The Merrimack Valley Chapter of NEMBA was formed in 1998 to address the needs and concern of the mountain bike community in the Greater Lowell area. We draw our core members and volunteers from communities like Dracut, Tyngsboro, Lowell, Westford, Chelmsford, Billerica, and others. Our primary focus has been the maintenance and upkeep of the Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro State forest. We have on occasion been involved with trail maintenance in other locations such as Great Brook Farm in Carlisle, Thanksgiving Woods in Chelmsford and the Groton Town Forest.  It is our hope that we can expand our activities into other areas as well. There is a lot of untapped trail potential out in Townsend State forest for example. Of course this all comes down to our ability to recruit members and volunteers who can step forward to make these activities possible.

What we do.

Our local chapter has been averaging 6 Trail Maintenance events a year in the Dracut State forest. We have built and reworked many new trails in the last few years and have an aggressive plan for more trails and boardwalk projects. We want to maintain and enhance access to the trails for all mountain bikers as well as other users. Because of its proximity to a large urban area, our activities at times may include general cleanups of litter, construction debris and blow down by natural causes from storms etc. This work is less glamorous but the experience is just as rewarding as we continue to take back the forest. And of course we love to ride. Our local rides might take us to Groton, Townsend, Tyngsboro, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Billerica, Hudson NH, and of course Dracut.