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AegisIII 
Group: Members
Posts: 510
Joined: Jan. 2010
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Posted on: Nov. 28 2012, 10:41 pm |
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Photos
A bit behind in TR's. So, the weekend before Sandy, I headed out of the mountains and headed down to Little Bennett Regional Park in northwestern Montgomery County. There are plenty of trails here, and the trail system has been undergoing some major changes to get the system off of old woods roads and making it less prone to erosion. They have an up-to-date map online. If I have a complaint about the area, it is that for a reasonably popular park, there are minimal trailhead facilities, and lacking in restrooms for those of us who were on the road for a bit. There are two camping areas; one for campers, and the other a primitive drive/walk up site. The north half of the park has shared use; the south hiking only. Most of the trails are blazed blues, but a fair number are unblazed. There are signs at all junctions. Benches are placed randomly along the trails.
I started from the trailhead at Clarksburg Road at the Western Piedmont Trail near Little Bennett Creek. I crossed the road and started west on the Western Piedmont Trail, an old gravel road, along the edge of the stream valley. In a short distance, I turned onto the Beaver Valley Trail, crossing the stream lowlands, then the creek on a very good bridge (MoCo has money for their parks). Now on the hiking side, I take a few different trails in the ravines of small and almost all dry side streams. Some old farming implements are left over. Up Stoney Brook, still with color, then ascend up Acorn Hollow, to Big Oak, then onto Little Oak and a spur behind a blowdown to reach the activities building (not open at the time).
I continued across the campground road, onto a signed but unblazed woods road. A sharp turn to the left is very easy to miss. After crossing the campground road one last time, I descend and soon reach the Nature Trail. A short jaunt over a small stream, and I turn onto the Whitetail Trail. After a short up-and-down, the trail follows a stream in a ravine. There was color on the slopes, less at the bottom. After leaving the ravine for a climb, I take a break at the Antler Ridge Trail. This descends into another ravine and up the other side, reaching the Woodcock Hollow Trail. This, not surprisingly, descends back into a stream valley, and follows along the bare trees. It soon crosses a few meadows, the trail well-mowed through them, and climbed to the Bennett Ridge Trail.
I headed west along the pines lining Bennett Ridge. I would have rested, but I wanted to stay in front of the large group of kids. The trail begins to descend into more colorful terrain, crosses a stream on rocks, and passes by one of the few outcrops in the area. In a short distance, I once again reach the Western Piedmont Trail. I head back east. Soon is a slightly confusing trail junction, as the trail is not blazed, and there is no sign where two old roads diverge. I head right, following below an old millrace. The trail then crosses Little Bennett Creek. This is either a ford, or a very careful rock hop. I rock hopped, but recommend just fording it, as that'd be easier and safer. I continue on the old gravel road, and soon reach the picnic area at the junction with the Pine Grove Trail. I would have had lunch, but I wanted to keep ahead of the children, so I headed uphill, figuring there'd be a bench within a reasonable distance (of course, there was not).
Now on the shared use side, and on an old trail, I see big differences in the trail. More eroded, muddy in spots, horse droppings. The Pine Grove trail is somewhat aptly named, as it does pass through some woods heavy in pine, but not always. As the trail brushes against a clearing, blue blazes start and the trail moves back into the woods, with plenty of autumn color, on what is apparently a very new trail. The trail is not always fully obvious here, due to the newness and the late autumn leaves on the ground. But the blazes and enough use keep the trail discernible from the surrounding woods. I then turn onto the Timber Ridge Trail, also recently relocated at this end. It passes a couple of clearings, rejoins the old route, heads down and up a couple of hollows, and meets the Tobacco Barn Trail at a large clearing.
I first head north on the Tobacco Barn Trail, into a second higher clearing. (This was because I saw a bench which I thought would be good for lunch. It would be if there wasn't poison ivy growing beneath it.) There were good views to the north, east, and south from here, though the weather was starting to look iffy and the winds were picking up. Back at the first clearing, I head east now, still with views, including jets on their way to Dulles, as I wind downhill, past a couple of old ruins, and then back into the woods, as I cross Browning Run on rocks, then the old Browning Run Trail and a clearing, as I climb back into the woods and reach the relocated Browning Run Trail. I take the trail northeast, as it winds on well constructed sidehill trail, heads next to a clearing, then descends to a small stream crossing with an absurdly large and fine bridge. I then reascend, through open woods next to a clearing, soon heading into the clearing, and then cross Clarksburg Road to a parking area. Now late and not having had lunch yet, I decide to claim a rock, even though it was out in the sun. But the benches were not as frequent as they had been in the beginning of the hike.
After the late lunch, I continue east on the Browning Run Trail, along the bottom of a couple of nice large meadows, and then into the woods, crossing a small stream on a bridge more fitting of the stream than the last one, and then made a steady ascent out of its hollow. At the top, the nice woods road headed through the best display of autumn color of the hike. The trail soon heads along the side of yet another clearing, and then turns onto a cable r-o-w. There is a good eastern view just north of the trail from the clearing. Afterwards, I followed the cable line/trail until I reached the junction with the Purdum Trail. This, an old woods road, I took south, passing another trail, and then while lightly descending reached the primitive campground.
After the nice campground, the trail followed the gravel access road, pine-lined, level at first but soon lightly descending. The trail then turned off the road, ascending on an old woods road, with a more "rustic" autumn color, until I reached the unsigned junction with the Hard Cider Trail. This trail is an alternative to the Kingsley Trail/gravel road. It is a singletrack trail that winds around on the slope above the Little Bennett Creek valley. There was some good color left, and a couple of small outcrops. It passes side hollows with very small streams on bridges too good for the need. This trail eventually made it back to my trailhead, giving me a good end to my nine mile hike (and probably with a fair deal of elevation gain) in this area worthy of another visit.
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EJS
(Ed. S)
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JimInMD
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Nov. 29 2012, 5:12 am |
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I live about 20-25 minutes from this park and attended a Land Nav course there about 2 years ago which I did a TR for. I'm glad to see they're working on the paths, there were a lot of them in rough shape back then. I do agree with your assesment that the lack of facilities at the trailheads (and lack of parking) is a challenge.
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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MRHyker
Group: Members
Posts: 3555
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 29 2012, 12:03 pm |
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My wife and I did a sort of circumnavigation of this park 06/2010. We parked in Hyattstown - a big lot. Here's our route. It also was about 9 miles. We thought it was a nice hike, especially so close to D.C. and Baltimore. For some reason, that I honestly don't remember, I never put it on my website. Sounds like with the relcations I might have to go back there.
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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tomas
Group: Members
Posts: 2372
Joined: Oct. 2006
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Posted on: Nov. 29 2012, 12:35 pm |
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For some reason the firewall at work is blocking the site. What are the primitive camping sites like? Are they open during the winter? How much do they charge?
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To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
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| Post Number: 5
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AegisIII
Group: Members
Posts: 510
Joined: Jan. 2010
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Posted on: Nov. 30 2012, 10:26 pm |
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Looks like I am confused with regards to camping. The primitive camping area along the Purdham Trail is the group camping area, and appears to not be available or economical for backpackers making a big loop in the park.
The main camping area, however, would be. I was confused in this also because the loop I went through was for electric sites/RVs/etc. The other four loops are tent only car camping. Look here and here.
Word is also, that there is now a bridge on the Western Piedmont Trail where it crosses Little Bennett Creek. This would be very convenient, especially in cold weather.
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EJS
(Ed. S)
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