Southern Belle
- 1.1 mi
- round trip
- 323 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
Southern Belle is a mountain biking climb in western Massachusetts, about 2 miles from the community of Aldrich Mills. It is an out-and-back route of about 2.3 miles that gains roughly 323 feet from its start at 618 feet to a high point of 686 feet, then returns the same way. The climb is rated easy. The steepest section comes at about the 1-mile mark, where the grade reaches 12 percent. That makes the route short and straightforward, and the nearby trail names suggest the climb is one of several connected options. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical July averages from a nearby weather station in Belchertown run to a high of 82°F and a low of 60°F, while September cools to highs around 73°F. Several other trails sit within a tenth of a mile, including Lizard King, Unsolved Mystery and Upper Access, so riders can link routes together easily. For time on the water, the Fort River paddling route is about 5 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Southern Belle
Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
33° / 15°
11 wet
Feb
35° / 15°
10 wet
Mar
44° / 24°
11 wet
Apr
57° / 34°
11 wet
May
68° / 45°
13 wet
Jun
77° / 54°
12 wet
Jul
82° / 60°
11 wet
Aug
80° / 58°
11 wet
Sep
73° / 51°
10 wet
Oct
60° / 40°
11 wet
Nov
49° / 31°
10 wet
Dec
38° / 22°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Belchertown, MA, 8.2 mi away at 550 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
