There are two main mtb trails connecting three areas of Beaver Creek State
Park.
The first trail called the Dogwood Trail is a loop about 3 miles long that
connects the campground with the main unit of the park, across the creek
from the restored Mill. The access at the campground is via the road to the
left just inside the campground entrance, and is to the right near the
restroom. This trail connects to the picnic area across the creek from the
restored Mill - either take the trail upstream right beside the creek or take
the other section straight up the hill from near the outhouse.
The Dogwood Trail from the campground starts with a couple of short but
steep downhills before the trail splits (take the left fork for a really steep
rocky downhill, the right fork for a better, more varied ride). There are some
steep downhill sections and some serious rocky parts before the trail drops
to creek level. From there its a level ride down to the picnic area. If you
take the other trail to the top be prepared to push some - its really steep
and rocky. There are a few rideable sections but much hike a bike before
getting back to the trail split. It'd be easy to just leave the bike at the
bottom and make the short hike to the top, then driving back to the bottom
to get the bike. But I'd consider going back the way you came if you want
to actually ride.
The other trail is the Vondergreen Trail. It's about 3-1/2 miles long and
connects the main unit of the state park with the group camping area (also
known as Sprucevale or Gretchen's Lock). The connection at the main unit is
through an upper or lower trail. The lower goes upstream from the bridge,
right at the edge of the creek. The upper trail is along the same side, just
starts up the road a bit and then goes down to the creek to join up. At the
group camping area the trail leading upstream is the mtb trail.
From the group camping area the trail is level and leads upstream at
creekside till it gets to one of the abandoned stone locks from the old
Sandy & Beaver Canal, then turns to the right and climbs up the 200 foot
ridge. Much of this is rideable, but there is a rocky section that is tough.
Once you reach the top of the ridge there's a nice section of easy up and
down as the trial traces the ridge for a mile or so. Then it T's onto a very
old, extremely eroded road and turns downhill to the left. This technical
rocky section is only a couple hundred feet long before the trail leads off to
the right and swoops down a hill beside a hikers stairway. From here back
to the main unit of the park the trail is mostly level, with only minor climbs,
though there is enough trail variation to make it fun. The trail splits to the
upper and lower Vondergreen near the end. If the water in the creek is
high, make sure you take the upper trail as the lower one will actually be in
the water. The upper trail takes another big climb, with a corresponding
downhill onto the road that crosses the creek at the bottom.
There are some really nice trails here, but also a problem. This park is the biggest place around for horse trails, and the horses illegally use the hike/bike trail along the creek, Vondergreen Trail. During wet seasons they posthole the tread making deep puddles, and piss & crap all over. During the dry summer months the tread on Vondergreen holds up better, but then you have to deal with the nettles, since the trail gets no maintenance.
So where are the rideable trails? Park up at the parking lot across from the campground, on Leslie Road. You can start with Pine Ridge Trail, which is on the same side of the road as the parking area, about 50 yards away. This is about a 1/2 mile trail, mostly easy except for the initial climb up the hill. This trail gets minimal maintenance but you should usually be able to pick out the trail.
After that head into the campground entrance and take the paved road to the left down into the pines. The trail that connects up to Dogwood Trail exits from the right side of the road - look for the sign. This leads to a moderately technical trail, with some climbing.
There is a trail junction about 1/2 mile in, at a grove of hemlocks. The left trail leads down about 1/2 mile to the picnic area beside the creek, across from the Mill. The trail is really steep and rocky - not a great ride. But there are new trails being built that connect up with this trail that are good - just not complete as of spring 2017. The trail to the right at the hemlock grove trail junction takes you out on the Dogwood Trail loop, first across the hills, then down alongside the creek, ending with a gnarly creekside rock garden just before the picnic area.
Once at the picnic area head back beside the outhouse to the trail along the tiny brook - this is Salamander Trail. It's a short, but well made technical trail that goes alongside the creek and then cuts back to climb the side of the valley. There the trail heads towards the steep trail that leads down from the hemlock grove trail junction. Follow it uphill till you see the new trail heading back above the Salamander Trail that you just rode. This is a really nice stretch of trail but does not yet connect, so ride it as an out and back, coming back to the steep trail at the end. From there you can head uphill (hike a bike) to the hemlock grove and head back to the parking area.
If you want to ride Vandergreen, don't head into Salamander at the picnic area - instead follow the paved drive out to the road. Go left here a short ways, then turn right to climb up to upper Vondergreen, or go to the right, and go down the left side of the bridge, before crossing the creek, to the lower Vondergreen. This is a 1/4 mile long creekside rock garden, not rideable when the creek is high. From there head downstream alongside the creek, then climbing an extremely eroded old road to trail on the ridge above the creek. Towards the end the trail drops quickly back down to creek level, coming near the water at Gretchen's Lock, then follows the creekside trail down to the group camping area (Sprucevale). I rarely bother with Vondergreen, since it is mostly ruined by the horses.
EDIT: As of August 2017 the new trail connects up. Now at the trail intersection in the hemlock grove, if you turn left there are two trails to choose from, immediately after crossing the tiny brook. The right one is the old short steep trail. The left one is the new trail, and leads downhill to connect up with the top of Salamander Trail.
| ThankBike trails are not marked or identified on the park map. I found myself on a horse trail trying to make my way back to the main park. I carried my bike more than I rode it. The only trail worth riding is the Upper Vondergreen trail. Also one equine trails that comes off of this has a daunting ascent to conquer.
| ThankNot exactly a MTB trail ... very rugged and steap terrain. In fact most trail heads had signs for equine and NO BIKES.
| Thank