It's a Trail Day

Activity

Mountain biking

Wet trails get destroyed by tires. MTB-ers honor closures aggressively — a "muddy" rating here matters more than it does for hikers. Not permitted on all trails.

Live · updated

Comfort range

Ideal temp
45–78°F
Comfort temp
32–90°F
Mud sensitivity
High — wet trails penalize hard
Wind sensitivity
High

Ranked today

Avalon Area MTB Network

Patapsco Valley State Park · MD
82/100

The Avalon/Orange Grove singletrack network — Patapsco's best public-land MTB. Loops from 5 to 15+ miles; the Avalon Super Loop is the named ride locals use. Built and maintained by MORE (Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts). The adjacent Rockburn Branch SP, on the Howard County side, has its own connecting MTB trails.

12 mi 1200 ft gain moderate dirt

Patapsco Valley — Daniels Area

Patapsco Valley State Park · MD
82/100

Upstream gorge of the Patapsco with ruins of the old Daniels mill town. Standard riverside loop to the dam ruins; longer ridgetop connectors add a powerline-cut climb if you want a 4–5 mile day. Quieter than the Avalon area; bike-legal on designated trails only (yield to anglers along the river).

3 mi 350 ft gain moderate dirt

Sweet Air Loop

Gunpowder Falls State Park · MD
82/100

Sweathouse Branch loop in the Sweet Air section of Gunpowder Falls SP — quiet rolling forest, stream crossings, multi-use. The Hereford section's calmer counterpart and one of Baltimore County's most accessible trail-running loops.

5 mi 450 ft gain easy dirt

Possum Hill Loop

White Clay Creek State Park · DE
82/100

Rolling Piedmont forest loop in the Possum Hill tract — one of White Clay Creek's named multi-use sub-areas, with designated MTB trails and shared hike/run loops.

3.2 mi 300 ft gain easy dirt

GAP Trail — Cumberland Terminus

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · MD

Mile zero of the Great Allegheny Passage at Cumberland's Canal Place. Crushed-limestone rail-trail heading west toward Frostburg — gently graded uphill the whole way (the GAP climbs ~1,270 ft from Cumberland to Frostburg, capped at the railroad's 1.75% grade). The C&O Canal towpath ends here too — Cumberland is the GAP/C&O junction.

5 mi 350 ft gain easy gravel

C&O Canal — Spring Gap to Cumberland

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park · MD

The final 11.5 miles of the C&O Canal towpath into Cumberland — Spring Gap (MP 173) to the western terminus at Canal Place (MP 184.5). Flat, shaded, riverside. Far quieter than the DC-end sections; you'll often have a mile of towpath to yourself.

11.5 mi 80 ft gain easy gravel

Lonacona Loop Trail

Dans Mountain State Park · MD
82/100

The 4.5-mile red-blazed singletrack loop opened at Dans Mountain SP in 2023 — a natural-surface multi-use trail designed for both mountain bikers and hikers. The shorter Dye School Trail (~1 mi, white blazes) connects the fishing pond to the historic Dye School foundation if you want to tack on more miles.

4.5 mi 650 ft gain moderate dirt

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