1st MTB zone Geißkopf
Of course, Geißkopf in the Bavarian Forest is always a favourite. Germany's largest bike park offers the biggest playground for bikers with 16 trails and a total of 20 kilometres of downhill runs. Albeit with the longest queue at the lift. But as there's always plenty to look at and discuss on other bikes, you won't even get bored queuing here. Open every day from 9 am to 4:45 pm during the Bavarian autumn holidays. Day ticket: 44 euros, info: mtbzone-bikepark.com
2nd Trailpark Harz in Ilsenburg
No entrance fee, open all year round and no hikers allowed on the trails - you just have to pedal up yourself. The Harz Trail Park, on the steep northern edge of the low mountain range, is the newest bike spot of a total of 6 bike parks in the Harz. Since 2022, the local MTB club has been nurturing and maintaining kilometres of enduro descents that are closed to hikers, with mainly natural elements such as steep, dusty terrain, short counter-climbs, roots, tricky steps and rocks. From time to time, however, there are also a few artificial features to bridge bodies of water or ride around rocks.
The most popular trails:
- Wassertal Trail: 1.6 km / 273 metres downhill / difficult
- Waldbad Trail: 0.6 km / easy - medium
- Jack the Ripper: 1.6 km / 271 tm / heavy
- Kammweg: 2.4 km / 310 tm / medium
A total of 9.8 kilometres and 1205 metres of legal, challenging trail fun await in the mountains around Ilsenburg and another line is currently under construction (an overview can be found at Trailforks). The project was supported by the Rose company with a battery of trail tools. However, as the maintenance of the trails is quite time-consuming, guests should definitely use the green "caravan site in Sandtal". You can spend the night here, but also park your car during the day. Part of the parking fee goes to the Trailpark Harz e. V. association and thus directly to the voluntary trail maintenance!
Info about the park: trailparkharzev.de
3rd Vosges: Sensational in autumn
The twins of the Black Forest are fun all year round, but especially in autumn, because then you might be able to enjoy an inversion weather situation. All you have to wait for is a stable area of high pressure. Cold layers of air then gather in the valleys, forming fog. This means that you first have to make your way out of the valley through dreary drizzle, but at the summit you can stand in the warm sun and look down on a sea of cloud cover from which the Alpine peaks rise like islands in the distance. It's just as well that the trails in the Vosges stretch for kilometres along the ridge before you finally have to dive back into the November grey.
4th Wexl Trails in Lower Austria
The trails in St. Corona are only open at weekends in November and the panoramic trails on the Wechsel summit are already completely closed. But the lines with the promising names "Terence Thrill", "Chuck Norisk" and the very tight "Tiny Turner" are a must. Perhaps you could combine the trip with a visit to Vienna (approx. 100 kilometres away). After all, Austria's capital is not only home to the Naschmarkt and cafés, but also a whole host of excellent trails that are not tied to opening hours.
- Day ticket with lift: 42 euros
- Trail park ticket without lift: 13 euros
- Info: wexltrails.at
5th trail centre Czech Republic and Ore Mountains
Our neighbours are considered the trail centre world champions: the spots are scattered all over the country and some remain open all year round. Only the service stations such as bike hire, shops and kiosks are often closed in the winter months. However, the trails are now all the freer in front of the fork. The best destinations:
- Rabenberg trail centre: The trails in the Ore Mountains, near the Czech border, are exceptionally open until 2 November this year. Tip: On Saturday, 1 November, the season's rental bikes will be sold there at bargain prices (Cannondale and VPace)! Trail hire fee: 12 euros per day. Info: trailcenter-rabenberg.de
- Pod Smrkem: The more than 60 kilometres of flow trails between Nový Město pod Smrkem and Lázně Libverda in the Jizera Mountains are open all year round. When snow falls, the spruce trees still provide some protection. It only becomes difficult to follow the trail when there is a lot of snow. Info: podsmrkem.singltrek.cz
A very good overview (map) of all Czech bike spots - trail centres and bike parks - can be found here: mtbczech.cz
6th classic: Finale Ligure
22 degrees, sun, trails and the sea - the weather forecasts predict a dream autumn holiday week in Finale Ligure! What's more, the lines are now only half as full and not quite as dusty and slippery from the rain of the last few days as they were in summer. Incidentally, this applies to the whole winter. Even in January, short-pants temperatures are possible here. The only disadvantage is that it is hunting season in Liguria from the end of September to the end of January. This means that some trails may be closed from time to time. Oh yes, and you shouldn't catch a Genoa low, because then you can stand here for days in the cold rain.
7th Slovenia: Capital city trails from Ljubljana
Autumn is city trip time anyway and in the Slovenian capital it's really worth taking your bike with you. The top trails that should be enough for a whole week and are part of the legendary 20Chocolate Downhill Cup:
The Golovec trails: Golovec Hill is the city's local mountain, located south-east of the city centre and is the largest bike spot. The majority of the 24 trails can be found in the centre (Trije Bratje, Zmajeva, Zabarska, Stirka, Banana, Black Diamond), while the other trails start a little further south (Rifter, downhill racetrack 9krog, Nebeska, Zupanova). The transfer from one part to the other is quick and easy. The "Urban Ring" hotel is a popular meeting point to park and ride up the "Hodoursnika pot" road together. Info: golovectrails.com
Črnuče trails ("Tschernusche Trails"): These are the newest and longest trail descents, including huge, built berms in the north of the city. All the info you need: crnucetrails.si
Bikepark Ljubljana: Large jump park and extensive network of enduro trails in the forest. Info: kd-rajd.si
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
