Review Date
January 5, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: Darrin ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
The best all-around trail riding in the area. Something for all skill levels and opportunities to grow skills. The scenery is beautiful; typography makes for an excellent workout. Lots of fun ... can be intense or relaxing, which ever you choose. Only two complaints: (1) too crowded on nice weekends and (2) stay away few days after a good rain. So, grab what ever trail-ready bike you can and get out there. Just remember, share the trails nicely with hikers and horses, these trails are great for those activities also!!!

Recommended Route:
Quick ride - morning choice trail. Mix-up the routes anyway you like, they're all connected one way or the other.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
None. Gambrells is the closest I've found that's better than Avalon.

Review Date
July 31, 2006

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: teewoodham ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
I'm lucky enough to have a job that allows me to travel with my bike. I was recently in Baltimore for a week and was able to get in three morning rides.

The Patapsco Valley State Park is a great place to ride! The trails were clear and the trails offered some nice challenges. Nice uphill/downhill sections, rocks, water crossings and in some areas tree roots.

I went on an early morning ride and saw one other rider (and they were riding the roads, not the trails).

The views were nice: wildlife and terrain.

Recommended Route:
I paid the $2 entry fee and entered at the South St. entrance, and parked on the River Road trail near the end by the restrooms and swinging bridge.

From the parking lot, I rode the Cascade Falls trail (blue) up to Landing Road. On the ride back I turned off on the Ridge Trail (orange) and rode it up to the Connector trail (orange and yellow). I turned around at the Old Track Loop (red) and headed back to the parking area.

Plan to spend some quality time in this park. I only had an hour to ride and I felt short-changed. I could have easily ridden for three hours on all of the trails there!

... and do yourself a favor-get a map!

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Stay away from Gunpowder Trail until it is cleaned up! The upper sections are so overgrown in some places that you can't see the trail (or the rocks and stumps).

Review Date
October 5, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: meesier42 ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Wow, I love this place, I know its not the most technical trail in the world but it you look for it you will find it. Great bomber downhills, burning climbs, some fast singletrack, some not so fast. The technical stuff is a little hidden, mostly way down the river.

Recommended Route:
All of it.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Come here

Review Date
June 2, 2005

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: Watershedman ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
This place is an explorer's dream. Lots of trails available to ride and you do not have to repeat same loop. There are hills and lots of stream crossings. It does not drain well as mentioned as it had not rained in 2 weeks and still had many muddy spots. I went on blue trail past pretty waterfall although I had to walk some of it, major rocks. After that no rocks and very fast smooth single track. Somehow I ended up on the yellow trail and it to was smooth and fast so I assume that the rocky area I was in was rare. I would ride here more if it was not so far away from me I liked it.

Recommended Route:
Blue trail, yellow picke a color. Yellow was long. Blue was rocky in some spots but not as bad (or good depending on how you look at things) as Gambrill.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
I do not know any.

Review Date
December 21, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: skeeter ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
i stopped in and rode this trail while on a business trip. i'm sure it's been said in other reviews, but i'll say it again .... get a map, or at least hook up with someone who knows where they are going. i did neither, so my fun was limited. if you don't have a map, get there early in the day, so you don't have to worry about being lost with the sun dropping fast.

i rode from the park and ride area mentioned in other reviews. the trails were in pretty good shape, minimal mud and water. frequent little creek crossings, though. there were many trails you could follow, and not much signage, therefore, i rode down a couple of trails that just dead ended, and i had to back track. it got to be a pain in the butt after a while, so i just looped around on some sections that i had become familiar with.

the scenery was nice, and i saw quite a few deer. looked like it had plenty of fun potential, but with the minimal signage and markings, it won't be as much fun the first couple of times out. it was fairly hilly in places, no 8 mile up fireroads, but some decent uphill grinds.

Recommended Route:
beats me.