Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on February 8, 2023.
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When we think of Moraine State Park, our first thought often goes to the gorgeous Lake Arthur that can be found right in the heart of the park. If we're not getting out on the lake to go kayak, stand up paddleboard, or simply be on a boat like Preston's Pearl, our next thought is often to hit up one of the many hiking trails along the shoreline.
But did you know that the park is also home to a 7-mile one-way bike trail on the north shore of the lake? We naturally took our bikes up to explore this one and wanted to share a bit about what the ride is like in this one!
Note: Moraine State Park also has a 6-mile mountain biking trail that is a loop. We hope to visit this one shortly; however, this article is only for the paved out-and-back bike trail at this time.
What You Can See Along the Bike Trail at Moraine State Park
Although the trail at Moraine State Park is a brief, 7-mile path one way, you really have a lot of beautiful nature that you can see here.
Apart from frequent views of the lake, which ranges from quick glimpses between the trees to full-on clearings, you also pass through gorgeous stretches of nature, sections of dense trees, and more when on this one. These views alternate somewhat rapidly, and every mile or so you'll be seeing something just a bit different than the mile before it.
We personally felt like we had better views of the lake closer to the Davis Hollow Marina side whereas we had more beautiful scenery in nature (with fewer lake views) towards the bike rental side. Depending on your interests and how much you wish to bike, you may want to decide on one end of the trail over the other accordingly.
Biking Tips for the Trail
The first thing worth noting about the trail at Moraine State Park is that it is completely paved. As most bike trails in the region are composed of crushed limestone and gravel, this is a welcomed sight. Add in the fact that it has a painted divider throughout most of the trail (some is faded), and it makes for a pretty easy-to-navigate outing all the same.
When you depart, you'll quickly realize that this trail features many sharp bends and small bunny hills in somewhat regular intervals. This isn't surprising, as the trail hugs the lake itself quite well and wraps its way around all of the coves and isolated waters away from the main body.
The bends are fairly easy to deal with, but the hills can be somewhat sizeable (10 to 20 feet with a decent grade). Most of the time these are in rapid succession, and if you can get enough speed going down one you can ride it to the top of the next one. But in some cases, you will have to make a brief, but decent climb all the same. For the most part, this should be relatively easy to tackle for all skill levels.
As an added bonus, those who do not have bikes should start at the Spoke House Bike Rental shop is located at 157 N Shore Drive in Portersville which offers seasonal rentals and is conveniently located at a trailhead.
Overall, the bike trail at Moraine State Park is simply fun. The quick bends and rolling bunny hills make for quite a fun ride on the wide, paved trail. Our only regret is that the 7-mile trail (one way) could be much longer, but that didn't stop us from doubling back a bit to get a longer ride out of our day. Don't miss this one!
The trailheads for this bike trail are located at Spoke House Bike Rental at 157 N Shore Drive in Portersville as well as close to the Davis Hollow Marina further east on N Shore Drive. Both spots have ample parking. In addition to the bike trail at Moraine State Park, the park also features a 6-mile mountain biking trail as well. We hope to try this one out sometime in the future!
After you're done biking at Moraine State Park, be sure to swing over to The Snowman on the southern side of the park for a yeti (shaved ice plus ice cream). Note that The Snowman has seasonal hours- please confirm prior to visiting.
