I wouldn’t consider myself or my husband to be avid mountain bikers, but we do enjoy getting out on the trails as much as possible.  We have been to a few outside the Fort Wayne area but never to the Franke Park trails located near the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. So one Wednesday afternoon we ventured out to experience this course we had always heard about. I noticed right away how well marked the trails were for easy, moderate, and hard.  After all, I’m not prepared to end up on the hard trails, yet.  The arrows on the post were easy to read, although there were a few times I wasn’t paying attention and enjoying the beautiful scenery and missed them. Speaking of the scenery, it kind of makes you think you’re out in the middle of the forest instead of the middle of Fort Wayne. It was enchanting with the sun peaking through the tall trees and the aroma from the variety of plant life drifting by. 

We tried the easy trails first which were well maintained and enjoyable with a few small hills and bridges.  It is a great choice for beginners.  The moderate trails I thought were pretty tough, but I loved the challenge. They were full of large hills, some logs covering the trails, and narrow twist and turns.  I do believe these trails, known as Twitch Ditch, Rollercoaster and Log Jam, would challenge both beginner and elite riders. With the sounds of wildlife coming from the zoo and the river running alongside of the trails, you really do forget that you're in a city. 

These trails are a must for any mountain bike enthusiast and its free! If you would like to learn more about mountain biking the park hosts Mountain Bike Ride every Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m.