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View Full Version : Fair Hill Conditions


pmweller
July 15th, 2003, 04:30 PM
On Saturday (7/12/03) we went out to Fair Hill Natural Resource Managment Area. (If you're not familiar with this place, it is a huge state park located just off of the last exit in Maryland from I-95N. It is a great place to bike. There is generally a good repore between the mountain bikers, the hikers, and the equestrians. Loads and loads of trails!)

Anyway, for the most part, the trails are in excellent condition. The Delaware Trailspinners were in the process of marking the race course for the Fail Hill Classic. There were some wet spots here and there, but mostly in good shape. :D

However, we were disappointed to find huge sections, once great single to double track, that have been virually ruined by horse traffic. It seems that the equestrians weren't very friendly to the trails this season. There are sections that look as if herds of horses have gone through, making a pocked up, muddy mess of the trail. I'm not sure how soon, if ever, the trail will heal itself. It is a real shame because usually all the trail users are good to these trails. It is also kind of interesting to me because if it had been bike tracks instead of horse tracks, we bikers would have certainly caught holy heck. :mad:

Okay, rant's over... Besides these damaged sections, the trails have held up well against the rain of this season. If you've never been to Fair Hill, I recommend giving it a go. Here is the web site: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/fairhill.html

Balto Charlie
July 17th, 2003, 08:27 AM
Thanks for the report. I have also found that there's good mnt. biking around if you go onto lightly used trails. Everyone wants to ride Avalon, Schaffer etc but they are in poor shape. I guess the trails are so compacted that they can't handle traffic AND rain. So folks head out to lesser used areas like Fair Hill to get your fix. Charlie
PS I'm heading to Brevard NC this wknd for 2 weeks. 'Eastern slickrock'