The Beast

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Park under the pecan tree.

"The Beast" provides a different experience from other Baton Rouge trails. The trail doesn't flow as well as the others, as many of the turns and challenges seem somewhat contrived. This may have been by design so as to slow mountain bikers for the sake of hikers. "The Beast" compensates by being far more physically demanding with longer and steeper climbs. There are plenty of roots to provide technical challenges for more experienced riders.

The trail is 95% shaded, which means that a few sections of trail remain muddy days after rain. There are lots of wide bridges to span the natural ditches and gullies, most of which are in good repair. One section is marked with double black diamonds; however, it wasn't terribly steep, nor was it that technical. In a steeper incline, there were some nice switchbacks.

The condition as of May 2019 was somewhat overgrown, with several vines hanging low enough to grab your bike. There were a few tree falls that hadn't been cleared, without much evidence of a bypass trail. There was minimal washout considering the recent rains.

Update as of 12/25/20: The trail is posted for "hikers only" at this time for bridges being out on the trail. There are two bridges that are on the whole trail, which are manageable bypasses and not much of a safety concern. The real concern is the steep rooted downhill sections that lead into switchback turns right before you reach a 60-ft drop off a cliff. Missing the turn could result in a rider going over the edge and having a really really bad day. These turns are not marked, so taking it slow and heavy use of your back brake will be key to making the turns.

This trail would be an amazing bike trail if it was kept up the way it should be. Some points on the trail are not clearly marked and it can be easy to get turned around. Some sections of the trail are steep and heavily rooted but manageable for a bike with 10+ gears. I suggest not riding this trail with anything less than a 10-gear mountain bike, or you'll be doing more hiking than biking. All in all, this trail has some beautiful scenery, it's just not a trail that one can blow right through.