BUMP

Hey there

I am new to the area and was wondering if anybody got any reviews/comments on the Levite JCC ride? Seems like you do not need to be a member to ride the trail.

Is it a single track ? rocky ?... ?

Thanks

-S

It is private land. As far as I know, you do have to be a member to ride there or be the guest of member. Their policy may have changed, but I have to think they wouldn't maintain the trail system for free.

One of the guys at Birmingham Bicycle Company told me that for a small fee ($8 maybe?) they will let you ride there.  I've never tried to take advantage of it myself, so I have no first hand experience.

I stopped by with Peyton & Lila one time and went to the office to get permission to ride the trail. The lady in the office said I could pay a one-day fee of $35 for the family  and we could ride the trails, plus do any other activity at the JCC. We passed on the trail ride that day.

I have a friend that regularly rides the trail but he is not a member. He says it is a good ride. I have never ridden it.

The JCC is a great local neighborhood trail.  Tight corridor, narrow tread, aggresssively pitched climbing turns (incorrectly called switchbacks), an excellent workout.  excellent for night riding. not a "destination" - due to it's length - but it is an awesome in town resource.  it's a shared use trail, bikers, runners, hikers, dog walkers. accessed via the west side of the parking lot past the tennis courts - rideable in either direction - the trail is pancaked stacked up and down 2 hillsides so generally up one hill - through the saddle past the water tower - and down the second hillside.  rocky, loose, rooty.    the property owners do limited maintenance so it's generally up to random local people to just fix things that come up.. excellent drainage  - so pretty stable to ride a few hours after a rainstorm.

Actually the JCC is not a local neighborhood trail. It is a trail on private property that was built for the the members and guests of the JCC. Here is the link to their website with a map of the trail:

http://www.bhamjcc.org/index.php?submenu=Sports_Fitness&src=gendocs&link=BikeFitnessTrail&category=Sports%20%26%20Fitness

I have ridden with a friend who is a member and it is an okay trail. If you ever want to master switchbacks this is the place. The JCC offers alot if you are looking for a club to join. Freinds that are members really seem to enjoy the facilities and membership is independant of religious affiliation.

Should a member of the JCC happen to live in relatively close proximity to their club - this trail is within riding distance and readily accessible from the city street system.  The trail at Trussville is also a neighbourhood trail - if one lives close and has permission to use it - accessibility is such that one doesn't need to pack their bike on a car and drive to some parking lot to access the trail.  Rarely do mountain bikers ride through the gate at OMSP (or Tannehill) to access the trail - that differentiation is an accurate description of  variation in local area trails - and useful information for people new to the area.  

Apparently I take more poetic liberty in my choice of adjectives for posting on informal, social forums than you Chip.  Thanks for setting the record straight!  don't forget to review & update wikipedia's page on neighbourhood

I think Chip was trying to clarify that it is not a public trail, and since a lot of people come to our website for local trail information, that point needs to be very clear in any discussion about it.