MOUNTAIN BIKING: Indian Brook/essex Reservoir

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Description

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Indian Brook Reservoir is a 500 acre park in Essex Town with the water reservoir of about 60 acres. The park is managed by the Essex Parks and Recreation Department. Access to the park requires a paid pass, which can be purchased from the Rec. department at 81 Main Street in Essex Junction.<br />
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The loop around the reservoir is a multi-use path shared by hikers, horseback riders, dog-walkers and mountain bikers alike. The loop is a wide-track beginner-intermediate trail with a few climbs that will challenge beginners.<br />
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Best times to ride Indian Brook are early in the morning or evengings on weekdays. The trail is very busy on the weekend with famiies and people walking their dogs - this is not the ideal time to ride the loop as you will have to either stop or dismount often to yield to pedestrian traffic.<br />
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There is a much more challenging trail that begins from the upper right parking lot (the boat launch area) and winds it way up to the look out. This is an intermediate expert trail - it is quite rocky and definitely not for beginners. From the lookout you can easily see Mallett's Bay in Colchester.

Directions

* Follow Route 15 from either Essex Junction (5-corners) or Jericho toward the Essex Outlet Stores at Lang Farm.<br /><br /> * Turn north on Old Stage Road.<br /><br /> * Take your second left at the Alliance church onto Indian Brook Road.<br /><br /> * Follow this dirt road until the end, where you enter the park.<br /><br /> * For riding the loop you can start from either the lower parking lot (take your first left inside the park) or the upper boat launch lot (first right inside the park).<br /><br />