Brooks' Bike Shop • Ride Guide
Where to Ride
Two of Louisiana's best rides start right here on the Northshore — and both are in our backyard. Cruise the St. Tammany Trace, 31 paved miles from Covington to Slidell, or hit the singletrack at Bogue Chitto State Park, where the NORBA crew builds and maintains true mountain bike trails. Here's what to know before you roll.
The St. Tammany Trace
The Trace follows the old Illinois Central Railroad corridor — Louisiana's first rail trail — through Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville and Lacombe to Slidell. It's flat, paved and shaded, with trailheads in every town along the way, which makes it perfect for everything from a kid's first big ride to a full 31-mile end-to-end day.
- Covington Trailhead — downtown Covington, minutes from our flagship shop at 416 E Gibson St. Start here, end with lunch in town.
- Abita Springs Trailhead — the Abita Brewpub and Mystery House are right off the trail, and our Abita Springs Rental Rack sits trailside: $35 self-serve rentals, first come first served, no reservations.
- Mandeville Trailhead (Koop Drive) — close to our Mandeville shop on Girod St, with the lakefront a short ride away.
- Lacombe & Slidell — the quiet eastern miles, ending near Camp Salmen and our Slidell shop on West Hall Ave.
Need a bike? All three of our shops rent by the day, and we run guided tours on the Trace — bikes, helmets and a local guide included.
Heads up — bridge work 2026–27
St. Tammany Parish is replacing several Trace bridges. The Abita River bridge section (Gordon Ave to the Abita Springs Trailhead) is closed into late 2026, bridges in Mandeville and Abita Springs are closed into early 2027 with signed detours, and the Bayou Castine bridge in Mandeville is closed with no detour. Check the parish's live closure list before a long ride.
Bogue Chitto State Park — NORBA Trails
When you want dirt instead of pavement, head northeast to Bogue Chitto State Park. The mountain bike trails there — 21 trails and 25 combined miles — are built and maintained by volunteers from NORBA — the Northshore Off-Road Bicycling Association, founded in 2018 and now a chapter of SORBA (the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association). The chapter has raised roughly $4 million to build out the park's trails, skills areas and pump tracks. The terrain surprises people: rolling hills, fast flowy descents, and bluffs above the Bogue Chitto River — not the flat riding most folks expect in south Louisiana.
- Trails for every level — easy loops like the Ghost Train (2.6 mi) and Muskrat Scrambler (0.9 mi), mid-distance favorites like the Zephyr Loop and Gorge Run (5 mi each), plus flowy Zydeco Scream and Gator Bait — and for experienced riders, jump lines, a pump track, dual slalom and a wooden skills park.
- Short on time? Ride the Cortez Coaster — our owner Patrick's go-to loop when there's only a little daylight left. It's also built adaptive-friendly, with input from Paralyzed Veterans, so riders on adaptive cycles can run it too.
- Before you go — park entry is $3 per person (free for ages 62+ and 3 & under; gates 7 AM–10 PM), trails can close after heavy rain, and a helmet is a must. Bring more water than you think you need.
- Save the date — NORBA's Roller Coaster of Love mountain bike festival returns to Bogue Chitto October 1–3, 2027.
- Trail days — NORBA hosts volunteer work days to keep the trails in shape; they're the best way to meet the local riding community.
Thinking about a mountain bike, or need yours trail-ready? Our shops sell and service mountain bikes for Bogue Chitto — stop in and we'll get you set up for the dirt.
Join NORBA
The Bogue Chitto trails exist because riders join, volunteer and show up. NORBA is in the middle of its Off-Road to 300 Challenge — a push to grow the chapter to 300 members — and every membership funds the tools, materials and work days that keep the trails open.
Owner, Brooks' Bike Shop
Ask Patrick about joining next time you're in any of our three shops — or just call. He'll get you pointed the right way.
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Go to the join page
Head to norbatrails.org/join and follow the membership link.
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Select NORBA as your chapter
Membership runs through SORBA, our parent organization — join or renew in the SORBA app (Hivepass) and choose NORBA as your local chapter. It's $39 a year for an individual or $50 for a family.
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Come ride with us
Watch the NORBA Public Forum on Facebook for group rides, trail work days and events at Bogue Chitto.
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Save the date — Dec 12
The Merry Membership Meetup is Saturday, December 12, 2026 at noon at Bogue Chitto State Park — ugly sweater contest, cookie decorating and secret Santa prizes.