Patapsco Valley State Park is open all year. The park is indeed a VALLEY.The Patapsco River cuts through Maryland and at the Avalon Area,creates a steep walled Valley.Perfect for short but treacherous single track riding. Some of the best single track on the East Coast is found here. You take a 1/2 mile downhill ride across streambeds and all singletrack.Then you can take any number of trails back to the top of the valley.Chances are you won't be back at the Park & ride. The trail system is over twenty miles in this section of Pa Taps Co alone. This description doesn't cover the McKinley Area or Hilton Area of Patapsco. Use caution on these trail systems and try not to ride alone.It's more fun with a group any way.Always take spare tubes and chain breakers. If you get stuck in this area of the park,You will have a tough time getting back. Always stay on the trails and treat the area with utmost respect. This is a river valley and we all know about erosion don't we?The trails in Avalon are some very technical trails. If you are new to MTB,please ride with a friend or be very careful.If you are an experienced rider,the challenges are endless.We have been riding Patapsco for twenty years and never tire of it's variety of trails and natural beauty.
Hard to see how this is rated the #2 Trail in MD when it's been 5 years since the last review. The Vineyard Springs Trail itself is actually less than a mile long. It's typically ridden downhill as you have an opportunity to pick up some some good speed. But there's nothing particularly technical or memorable about the trail itself. The rest of the Glen Artney area has a number of other trails including Soapstone and Bulls Run which are nice and flowy. What's cools is that this area connects to the Hilton area via the Santee Branch where the riding Has some more technical features on Saw Mill and Buzzards Rock. Any ride in that section should end by blasting down Drugs for a nice endorphin rush. From there you can cross over the hanging bridge to the Avalon side or head back up toward the Park and Ride. (NB: FWIW, I would rate the broader Glen Artney as 4.0 and the Hilton area as a 4.5)
| ThankVineyard is a fast, fun trail. There are 3 dips/wallrides, plenty of fast rocky sections. It's a good place to learn to be more comfortable with speed. Ends at the river road paved trail -- starts at foxhall road (which is also accessible from the fireroad after soapstone (fireroad -> right on the road, take the short connector trail at the top of the hill -- big sign says vineyard).
| ThankNice single-track ride. Started at the blue trail to white then red. 3/4 of the trail was downhill with many fun obstacles and a few trials. All obstacles are optional, there are ways around everything. I rode the same trail in reverse back to my car. Even the uphill wasn't so bad because it was hard packed.
| ThankAlot of fun on a 12 mile ride after coming in from the Soapstone Trail entrance by the park and ride. First time on it so couldn't exactly bomb it but it was still alot of fun!
| ThankThis trail is part of the Patapsco Valley State Park (Avalon Area) trail system. It does provide ample free parking to access the park. From the parking lot, it is all downhill into the valley and to other trails.
| ThankAll of these trails connect (avalon, vineland) so you should really just call it patapsco. It's truly a one-stop shop for mtb. Just go and enjoy!!!
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