Back Yard Trails (BYT)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

A technical gem in the heart of Charlotte, this ride has many unique and difficult features. The trails are slightly lacking in overall flow and get exponentially more difficult when wet. This ride caters more to the freeride/huckster than to the XC rider.

This ride starts from the Back Yard Trail Parking Lot off of Tyvola Road and takes the Parking Lot - Sugar Creek Greenway Connector to the Sugar Creek Greenway. Take a left at the greenway intersection and travel through the Tyvola Rd. underpass and the Marion Diehl loop starts on the right. Marion Diehl climbs up to the intersection with the Marion Diehl Parking Lot Connector, then turns back downhill until you reach the end at the Sugar Creek Greenway.

Pass back under Tyvola Rd. and head south on the greenway for 3/4 of a mile until you reach the start of Park Road Park Loop on the left. Go past the entrance to the southern loop of PRP to the parking lot and the north loop starts to the left of the bathroom facilities. After completing the north loop of the Park Road Park Loop continue back toward the greenway and take a left at the entrance to the southern loop and make an immediate right at the first intersection. After completing the entire loop take a left to get back on the Sugar Creek Greenway.

At the intersection with the Sugar Creek Greenway, take a right, and after crossing the bridge that spans the creek, take a left into the new entrance for the Middle Third of BYT that is lined with large boulders. Take a right when the trail forks and continue straight when the trail crosses over itself. Continue for about a quarter mile and stay to the left to ride the Poo Tracks or take the Poo Tracks Bypass on the right to skip this short section. An old solid waste holding tank for the water treatment plant, the Poo Tracks are one of the most unique and technical features in all of Charlotte.

After 3/4 miles of two climbs and a short downhill section, get your speed up for Concrete Hill, a short technical climb up some concrete slabs that can be next to impossible to clear when wet. Take a breather at the top of Concrete Hill and get ready for the best downhill jump line in the Piedmont. The "OG Jump Line" starts with a rock bridge roll-in to a berm to give you enough speed for the cannons; side by side 6"-wide wooden ladder features that give you some good air time. After an optional rock drop or step-up jump and an angled cannon jump, the trail splits to give two jump line options. After another small jump and a berm, the trail crosses a ravine and begins climbing back up the hill. At the top of the hill, the left option can be taken to return to the top of Concrete Hill to do another lap of the epic downhill jump line.

After a quarter mile, you'll come to the optional gap jumps that you need a lot of speed to clear. If you have enough speed to clear the first jump, the second will be no problem. The gap jumps can be avoided by taking the line to the right. After half a mile, the trail comes to a three-way intersection. Stay straight to complete the short loop or take the left option to skip it and continue on.

After another 1.25 miles, you come to the start of the Bumblebee Dirt Jumps, which are optional and can be lapped very easily. Take the left option at the start of the Bumblebee section to continue on the trail. Shortly after, there is another optional loop that consists of jumps of various sizes. Stay to the right for the smaller jumps or take the right option for a decent-sized gap jump.

After another one-tenth of a mile, you come to the Farmbrook Loop where the Farmbrook Entrance Connector is the left option. Stay straight and ride the loop in the clockwise direction until you are back at the start of the trail. After another mile, the ride meets back up with the Sugar Creek Greenway.

Take a left on the greenway and take the entrance to the Tech Loop on the left just after the intersection with the Service Street. The Tech Loop is slightly shorter than before and rerouted backwards in certain sections. Once the Tech Loop is complete, take a left on the greenway, then shortly after take another left on the Parking Lot - Sugar Creek Greenway Connector and follow it back to the parking lot to conclude the ride.