Trails off furnace

[slake707]

I see a couple trailheads off of furnace, and my trusty park map shows some unmaintained trails back there. Are they worth riding? Is it just ATVs ripping up the park on those trails? Looking at google maps looks like some type of track/circuit exists under the trees.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=39.209579,-76.700532&sspn=0.000925,0.001635&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=39.209504,-76.700457&spn=0.000925,0.001635&t=h&z=20

I will often see trees and tires moved in front of the trail entrance (at least one of them) .. so basically, whats the deal back here and is it worth riding?

[jon_baler]

I've been exploring those trails and others over the last year, as part of my dirt commute (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jon_baler/tags/dirtcommute/) rides to work. I've found a huge mix of unused trails/park lands, abandoned driveways, and utility roads (powerline, sewer pipelines, gas pipines, etc).

The furnace ave trails can also be accessed from Ridge road. There's not much there, and it's NOT what I would call "prime" riding. They've definitely seen ATV use in the past in that area, but the users seemed to have mostly moved on in that area. Other areas I've found still see some ATV use.

The fun part is exploring areas that have basically been forgotten and finding new places that most people never knew existed. Expect to cross some streams, train tracks, mud, overgrown brush, and dissappearing trail. By combining with other nearby areas, you can get hours and hours of riding in.

Adding non-Patapsco lands, I've found off-road options all the way from Dorsey Station to Harwood Park to Dorsey Road to Elkridge Landing Road to Hollins Ferry Road to Annapolis road. I'm still finding more.

The map is actually a pretty good starting point along with google maps. The best thing to do is to just start exploring.

Warning/Disclaimer: not all the undeveloped land is patapsco park land, so be careful about where you tread.

[riderx]

I call the trails in the area bounded by Furnace Ave, Ridge Rd and the railroad tracks the "apocalypse trails"

[atldc9]

I've been exploring those trails and others over the last year, as part of my dirt commute (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jon_baler/tags/dirtcommute/) rides to work. I've found a huge mix of unused trails/park lands, abandoned driveways, and utility roads (powerline, sewer pipelines, gas pipines, etc).

The furnace ave trails can also be accessed from Ridge road. There's not much there, and it's NOT what I would call "prime" riding. They've definitely seen ATV use in the past in that area, but the users seemed to have mostly moved on in that area. Other areas I've found still see some ATV use.

The fun part is exploring areas that have basically been forgotten and finding new places that most people never knew existed. Expect to cross some streams, train tracks, mud, overgrown brush, and dissappearing trail. By combining with other nearby areas, you can get hours and hours of riding in.

Adding non-Patapsco lands, I've found off-road options all the way from Dorsey Station to Harwood Park to Dorsey Road to Elkridge Landing Road to Hollins Ferry Road to Annapolis road. I'm still finding more.

The map is actually a pretty good starting point along with google maps. The best thing to do is to just start exploring.

Warning/Disclaimer: not all the undeveloped land is patapsco park land, so be careful about where you tread.

Funny, I juts rode in their for the first time last week and saw a few sets of tire marks. They must have been from you.

I agree completely with the description of the above trails. The stuff is mostly gravel roads, atv stuff, and deer paths, but you can connect over to the BWI paved trails pretty easily.

It would be cool to have a trail/route that connected the Avalon area over to the B&A trail on good single track. Think of starting in Annapolis and riding to McKeldin, mostly on dirt!

[dan_hudson]

It would be cool to have a trail/route that connected the Avalon area over to the B&A trail on good single track. Think of starting in Annapolis and riding to McKeldin, mostly on dirt!

Funny you say that! That very idea is one of the dreams/thoughts coming out of the "Trails Second To None" (http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18446) process initiated by MDNR this summer. Riders from Deep Creek to Salisbury have offered up their needs & dreams. Pat Miller et al are assembling them into a doc and sharing them with the state. As with any volunteer effort, always takes longer to create the finished product than you want. But I'd guess a draft PDF will pop up somewhere here soon.

[jon_baler]

Another guy and I've started an online mapping of this area with a goal of doing one of riderx's 1903 style rides (pavement, gravel, singletrack) in the Baltimore area.

Contact me offline, if you want some details on the map.

[slake707]

Thanks Guys, I will definately have to go look around in there

[old_bashturd]

I use my cross bike to do road/dirt rides through that area. The ATV's have caused allot of ruts, so its best to explore that area when its dry. There are some interesting possibilities if that area was maintained. There is a hill back there that the dirtbikes and ATV's go up and down that is insanely steep, and the soil is a deep red. There are also some stripped cars along some of the fire roads as well. I'll start at Patapsco and work my way over there and back.