McKeldin to Avalon

[atldc9]

I rode McKeldin to Avalon today, about 23 miles one way, but had trouble finding a good route through a couple of spots.

After the Pataspco Thru Trail(White) ends south of Daniels, does anyone know a good route to continue thru to the Holofied area? I ended up going into the Pickall area, on the trail shown on the latest park map. The map shows a descending trail down to the river, but I never found it, and ended up bushwacking down.

The other problem was between Holofield and Ilchester. Is there a better way then following the train tracks to Ellicott City and dumping onto River Road to join the trail on the left by the buried cable section shown on the map?

I ended up crossing the river at the foot bridge just across form Ilchester rocks, then riding straight down to the swinging bridge, and up Cascade Falls to Landing Road. From there it was out to meet my ride home.

Any ideas on a better route?

[skijim668]

I am of no help but I will give "kudos" to you. I like to hear about those epic exploration routes.I always wondered if they connected.
Jim

[riderx]

I forgot that I had actually put together a (rough) route description earlier this year. You can see it here (http://thebikesite.org/index.php?topic=1270.msg13683#msg13 683). Along with the GPS route here (http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2734221) you should be able to piece together those problem areas. When you click on the route, click on the link for Google Earth and then zoom in, you'll really be able to figure out what you need.

[atldc9]

Thanks for the link. I rode the Thru trail into the Pickall Area and down to the 40 bridge from there. It was ridable, after I found the trail, about halfway down the ridge. I need to ride the section form the 40 bridge to Oella on the Baltimore County side of the river. I think I will try your route, as the HO Co side is all on the train tracks and is no fun.

Maybe I'll do it again this weekend. The wx looks good for it.

[riderx]

From Rt. 40 to Ellicott City there is a decent route on that side too. In Hollofield, if you follow the park rd to the camp ground loop there is an old jeep/fire road at the back side. This will lead you into Ellicott City and put you on Sylvan Lane which in turn dumps you onto Church near the old Patapsco Female Institute. More pavement than I would like but it beats the railroad bed hands down and has some pretty good views of the valley below.

The route on the Balto. Co. side is better and more singletrack but I used to hook the two of them together as part of a loop for the cyclocross bike when the Avalon trails had gotten rain and were too wet to ride. The jeep rd and the earthen dam trail (Balto. Co. side) both drain well.

[kdweb]

Hey X, where does the ride on the Baltoco side below Rt40 dump you in Ellicott City? It looks like somewhere in Oella but I have never been able to figure out in who's backyard! Am I missing it and it's in that dirt parking lot next to the river down by the old bridge abuttments??

[pbayne]

So can you ride from the Pickall Area starting on Johnnycake Road and end up at the route 40 bridge? The big map shows some trails there. I've heard they can be hard to find.

[riderx]

Hey X, where does the ride on the Baltoco side below Rt40 dump you in Ellicott City? It looks like somewhere in Oella but I have never been able to figure out in who's backyard! Am I missing it and it's in that dirt parking lot next to the river down by the old bridge abuttments??There are 2 pieces: from Rt. 40 follow the old earthen dam paralleling the river. After a couple of miles you'll cross a driveway/dead end street where a large, fairly new house was built on the river. Continue on an old stone wall and cross a wooden bridge to the back parking lot of some old townhouses next to the Oella Mill. Follow the road and turn right at some rock steps next to a guard rail. Almost looks like you are going in someone's back yard but you go down to a sandy trail along the river that comes out at the stone bridge abutments you are talking about. It's much easier to find the first time starting at the bridge abutments.

[riderx]

So can you ride from the Pickall Area starting on Johnnycake Road and end up at the route 40 bridge? The big map shows some trails there. I've heard they can be hard to find.The trails on the map barely exist last I was there, although I think part of the new through trail may re-establish them. This is what it looked like in 2002

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/378259738_12ef7c2c59.jpg

[atldc9]

The section form Pickall to Route 40 was a real pain. The park map shows 2 trails that will drop you down to the river. I went up the power lines, and found the top portion of the first trail no problem. Clearly used, it was a no brainer. If you look at the park map, the first trial wraps around, and back by the shelters, shows another trail dropping down the crest of the ridge straight to the river. I couldn't find this at all. Nothing even remotely looking like a game path or anything. The map also shows a second trail descending from the power lines after the first trail. I couldn't find the trail head for this one, but I didn't look real hard. Once I started bushwacking down, I did find the second trail, which was very wide, and looked as if it had been used frequently. It was definitely ridable. This dropped you down to the river maybe a half mile above the route 40 bridge on the Balto County side. The water was so low, I crossed on the rocks, with dry feet, and picked up a single track trail on the Ho Co side until the dam, then up to the rail road tracks.

I am going to do it again on Sunday morning, and intend on staying on the Balto County side. The park map shows a trail, and Riderx says it is there, so I'm going to try and find it. I'll post a jpeg of the GPS route if I do it.

[riderx]

I am going to do it again on Sunday morning, and intend on staying on the Balto County side. The park map shows a trail, and Riderx says it is there, so I'm going to try and find it. I'll post a jpeg of the GPS route if I do it.Just to be clear, I don't ride the Pickall side. Between Johnncake/Old Frederick and Rt. 40 I'm on the Hollofield side. From there I cross the Rt. 40 bridge and take the Balto. Co. side to Oella (heading downstream).

[kdweb]

Just to be clear, I don't ride the Pickall side. Between Johnncake/Old Frederick and Rt. 40 I'm on the Hollofield side. From there I cross the Rt. 40 bridge and take the Balto. Co. side to Oella (heading downstream).

18 months later...I understand why you don't ride the Pickall side! I should have read this before I tried it yesterday...yep, you still bushwack.

Pickall is pretty neat place. I went looking for that trail off the back of the loop on the old map that follows that ridge down to the river but nope....no trail. Lots of TTF's that didn't look too sturdy but no trail that I could find until I got down to the river and that one was not rideable. After I got under the bridge, I pushed it up to the eastbound side of the Rt40 bridge, hopped the jersey barrier and headed into HoCo then picked up the Old Ranger Trail heading back to the steel bridge on Old Fred. I didn't do the powerlines but hung a right down to the RR Tracks and river following a seasonal creek that's on the map just before you hit the power lines.

Next time I'm going to have to try it from the HoCo side to Rt 40 then swap sides to keep going to Ellicott City. X, what do you recommend to change sides, a "jug handle" sort of manuever after you go under Rt 40 via the RR tunnel?

[riderx]

Next time I'm going to have to try it from the HoCo side to Rt 40 then swap sides to keep going to Ellicott City. X, what do you recommend to change sides, a "jug handle" sort of manuever after you go under Rt 40 via the RR tunnel?
I don't use the RR tunnel. South of Rt. 40 I'm on the Balto. Co. side. Going upstream from Avalon I do the following:
Go under Rt. 40 bridge then immediately bush whack to the top and use the bridge to cross the river. Turn into park entrance on rt. and look for Old Ranger trail on left (blue).

If you are heading downstream on the Ho.Co. side and you don't want to cross sides, you can pop off of Old Ranger and follow the park pavement to the campground. At the backside of the campground is an old piece of double track (shown as Park Drive on Google maps) that will take you to Church Rd in old Ellicott City

[pbayne]

Anybody out there know if there are still plans to repair the trail from Pickall down to the river by the route 40 bridge?

I rode Avalon to about 2 miles shy of McKeldin the other day. BGE has regravelled some of their access roads along the thru-trail. In general this made some of the riding easier and a lot less muddy.

I rode under the rt. 40 bridge, bush-wacked up then took 40 west to the ranger trail for the bush-wack down to the railroad tracks. I know some folks just wade across the river to avoid all this and get right to the railroad tracks. Where is the good spot to do this? Once it warms up I'd like to try that method.

I snapped my rear derailleur cable and wasn't able to complete the round trip. Hopefully I'll get to join the round trip club sometime this year. But I'm not cut out for single speed riding, even with the 2:1 ratio of the 22/11 that I ended up riding home.

[escatmore]

checking for you...

eric

[patrickgmiller]

I rode under the rt. 40 bridge, bush-wacked up then took 40 west to the ranger trail for the bush-wack down to the railroad tracks. I know some folks just wade across the river to avoid all this and get right to the railroad tracks. Where is the good spot to do this? Once it warms up I'd like to try that method.


You can wade across right around the Rt 40 bridge. It's not usually more than knee deep. Once you get across make a left towards the dam and look for a trail on your right. Steep singletrack climb with a good view at the top. You can then ride the pavement over to Ranger.

Or, after crossing you can just follow the railroad bed either back towards Ellicott City or keep heading north towards the power lines you follow off of Old Ranger.

[escatmore]

amy said she will start thinking about the Thru Trail after this summer.

eric

[pbayne]

Thanks for checking. I guess I'll keep bush-wacking and wading.

[riderx]

Anybody out there know if there are still plans to repair the trail from Pickall down to the river by the route 40 bridge?Just to be clear, the location of the Thru Trail you are referring to has not been determined. Between Bloede Dam (near Illchester Rd) and Daniels Dam has a few challenges, mainly private property cutting up the park. Which county the Thru Trail lives on in the Pickall/Hollofield areas remains to be seen. At least this is where we stood the last time a few of us were brainstorming the remaining pieces w/ Amy (Pataspco State Park). Both sides have advantages and disadvantages. Until that happens, build your own adventure :thumbsup:

[leroy]

Anyone reports??

[riderx]

No recent reports from me, but I have compiled a written guide (http://www.singlespeedoutlaw.com/main/articles/tourdepatapsco.shtml) to help first timers navigate the Tour de Patapsco. Excuse the disclaimers, but experience has taught me some people's eyes are bigger than their belly and need to have a few points emphasized before digging into a ride like this.

[pinbuoy]

If you are heading downstream on the Ho.Co. side and you don't want to cross sides, you can pop off of Old Ranger and follow the park pavement to the campground. At the backside of the campground is an old piece of double track (shown as Park Drive on Google maps) that will take you to Church Rd in old Ellicott City

Just to add a bit, I went and checked this out today, you'll see a new red, locked gate, go around that to the right and follow the newly stone covered road down to till it pops back out of the forest and into the powerline clearing, then the rocks stop and it retains it's original doubled tracked look to Park Rd.

[rambling]

We did a run last Sunday and went to woodstock road, where you ride under that overpass and the biker bar is in earshot up the street. We had to turn around there b/c of time constraints, but we had a nice route.

We waded across at union dam (under the rt 40 bridge) and it was a bit of a strong current, but less than waist deep for me (5'8) Once across we simply headed to the right, under 40, and it follows the grade around to the rr tracks. We rode the tracks under I-70, and then instead of turning right onto dogwood rd - we continued across the tracks for another 1/2 mile or so, then turned left at a large bridge abuttment, it's kind of like a giant staircase, which is good, since riding down the slope is not much of an option because of the steepness. There is great flowy singletrack from there up into the woods like a giant meandering horseshoe. Back to the RR tracks and across the river on RR bridge, and back up into familiar thru trail riding.

On the return we went the road route because we thought it would surely be faster....but the trail was very good.

If you are willing to exchange that section of road for a little more railroad bed riding, you will be rewarded sith some very fun swoopy singletrack riding, and a few challenging climbs.

Hopefully you can view the route here.... (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/kml/episode.kml?episodePkValues=8088357 )... we took the "bottom" path out and the "top" path on return.

[pinbuoy]

... and then instead of turning right onto dogwood rd - we continued across the tracks for another 1/2 mile or so, then turned left at a large bridge abuttment, it's kind of like a giant staircase, which is good, since riding down the slope is not much of an option because of the steepness. There is great flowy singletrack from there up into the woods like a giant meandering horseshoe.

I'd love to know where this left turn is off of the tracks going north and where it comes out on Daniels Rd. Isn't it uphill when you make the left at the bridge abutment going north?

[patrickgmiller]

It was surprisingly not hard to find heading north on the RR tracks, though we also had a guide. The trail up from the tracks is well used and has a number of spurs off of it.

The DH to Daniels Rd is fantastic. Flow, narrow, fast and doesn’t see a lot of traffic.
Staying south of the river, on this section, eliminates one of the biggest out and back sections of the route.

One step closer to making this a loop…

[atldc9]

In looking at your GPS plot, from Oella to the 40 bridge, you didn't ride the river trail. Is there another trail up high on the ridge, or is it a GPS plot thing?

[riderx]

We rode the tracks under I-70, and then instead of turning right onto dogwood rd - we continued across the tracks for another 1/2 mile or so, then turned left at a large bridge abuttment, it's kind of like a giant staircase, which is good, since riding down the slope is not much of an option because of the steepness. There is great flowy singletrack from there up into the woods like a giant meandering horseshoe. Back to the RR tracks and across the river on RR bridge, and back up into familiar thru trail riding.

I usually take the tracks on my way upstream, road on the return. I've looked for that horseshoe in the past but have been unable to find it due to heavy growth. I'll have to have another look.

[patrickgmiller]

In looking at your GPS plot, from Oella to the 40 bridge, you didn't ride the river trail. Is there another trail up high on the ridge, or is it a GPS plot thing?

Some of us road through the race to the log hike a bike climb then over to one of the funnest dh in the park, while others, those carrying the gps, took the road.

[pinbuoy]

Some of us road through the race to the log hike a bike climb then over to one of the funnest dh in the park, while others, those carrying the gps, took the road.

Sorry, where is that DH? are you talking about the same one from the tracks to Daniels Rd?

[patrickgmiller]

Sorry, where is that DH? are you talking about the same one from the tracks to Daniels Rd?

That one is really fun too, but this one drops to the 3/4 dam, at the base of Rt 40, from the Rockhaven Rd side.