A bicyclist rides on the Archers Fork Loop Trail in Wayne National Forest in April 2025. (Photo provided by Ryan Smith)

Marietta was among 28 communities nationwide recently designated by the International Mountain Bicycling Association as a Trail Town.

The IMBA Trail Town designation recognizes residential areas for their trail systems and the contribution of those trails toward strengthening a community.

Downtown Marietta includes about 30 miles of multiuse trails that are integrated throughout the city. Some of the more popular trails include the North Hills Trail, Kris-Mar Trails, and the Middle School Trails.

Just north of Marietta are the trails at the Broughton Nature and Wildlife Education Area, which offers miles of paths throughout the over 700 acres of land, recently purchased by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District.

River Valley Mountain Bike Association President Ryan Smith said it was a great honor for Marietta to be selected because it signifies over 30 years of work on the trails.

People walking along the Overlook Trail at North Bend State Park in December. (Photo provided by Ryan Smith)

“It’s representative of the support behind the trails, and one of the goals in developing the Marietta trail network was to really create easy access from almost anywhere in town,” said Smith. “It’s about being part of the community and part of the lifestyle of living in Marietta.”

The RVMBA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that maintains nearly 200 trails in Marietta, as well as the Wayne National Forest and Parkersburg, Mountwood Park and North Bend State Park in West Virginia. The trails are open to all outdoor recreational activities like mountain biking, hiking, and trail running.

Smith said the organization applied for the Trail Town designation and had to qualify based on requirements. Those requirements included the presence of a local organization in the town, such as the RVMBA, and established local events like the Challenge at Mountwood and the Rivers, Trails, and Ales Festival.

“They wanted to see depth to the trail systems and see the community is committed to maintaining and supporting the trails,” he said.

There were communities in California, Colorado, Arizona, Alaska, Oregon and Utah among those recognized for their exceptional trail systems and the local organizations who support them.

Bicyclists ride on Archers Fork Loop Trail in Wayne National Forest in July. (Photo provided by Ryan Smith)

“We have 30 miles of off-road hiking and mountain biking trails that are accessible from downtown Marietta,” said Smith.

Smith said he started mountain biking in the early ’90s and would tend to the Marietta trails and see what needed improvements. At the time, the RVMBA was beginning to form and aligned with the goals he had as a mountain bike enthusiast.

“We’ve got four pretty unique trail systems, and they all have their own special attributes,” said Smith. “The appeal of the Marietta City Trail Network is how easy it is to access, so from almost anywhere in town you could just take off on foot or on your bike and jump on a trail and you’re in the woods.”

Smith said you don’t have to drive anywhere to access a rugged, back country experience. He said for those looking for more steep, rocky terrain, the Wayne National Forest Marietta Unit provides challenging trails.

For scenery and other outdoor opportunities, Mountwood and North Bend State Park have a wide range of easy to difficult trails.

A lone bicyclist pedals past a boulder on the Boot Bridge Trail at Mountwood Park in August. (Photo provided by Ryan Smith)

“Each trail system has its own special attribute that makes it great,” he said.

Smith said for those looking to volunteer their time to help improve the trails or join an organization with mountain bike enthusiasts, the RVMBA is a great place to start. They can visit RVMBA.com or the RVMBA Facebook page to join the group and partake in the upcoming volunteer days.

Hundreds of bicyclists at the start line of the Challenge at Mountwood race at Mountwood Park in April 2025. (Photo provided by Ryan Smith)