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Finger Lakes State ParkLocation: Off of Highway 63 north of Columbia. Distance: Over 70 miles of trails. The best way to describe Finger Lakes would be to say it's a playground for your bike. There is little elevation change in the park, but you rarely ride a flat trail. A coal company used to strip mine the area. This operation left a landscape marked by many, sharp hills. The valleys of these hills have filled in with water to create "finger" shaped lakes. The best time to ride this trail is in the summer -- and those lakes can provide welcome relief from Missouri heat and humidity. Two things to watch out for in this park. The first is motorcycles. I've never found them to be a big problem for mountain bikers because you can hear them coming and there are plenty of trails for everyone to spread out on. The second thing to watch out for is weather. Do not ride this park when it is wet. The clay in the soil there turns into the equivalent of concrete and will cake up expenisve parts in a matter of feet. Yes, I speak from personal experience. There is no one designated route. Rather the park is made up of a network of 70+ miles of trails that would be nearly impossible to map. The park is rectangular shaped, and there is a paved road running down the middle, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. Go to the park with plenty of food and beverage so you can put in a long day -- it's easy to get back to your car for breaks. Afterwards, drive into nearby Columbia for dinner at Shakespear's Pizza or Chipolte. Mmmm. I plan on hitting Finger Lakes this summer. So check back for more photos. View Photos - 6 Images - Original Photos |