Trail Destination 31 Years in the Making
Chattahoochee Valley Area SORBA (CVA SORBA) led the vision for more trails close to home in Georgia's third largest metro, and passed the torch to Standing Boy, Inc. for ongoing, immersive stewardship of this nearly 30-miles trail system. Beginning with just one local trail for mountain bikers that was in a heavily developed urban park, Columbus craved a more natural outdoor experience that wasn’t an hour’s drive away. IMBA’s 25-mile trail plan for low-impact, progressive recreation incorporates Standing Boy’s unique, rocky features through both shared-use and bike-only trails, while preserving habitat for white-tailed deer, turkey and waterfowl.
Shaping Standing Boy
Standing Boy sits next to the Chattahoochee River along a historic fall line. The landscape gracefully bends through Georgia’s three ecoregions: mountains, piedmont and coastal plain. Bedrock dominates Standing Boy, and the IMBA Trail Solutions team surveyed every metamorphic mantle for the best mountain bike lines when they partnered with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on trail planning and design.
"The twenty-five miles of professionally designed and constructed trail on the terrain that exists at Standing Boy represents a monumental step forward for Standing Boy, Inc. and Columbus. We are excited about hosting beginner rides and doing whatever else we can to increase the number of kids and adults having fun on their bikes in the woods, and grateful for the support from our members, community and governmental agencies, and others that are helping make this dream a reality!" – Tim Watley, President of CVA SORBA
The Making of Standing Boy
Meet some of the pivotal team members who brought the Standing Boy Trails system to life -- a system three decades in the making. For Blake Melton, Chair of Standing Boy Inc. and former President of IMBA Local Partner Chattahoochee Valley Area SORBA, it's patience, a clear vision and relationships that have allowed for his team's success with trails in Columbus.
Hear from the Team
How Did They Do It?
Planning & Design, Fundraising, and Construction of a Phased Trail Plan
The Standing Boy trail system phased trail plan in Columbus, Georgia, began with construction of five beginner shared-use and bike-only trails in 2019.
The IMBA Trail Solutions crew returned in 2020 alongside Southeast Conservation Corps and other partners to build the intermediate Lonely Hunter loop—nine miles of challenging rock lines, lakeside views, and remote riding made more so by the clockwise/counterclockwise directional days at Standing Boy.
Learn About the Land, History, and Partnerships
In 2022, IMBA Trail Solutions builders were back adding a bike-only gravity descent chock full of hits, rocks, and berms. Likety Split was the first trail of its kind in central Georgia and the next level of progression for Standing Boy. IMBA also built the region’s first intermediate jump line. This phased construction follows skill progression in mountain biking, and is based on an IMBA trail plan for 25 miles of low-impact recreation. The trail plan incorporated the area’s unique, rocky features through both shared-use and bike-only trails, while preserving habitat for white-tailed deer, turkey, and waterfowl. Not just any trail: Columbus residents are reaping the benefits of diverse trail offerings close to home.
Broaden User Base, Broaden Support
The Standing Boy trails were constructed with over two million dollars of private donations (no government funding or grants) and thousands of volunteer hours. The trails, along with the parking areas and trailheads, are maintained and managed by Standing Boy, Inc., a nonprofit devoted to the property.
