Harold Parker-Boxford Forest Advanced Level MTB Adventure

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Andover, MA, US

Route Overview

All Day Adventures

Hiking, Cyclo-Cross, MTB, Fat Bike, Road Bike: in Eastern Mass, and New England www.AllDayAdventures.org

25 mi.

1,230 ft.

25+ mile Mountain bike ride linking 2 of the local forest. (Revised for 2020)

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Route Details

The **Harold Parker–Boxford Forest MTB Adventure Ride** combines the very popular Harold Parker Forest and the Boxford Forest, into one great ride.  This is an Advanced-Intermediate Level mountain bike ride of greater than 25 miles. 90% of this ride is in the woods on real single-track.

[**www.AllDayAdventures.org**](https://www.alldayadventures.org)

**Ride Equipment:**  Fat Bike, Full Suspension, or a regular Mountain Bike ONLY.  No food or water is available.  Bring 100oZ Water and food. Ride starts and ends at the Jenkins Parking lot.

**About the Ride:**  Harold Parker is one of the most technical parks available on the North Shore. If you ever wanted to know what riding at an Expert Level park is like, this is the place.  Boxford Forest is a lot more normal, and is hardly used by mountain bikers because of its proximity to Harold Parker.  This ride is an expansion ride to introduce folks to the Boxford Forest.

Harold Parker Forest is very famous for the “[Wicked Ride of the East](http://www.nemba.org/events/wicked-ride-east)” that occurs every year near Halloween time.  The Wicked Ride is known for its Advanced Level “Hero” Loop which is usually 20 – 22 miles all in the Harold Parker Forest.  The Hero Loop for that ride is one of the hardest rides you will ever attempt. The Extreme Technical trails hold no prisoners.  Of the 700+ riders that show each year for the event, a very small percentage will actually complete the entire loop.  A broken bike, broken rib, or a broken spirit often ends the ride near the 18 mile mark.

This ride takes some elements from the “Wicked Ride” and softens it up a bit with a trek to Boxford forest to allow 20 miles of riding, without the torcher of staying on the Expert Level trails at Harold Parker.

**Riding the Route:**  You may @photo[park here](1637166) for $5.00 credit/debit only. Starting at @point[Jenkins Lot](d,17.88), this ride starts on some @photo[easy single-tracks](1637154) with some moderate level trails mixed in.  As you head to the Gun Range, the trails will get a little tougher.  There will be some rock scrambles@point[  (located here](d,2694.2)) where you can play a while, or continue on the designated route.

At **Mile 3**, you will be crossing a very busy Rt 114.  Once on the other side, look for this @poi[trail head](1967683) to continue your adventure.  This section will double back on itself for the return trip. You should be heading EAST to get to Boxford Forest.

After a few smaller @photo[connection parks](1637159), you will head straight for Boxford Forest. At **@poi[Mile 6](1967685)** you enter this park, and you will be here for a while.  While a lot of the riding in Boxford is mostly on fire roads and wide single-tracks, this is not a wuss ride.  You will not see a lot of other riders here.

At **@poi[Mile 14](1967687)** you will be at the double-back point on your trip, this time you will be heading WEST.  Once you cross Rt114 for the second time, you will be back at Harold Parker Forest.

The **last (3) miles** of this ride, I routed a few of the Advanced Level trails into your loop.  If you have anything left in your legs, this is where you will use it up.  There are some real nasty trails all around, so feel free to explore.

Harold Parker-Boxford Forest Advanced Level MTB Adventure

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