[COTarHeel]

I see so many people riding the gravel road between the Trace Ridge parking area and the horse camp parking area. I know Wash Creek isn't the greatest but single track > gravel, right?! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

 

[Mike Brown]

When I do take the gravel over Wash Creek, there are three possible reasons:

1) It's been raining and I intentionally rode Trace because it (erosively) drains so fast. Wash Creek at the bottom can be trbl.

2) I started in Bent Creek about 4 hours ago. I still need to ride back over the gap and some miles of trail back to my car. The ~1% energy savings of taking the gravel are necessary.

3) Or I'm heading straight up Trace or out never ending road and want to get with the getting. I don't think climbing wash creek is very enjoyable.

 

[mbmb65]

When I do take the gravel over Wash Creek, there are three possible reasons:

1) It's been raining and I intentionally rode Trace because it (erosively) drains so fast. Wash Creek at the bottom can be trbl.

2) I started in Bent Creek about 4 hours ago. I still need to ride back over the gap and some miles of trail back to my car. The ~1% energy savings of taking the gravel are necessary.

3) Or I'm heading straight up Trace or out never ending road and want to get with the getting. I don't think climbing wash creek is very enjoyable.

This. Totally.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Forest Rider]

Score for you -the trail is all yours with others too scared to ride it.

 

[mikeridesabike]

I actually enjoy riding that climb on Wash Creek. I did a 34 mile ride a few weeks ago from the top of BC Gap on the BRP to 276 and then down to 1206 and over to N. Mills and up Wash Creek. I would rather get a root canal than climb Trace Ridge.

 

[Banjopickin]

Wash Creek trail is pretty boring save the short, steep piece at the top. That and the lower section near the road is usually really muddy. Probably why not many ride it...

Add a few gap jumps, optional features or something and I bet traffic will increase.

I've been riding Old Lower Trace and then climbing New Lower Trace and ending on Wash Creek.. Adds a little extra and Old LT is still really fun.

 

[Harold]

I tend to prefer the singletrack to get between Trace Parking and the horse camp parking. Except when conditions are iffy. down near the bottom is some of the flattest trail out there and I do tend to prefer avoiding riding through slop.

 

[radred]

I don't know anyone that dislikes it. It's just that the option usually comes at the end of something bigger, and .... hey ... it's beer-thirty. Nevertheless, I ride Wash Creek sometimes like this: I love riding the newer bottom section of Trace out and back especially if the river is high or I don't want to get my shoes wet or it's freezing cold. After coming back up the bottom of trace, the flattish section of Wash Creek is a great way to get back to the main road.

 

[Adodero]

I think a lot of people don't know about it, I've shown it to a few people that have ridden back there before and weren't aware there was a trail there.

 

[ohkeepah]

It's a good way to add extra miles after getting done with Trace, Spencer Branch, Fletcher Creek, especially if you park by the Horse Camp. Ride old lower trace, then catch the re-route that ends at the bottom of old lower trace. Climb out on that to Wash Creek, then back to your car and beers. It's really more of a connector than a trail someone would ride specifically. At least in my eyes.

 

[ohkeepah]

Whoops, I see Banjo mentioned that already.

 

[COTarHeel]

It's really more of a connector than a trail someone would ride specifically. At least in my eyes.

It's definitely a connector, but my question is why do people use the gravel road to make that connection?

I do buy that some people might not even know it's there. It's very easy to miss on the road.