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Madison Mountain Bike Trail Conditions

Madison rides the driftless edge and the moraine east of it — Quarry Ridge and Blue Mound to the west, the CamRock trails toward Cambridge, and a dense in-town network. Soils shift fast here between sand, loam and heavy clay, so one system can be riding hero dirt while another an hour away is closed. Short steep climbs, fast wooded descents, and a riding community that closes trails early when they are wet rather than damaging them.

95 featured mountain bike trails elevation 741–1,293 ft

Is it muddy in Madison right now?

Right now about 4 of 79 featured Madison trails are riding well. Conditions change daily with rain and snowmelt, so the list below shows the live read for each trail, and the chart shows which day ahead is your best bet.

Madison conditions at a glancesnapshot · Aug 10

Live conditions map
© OpenStreetMap
Open the live map
Riding right now
4 of 79 trails riding well
Hero dirt 3Dry 1Soft — ride gently 30Muddy — stay off 45
Air quality
AQI 38 · Good
EPA AirNow (observed) + CAMS forecast. Informational.
Next 10 days
Trails riding well each day · blue dot = rain
3Today3Tue4Wed0Thu3Fri0Sat0Sun0Mon0Tue1Wed
Most trails are wet right now and stay marginal through the week. Look for a rocky or sandy trail that drains fast.
Temperature this week
Lower trails771–991 ft
58°typical 66°–79°F87°
High country1,007–1,240 ft
58°typical 65°–79°F86°
50°70°90°
5-day forecast
Today83°
Tue79°
Wed83°
Thu80°
Fri78°
Daytime high across Madison, rain marked. Real forecast, refreshed every morning (elevation detail above).
Trail soil & drainage
Decomposed granite 11%Mixed 6%Loam 80%Clay 3%
Mostly decomposed granite, which drains fast and firms up quickly after rain.
See the live map & forecastEvery featured trail · best bets today · 10-day outlook
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Best Madison mountain bike trails to ride right now

Every featured singletrack trail, sorted by today's real conditions, best first. Refreshed every morning.

Madison mountain biking FAQ

What are the best mountain bike trails to ride near Madison right now?

Today the trails riding best near Madison are Dips, River Side and Riverside Connector. The full list below is sorted by today's real conditions, best first, and refreshes every morning, so the top of the list is always your best bet right now. See live conditions →

When will the mountain bike trails in Madison dry out?

It depends on recent rain and each trail's soil. The 10-day outlook on this page shows how many Madison trails are expected to be riding well each day, with rain markers, so you can pick the right day instead of guessing. See the 10-day outlook →

Is it too muddy to ride in Madison after rain?

Right now 75 of 79 featured Madison trails are reading soft or too muddy to ride. Madison is mostly loam soil, which drains at a moderate pace, so after a storm some trails firm up within a day while others stay greasy. Riding wet, soft dirt damages trails and leaves ruts, so check the live mud reading on each trail before you head out. Check the live mud reading →

How many mountain bike trails are in Madison?

Madison has 95 featured mountain bike trails tracked here for conditions, with more searchable on the live map.

How high are the Madison trails?

Madison trails run from about 741–1,293 ft. Higher trails hold snow later into spring and dry out later than the lower ones, so conditions can vary a lot across the same area on the same day.

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