Black Hill trail map question

[sierra11861]

I checked out Black Hill for the first time yesterday. Got off to a rough start due to the main trail that I was planning on accessing the body of trails with was closed for construction (southern end of Black Hills trail). So I loaded back up and drove over to the boat parking lot and accessed Cabin Hill trail from there.

Everything started going right from there until I crossed the road looking to head north on Hard Rock trail following a sign "this way to hard rock trail" and I end up at the bottom of a long downhill, crossing a large bridge then onto an asphalt path along the lake. I did not know it at the time but I was going south instead of north. I ended up on some road in a residential neighborhood asking people if they knew where Field Crest Spur was (thinking that was my next turn off), even I guy I saw on a bike did not know about a trail called Field Crest Spur.

Oh, did I mention I had a valve leak and was pumping up my rear tire every 5 minutes? I have learned that going to a new place for the first time requires some serious patience (something I am lacking to begin with)

Where is this Hard Rock trail that leads north from Lake Ridge Road??????? Is it down and left to what looked to be a right of way...I did notice that I crossed a right of way along the way before the big downhill to the large bridge

[moffattman]

Here is a GPS map... hopefully this will help.

http://www.gpstrailsource.com/Maps.aspx?MapID=46

[sierra11861]

Here is a GPS map... hopefully this will help.

http://www.gpstrailsource.com/Maps.aspx?MapID=46

Thanks for the help!

[philvw]

Just after crossing the road, before going down that downhill, you should have made a left onto some singletrack. That will take you to hard rock. At that point you are on a wide dirt road and going downhill, so you have to look for the trail on the left. What you went down and across the bridge is just neighborhood access for germantown.

[heidi]

When you come in to the park on Lake Ridge drive there is a crosswalk before you get to the entrance station...that is where Hamilton Branch Tr on the west meets up with Hard Rock Tr on the east. Going west to east here you would turn left as Philvw said to ride Hard Rock. There are a few unmarked intersections.

Best rule of thumb at BH is if you find yourself going down for a long time, you'll be leaving the park, as you've learned.

[sierra11861]

Today I road it for my second time and I found the Hard Rock trail head no problem. I can't believe I missed it the first time, I think is was due to taking a short cut off the trail the last time (going straight through the woods over the hill right after crossing the road instead of looping left then right)


I was hoping to see the construction on Black Hill finished but it was not. :confused2: I am surprised it is taking this long to get it done especially with the dry weather

[TonyP]

A very nice ride is the Hoyles Mill to Black Hill out and back starting at the Schaeffer parking lot. It is about 22 miles and about two hours wheels rolling. The ride covers about 80% of the natural surface trails in BH so it is a great way to learn the trails. We ride this about once a week so drop me a PM or email if you would like to try thi ride some time. papandaj@comcast.net