Monocacy NRMA

[tomn]

Hello all, newbie here. Just wanted to mention that I rode the Sugarloaf saddleback trail Monday and Monocacy NRMA yesterday and I was distraught to discover the trail connecting the two is overgrown and out of commission. I actually first discovered that trail on a MORE ride about 4-5 years ago and I thought it was one of the best rides around. Park at the MD Route 28 bridge over the Monocacy, ride to Mt. Ephraim Road and do the loop around Sugarloaf, then ride up the grassy doubletrack hill to the ridge trailhead and back through Monocacy NRMA. Lots of rocky singletrack and a couple technical sections and creek crossings.

Is there any possibility of clearing that trail and generally improving the conditions at Monocacy? It seems like such a nice area with a lot of potential. Also, the one trail at Sugarloaf (saddleback - yellow) is now down to only about 1/2 singletrack so the Monocacy ridge trail really complemented it nicely.

[VFDRider]

Does anyone know how this trail is as far as being maintained and use-able goes now? The last post (years ago) seemed questionable as far as clean riding goes -

[philvw]

The ride Tomn is talking about probably was mine. As far as I know I have been the only person leading rides up there, I used to live in Dickerson and it was my backyard practically. I also used to liaison with Sugarloaf, but with their restrictions, dwindling singletrack and inflexability, my help on workdays got down to zero, so I sort of stopped all together. MNRA is different than SL though. I led a ride there last year and found the pristine singletrack to be basically completely closed off, we actually abandoned the ride due to how difficult it was. From a management perspective, it is under Seneca Creek State Park, but they have always been reluctant to let us do anything up there "until they can assess the area" which of course, they never do. They barely know it exists. So I used to clear things on the 'down low' when they needed it, but I have not in several years. Like I said, it is really clogged with blowdowns. I would probably be one of the very, very few people who couold even find the route anymore. It is an awesome place.
Philip.

[philvw]

Here is the thread (http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12034) from last years ride, I really didnt post up about what a mess the trail was, but I did say it turned into an 'adventure ride'. It also has a photo of the giant rose. Like the size of my wheel, giant.

[VFDRider]

I'd be willing to try to reconstruct the area on the DL with others if there's enough interest......

[VFDRider]

After a little bit of research through hiking sites,......

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/MonocacyNRA_8872.asp

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/MonocacyLongTrail_8872.asp

It sounds like they may have bulldozed some of the trail to a large fire trail?! Or did they just re-plow fire roads that were already there and there may still be good track to be had?!

[philvw]

Last July there was evidence of recent bulldozer activity on the west/north side, it always has been double track but grown over into singletrack. What they cleared was okay. I dont remember it cleared over to the lime kiln though. Those maps you link to do not have the really tasty stuff on it though. Those are special, and definitely not fire roads. I would have to go out there and look for myself to see just what they have/have not done to compare against the past.

[VFDRider]

I'd be curious to know how that all looks now, and if possible, lend a hand to get it headed back in the right direction -

[philvw]

I'd be up for an exploratory ride one evening. Since it is in Furnace Ford, there are some perennially wet areas, so it really needs to dry out with all this rain we have had.

[VFDRider]

Well I guess we'll just have to wait then...