Posted By OCguy on 06/02/2008 9:05 PM
OK, here goes: According to Ken Hoff (original trail designer @ BH), you should exit the parking lot and hop on the trails in Section"A", which is just the loop around the park's valley, going toward the hill on the opposite side of the park. This is usually done on the high side (your right when facing the tennis/basketball courts). Once you get to the creek you cross and take the trail to your right to start climbing a bit. Once you reach the top you encounter probably the trickiest section with 2 rocky creek crossings. If you stay on this loop you will eventually end up back on the lower side of the hill, near the Orchard Grass subdivsion (other side of the largest creek). Here is where some people might get confused and miss the "inner trail". As you near the first creek that you crossed to get into the hill section ("B"), you take a left across what appears to be the main trail to climb back up the hill for some similar swift climbs with rocks and roots, and creek crossings. You will actually be back on the "outer trail" for about 20 feet at one point but at the small fork you should stay left. You eventually loop back down and exit across the creek, going right to pick up the other half of Section "A". If you have done this you will have ridden about 2.5 miles as you enter the parking lot area. Then follow Mr Bill's instructions to do Section "C" and cross Briar Hill Parkway for Section "D" (my favorite part), which can be ridden several ways also. I prefer to basically ride it counter-clockwise and it turns in to a good loop down into what used to be two great creek crossings (but need some work now) and a very short but challenging climb out of the creek valley. I usually take the road crossing back to Section "C" and finish up its loop on the rocky section. What used to the last exit from Section "C" is pretty much gone since they have added the gravel and barriers so you get to exit on a nice steep downhill that can result in an endo if the ground under the gravel is too soft. Now you have done about 5.5 miles, but it feels like more because you are on your toes for most of the ride looking for tight switchbacks, rocks, and roots. It is very fun when dry (usually July and August) and I also enjoy it when there is snow on the ground--but you do need to know the trails under snowy conditions.
I also live very close to BH so if you make the trip back out I would be happy to make sure you see it all (before it is gone!). Whew. OK, this is a "repost" from page 1, but it tells you where the trailheads are...
|