. Bear in mind, I am riding a standard trail bike with 2.5” tires. In these conditions, most would be aboard a “Fat Bike” with 4”-5” wide tires in order to gain more traction. But that’s OK – I knew at the start that I wanted a challenge, and I just wanted to be out in the snowy woods.
I reached the T in the trail. A right turn takes you to a longer ride option. I turned left back onto the Mocanaqua Loop; another technical climb. Switch-backing my way up the trail, traversing more frost heave, slippery roots and rocks, I reached the top of the climb; somehow, I managed to ride the majority of the trail. That felt good to accomplish!
Cruising down the backside of the climb, feathering my brakes ahead of each turn and hearing my cold calipers and rotors squeaking [letting all the wildlife know I was coming], I’m having a lot of fun! I feel like I have my bearings now. At the bottom, I make my way back up the double-track trail that I descended earlier in the ride, following my prior tire tracks. I almost made it to the top before the frost-heave pulled my front wheel into a hole just before the crest of the climb. Ah well… time to push again!
Now the fun part of the ride: descending the steep trail that I started my ride with. This descent offers a few options to pop off rocks and lots of slipping and sliding around turns. It did not disappoint. I caught a little bit of air here and there. I was afraid to really send it, not knowing where the slippery roots were hiding upon landing. At the bottom of the descent, I detoured over to catch a glimpse of the frozen lake. Lots of footprints in the snow show that hikers are out enjoying the day as well! I grabbed a photo and then headed back to the trailhead. I spent about an hour in the woods, and I’m glad I opted to enjoy yet another of NEPA’s beautiful parks.
Know Before You Go
- Frances Slocum has trails designated specific to mountain biking and also trails specific to hiking.
- Frances Slocum is open to hunting; be mindful to wear bright clothing
- There is another trailhead on Green Road.
The Larch Tree Trail stands out with its rare tamarack trees, while other routes weave through dense forest and open fields. Open year-round, the trails offer a dynamic ride that changes with the seasons, making the park a great spot for both casual riders and those looking to push their skills.
