The Trail
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Glenwood
Location: Take Hwy. 70 going west out of Glenwood. Stay on 70 until you reach the junction of Hwy. 84. Turn right onto Hwy. 70 and follow it until you come to Daisy State Park, it will be on your left.
Type: Single Track / ATV Trail / loop or out and back
Distance: Loop: 4 miles / Out and back: 31 miles one way.
Summary: The loop section of this trail loops only in the Daisy State Park area and is made up of both single track and ATV trail. This is a motorcycle trail and that probably explains the shape that it is in. I personally do not like this trail, to me it is to short, not well maintained, and I am not to much of an ATV trail person. Most of the trail is pretty flat with gentle climbs. There is one section on a hill that can be a bit tricky because of the steepness of the hill and that the ATV's have really messed it up, other then that its pretty boring. There are a few sandy areas out there that will suck the handle bars right out of your hands if your not careful. The out and back section of this trail runs from Daisy State Park to Laurel Public Use Area and all of it is ATV trail and old roads. We have only ridden on the section from Daisy to Kirby Landing about 5 miles. Most of it is pretty gentle with no technical areas and the climbs are pretty mild. A lot of this section of the trail runs across old roads. There are a couple of creek crossings that are really nothing to be concerned with. There are some pretty nice views of Lake Greeson but other then that not much else to get excited about. A local ATV rider said that there is about 31 miles of ATV trail between Daisy and Laurel and that the section between Daisy and Kirby is really easy compared to the trail between Kirby and Laurel. The entire out and back track runs along the shores of Lake Gresson. I think this trail system would be pretty good if they would just designate ATV trails from biking and hiking trails and do some maintenance on the trails once and awhile. The camping at Kirby and Daisy is really great with some really nice areas for the family. It is just a shame they do not have a trail system to match their camping sites.
Recommended Route: The best route is to start at Kirby Landing, ride over the ATV trail to Daisy. Do the loop clockwise and then head back to Kirby Landing.
When to ride: Most times of the year are ok, however during the summer months the trail between Daisy and Kirby Landing can be quit overgrown.
Rating: Advanced and intermediate riders will probably not care to much for this trail there really is no challenge's out there for them. A new beginner might find the trail satisfying as it does have some good areas to develop those much needed handling skills. I have brought novice riders out here and they did pretty well, there was the occasional wipeout but nothing serious. There are all kinds of bailouts on the loop section. The trail could really be a great benefit for both Daisy State Park and Kirby Landing camping area if they would get it together. Both places are ideal for camping, never crowded and beautiful settings along the shores of Lake Gresson. This is a shame because Kirby Landing is one of my favorite places to camp, if only the trail were up to par.
Other recommended trails in the area: Eagle Rock Loop, Brush Heap Mountain Loop, Little Missouri