Indiana Trails

Redbird 2X

4/5 (2 reviews)

Linton, Indiana (Greene County)

Last Updated: 06/24/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Mud

ORV Park

Redbird Trail #2X is a Jeep Badge of Honor trail in Indiana's Redbird State Recreation Area. It is an action-packed thrill ride and arguably the most technical BOH trail within the park. Every inch of the trail requires thought and the know-how to drive steep, muddy, and tight terrain. Choose wisely on all the options this trail presents, and have the winch controller ready!

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

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Todd

Official Crew

Trail Navigation

Route Finding and Path. Redbird #2X is the most extreme trail within the Park and is not well-signed. Even though this trail is straight through, you will see many optional lines and spurs, which can lead to nothing or be an alternate obstacle. Follow the track within the Trails Offroad App for easier navigation.

Technical. The route is almost entirely dirt, with plenty of mud and hill climb obstacles that can be off-camber. When dry, the road will test your suspension flex, break-over angle, and gearing. A wet trail can quickly turn the route impassable. Keep your eyes open for notches in the trees directly at the level where the top of your vehicle would meet the tree, as slamming your top into a tree on the off-camber sections is a big point of concern.

Vehicle and Equipment Recommendations. The trail is suitable for well-built shorter wheelbase vehicles with 4 low. Longer wheelbase vehicles will have a very difficult time completing this route. Mud-terrain tires are recommended.

Map Colors. While the Park depicts this as a red trail, red is not the color used by Trails Offroad. Our 8-rated trails use the color black on our 10-point rating scale.

The Park describes its map colors as follows:

Green = Beginner Level, Easiest
Blue = Intermediate Level, More Difficult
Black = Advanced Level, Most Difficult
Red = Expert Level, Extremely DIfficult

Open Hours, Permits, Amenities. You can wheel from dawn to dusk, but the Park's fee station is open from 9 am - 7 pm April through September and 9 am to 5 pm October through March. When you arrive, a park office offers a drive-up window to pay for your pass. The pass must be displayed.

The Park has several large picnic/pavilion areas for grilling food and gathering. Vault toilets are towards the Park's north end on the main paved road. There is plenty of parking for trailers, airing down and airing up.

1. 2X Northern Trailhead at Swallowtail Gazebo (0 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 1: 2X Northern Trailhead at Swallowtail Gazebo

Turn into the trees at the gazebo.

2. Optional Challenge Area Loop (0.06 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 2: Optional Challenge Area Loop

Continue through the mud pit and up the 26° hill to follow this trail guide. When you reach the top of the hill, be prepared for a small landing pad. Optionally, you can take the Challenge Area Loop by turning east.

3. Obstacle Choice (0.09 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 3: Obstacle Choice

On a dry day, you can turn through the mud hole to follow the trail or go around it, which presents a very off-camber situation leaning your top directly into a tree.

4. Off-Camber Steep Hill (0.12 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 4: Off-Camber Steep Hill

Continue straight up a steep off-camber hill. Pay attention while turning downwards in wet weather. Loss of traction here can slide you sideways. After completing the hill, follow the natural contour through the ravine splitting two trees. There's a minor mudhole before reaching the next Waypoint, an extreme mud bog.

5. Mud Bog (0.18 mi)

Bog is the correct word here because this bog will bog you down. The mud at the bottom of this hole is very soft and mushy, and your tires will sink fast and most likely bury your axle. To prepare for this, set up your winch controller beforehand while you have dry ground because you will need it.

At the time of mapping, there was no way around this, but perhaps a few down trees will be removed in the future, making for an easier path.

6. Steep Hill Options (0.21 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 6: Steep Hill Options

The trail presents three lines to choose from when climbing this hill. It would be best to walk to the top before picking a line because each option presents a different challenge in the landing zone at the top. At the time of mapping, the middle hill climb gave the best option, a soft mudhole followed by a short but steep mound.

7. Dirt Humps and Mudholes (0.29 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 7: Dirt Humps and Mudholes

The next stretch of the trail presents a series of intertwined steep mounds and mudholes. The likelihood of winching is very high.

8. Hill Options (0.35 mi)

When you drive into the flat clearing, you are going to ask yourself, "How the heck am I going to get up these?". The hills directly in front of you are considered out of bounds. Look to your driver's side for three options to climb. Much like Waypoint 6, walking these to see what kind of trouble lies on the other side is advised. At the time of writing, the far driver side presented the best option. Just past this area, you face more steep mounds and mudholes before reaching the end.

9. 2X Southern End at 0 Green North (0.42 mi)

Redbird 2X - Waypoint 9: 2X Southern End at 0 Green North

The trail joins 0 Green North, and you have several options. Turning east takes you to the pavement.

Trail Reviews

4/5 (2)

Ryan Boudreau

Official Crew

122550

Open

Rated 3/5

Visited: 05/04/2023

Yuck!! That's all I can say about this trail. MUD MUD MUD! Have your winch and recovery gear ready because you are guaranteed to use it on this trail. I wouldn't enter this trail on anything smaller than 37s and you need some good undercarriage skid plate protection if you are in a longer vehicle. The breakover angles of most of the humps are just insane. Expect to be here most of the day if you try this trail.

Todd

Official Crew

117100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 03/02/2023

Out of all the trails in the park, this was my favorite. It was extremely challenging and pushed the 2-door on 37s to its limit. The mud, climbs, dips and route finding made it very interesting. I would not recommend a long wheelbase on this trail as it would add further challenges.

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Redbird 2X

Trail Information

Highlights

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Recommended Vehicle:

Concerns:

Summary:

Community Consensus

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Trail Navigation

1. 2X Northern Trailhead at Swallowtail Gazebo (0 mi)

2. Optional Challenge Area Loop (0.06 mi)

3. Obstacle Choice (0.09 mi)

4. Off-Camber Steep Hill (0.12 mi)

5. Mud Bog (0.18 mi)

6. Steep Hill Options (0.21 mi)

7. Dirt Humps and Mudholes (0.29 mi)

8. Hill Options (0.35 mi)

9. 2X Southern End at 0 Green North (0.42 mi)

Trail Reviews

From the Community

Todd

Redbird 2X

Trail Information

Highlights

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Recommended Vehicle:

Concerns:

Summary:

Community Consensus

Mandatory

Optional

Start your next adventure on Redbird 2X

Upgrade your Membership

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Trail Navigation

1. 2X Northern Trailhead at Swallowtail Gazebo (0 mi)

2. Optional Challenge Area Loop (0.06 mi)

3. Obstacle Choice (0.09 mi)

4. Off-Camber Steep Hill (0.12 mi)

5. Mud Bog (0.18 mi)

6. Steep Hill Options (0.21 mi)

7. Dirt Humps and Mudholes (0.29 mi)

8. Hill Options (0.35 mi)

9. 2X Southern End at 0 Green North (0.42 mi)

Trail Reviews

From the Community

Todd

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