Decent dirtbike trails with camping nearby in md?

soco · Mar 23, 2017

Gents:

I want to get into the adventure bike game. The goal is to take a street legal dirtbike, load it down with basic camping gear, and ride it out to some trails and take it into the woods to do some camping. There are certainly some opportunities out in western MD and a few in SOMD/eastern shore, but there don't seem to be a ton out there.

Does anyone have any information regarding any areas (public or private, I don't mind paying so long as I can get somewhere far enough away from other people to be peaceful) that can be legally ridden within a few hour radius of DC/Balt (that also have camping facilities or areas nearby to camp in)?

Edit: I am not going to be motocrossing, looking more for fire roads/trails to just sorta put through the woods. More "relaxing" than "terrifying" haha

Armadillofz1 · Mar 23, 2017

Check out Greenridge State Park. They did shut the trail down a few years ago for maintenance, but it may be open again by now. 30 or more camping spots to choose from, all primitive. Some on the river, some on the mountain. Tons of great riding in the area

Biggfoot44 · Mar 23, 2017

GW Nat'l Forrest , along the Va/WV border region has what you seek, moreso, and much more of it than in Md .

soco · Mar 23, 2017

I had heard about greenridge, didn't realize it might have reopened. I'll def check that out.

As for GW National forest, sounds great but 5 hours is a long haul on a 400cc. And they goal is to keep the truck out of the equation. Sorta of a Zen-minimalist thing. Just one less thing to think about.

One day I may venture that far, but it would be nice this summer to try a few somewhat more local spots.

HeatSeeker · Mar 23, 2017

Call ahead before going to Greenridge. The ORV trails there were closed a while back. As far as I know they have not been re-opened.

Check out this website: http://www.riderplanet-usa.com/

soco · Mar 23, 2017

Thanks for the heads up.

The more I look at it, the more the george washington and jefferson forest looks like the way to do it.
Might have to make that 400 a little more hwy friendly. Sigh. Guess thats central MD for you.

brownspotz · Mar 23, 2017

I'm not sure if you need an ORV permit or not to ride in the parks. maybe something to check into before you get there.

Biggfoot44 · Mar 23, 2017

In Md State Forrests, if it's not an official ORV trail, everything else is usually a "normal" gravel road.

In GWNF, while not as much as 20yr ago, plenty of the open to all licsened vehicle roads are quasi Jeep trails.

Camping in MD SF's is numbered sites only. GWNF does have official campgrounds, but also allows dispersed camping ( ie randomly in the woods).

Starting from SoMd or DC 'burbs, the northern parts of GWNF are closer than the good parts of Green Ridge.

You didn't specifically ask, but since this IS a gun forum, GWNF is carry friendly. Green Ridge's shooting range is conviently located, GWNF's public shooting range is a goodly ride farther south.

If you really make a road trip out of it, Jefferson NF allows informal target shooting randomly through out the NF, so long as safe in the particular location in addition to designated shooting ranges. GWNF ( like Md ) is target shooting only at designated ranges.

soco · Mar 23, 2017

Biggfoot44 said:
In Md State Forrests, if it's not an official ORV trail, everything else is usually a "normal" gravel road.

In GWNF, while not as much as 20yr ago, plenty of the open to all licsened vehicle roads are quasi Jeep trails.

Camping in MD SF's is numbered sites only. GWNF does have official campgrounds, but also allows dispersed camping ( ie randomly in the woods).

Starting from SoMd or DC 'burbs, the northern parts of GWNF are closer than the good parts of Green Ridge.

You didn't specifically ask, but since this IS a gun forum, GWNF is carry friendly. Green Ridge's shooting range is conviently located, GWNF's public shooting range is a goodly ride farther south.

If you really make a road trip out of it, Jefferson NF allows informal target shooting randomly through out the NF, so long as safe in the particular location in addition to designated shooting ranges. GWNF ( like Md ) is target shooting only at designated ranges.

Thanks for the info! I love the idea of dispersed camping, it just sounds more fun to me. Thanks for the target shooting info too! I won't have a lot of room on the bike, and I think the only long thing I'll be bringing is a 4 piece fishing rod.

But if I took the truck, I could in theory bring the long guns too. That might be a fun second trip.

Huckleberry · Mar 23, 2017

AMA Dualsport Rides may give you some information. These are the scheduled rides but there is some dualsport info links too.

https://www.americanmotorcyclist.co...national-dual-sport-series-schedule-announced

Another ORV area is the Hatfield-McCoy trail system down in WVA. A pretty good haul down there but miles of trails.

I used to ride a KLR650. Wasn't the best on the road or trail but that big gas tank would let me roll off the miles.

willtill · Mar 23, 2017

Sorry to smash your dreams OP but...

Your in the wrong state if you want to just jump on your Enduro and head out into the sticks. Maryland sucks for off rode dirt bike riding and camping. :tdown:

Biggfoot44 · Mar 23, 2017

Hatfield-McCoy seems interesting, and everyone who's been raves about it. But they are in the very farthest part of WV, and getting there is a whole different magnatude than GWNF .

Biggfoot44 · Mar 23, 2017

Plenty of plain 'ol County Roads in WV are gnarlier than any "official ORV Trail" in a state or Nat'l forrest I've been on.

alucard0822 · Mar 23, 2017

First thing you need to get familiar with is Gravelmaps. It's a hike to the closest trails, but you might have some good dirt roads a few miles away that you can explore for a couple hours. I'm not too familiar with the VA trails, but Bald Eagle Park is about 2 hours north of the central PA/MD line, lots of trails, camping, and such. Most around here get a Reading Anthracite permit and ride on the land owned by the coal company, about the same distance, but no camping. There are also events at a few other parks that don't normally allow bikes, MORE hosts a couple rides in the Michaux forrest near Gettysburg. A tagged dualsport gives you a ton more places to ride than offroad dirt bikes.

http://gravelmap.com/

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/baldeagle/maps/index.htm

http://readinganthracite.com/access-permits/

http://www.moreclub.org/

As far as a bike, Dualsport and adventure riding is growing really fast, so lots of new models coming out, bikes range from small light enduros to large comfortable ADV bikes. I kept small with my Honda CRF250L, nimble and small enough to run tight trails, and fun on tight mountain roads, was also inexpensive, very reliable and is very capable with a couple modifications. It offers little wind protection, and little power at highway speeds make it less than ideal for much time on interstates, and you get the stink eye from police till they see the license plate on the back. It is light enough that I can toss it on a hitch hauler on my SUV and easily transport it where I want to go. There are a lot of packs and racks available to load it up with gear. Have ridden a couple larger bikes, was looking into the Africa Twin before I bought mine, but it's more than twice the price, and over 500# with all the fairings and bodywork to make them good onroad. The true ADV bikes aren't ideal on the smaller wooded trails around here made for ATVs and dirt bikes.

soco · Mar 23, 2017

Thats super helpful, thanks! I'll check gravelmaps out, and also yeah I would be willing to drive up to PA. I figure it will prolly be 3 hours no matter what in general. Although the dirt roads would be fun just to get my feet wet.

As far as bikes, I already have her. Its a drz400e, and I have finished the conversion for street legal. Have to get it inspected when I get home. I settled on it because while I was in columbia I saw the military and police used em. So if its good enough for them its good enough for me. Its *almost* too small for hwy use, but I think I'll eke by in the right lane. And I know its a bit bigger than a 250 for technical trails but for now the ability to go 3 hours is more important to me, because I sorta expected anything worth doing to be at least that far. Seems a lot is 5-7. May be a "leave at 4am friday and leave for home 6pm Sunday" kinda thing.

Here she is.

alucard0822 · Mar 23, 2017

Awesome bike, DRZs are popular around the trails and dualsport rides, plenty of specific info on Thumpertalk and ADVrider forums too.

730dc · Mar 23, 2017

In years pass you could get a $100 permit from the pa coal company's and ride on all of there property

soco · Mar 23, 2017

alucard0822 said:
Awesome bike, DRZs are popular around the trails and dualsport rides, plenty of specific info on Thumpertalk and ADVrider forums too.

I'm definitely already a member there. Actually bought a different bike off a guy here who pointed me at ADV a few years back.

I'm just asking here because the best information is usually not shared widely with the whole world, and this being a MD specific forum with a nice, strong sense of community gave me hope I might find someone who would say something like "oh theres this small wildlife refuge with a few miles of trails in cecil county" or something like that.

But all information is good information!

AssMan · Mar 23, 2017

If you just want to ride dirt/gravel roads, check out the Frederick watershed for an afternoon.

davsco · Mar 23, 2017

i got a drz400s year before last to be able to do some local riding on back and dirt roads, without having to schlep my actual dirt bike 3-6 hours to find some real trails. we have a place out in canaan and there are dirt roads GALORE around there. all thru dolly sods, between canaan valley and blackwater state parks and everywhere around and in between. i also live outside of leesburg, va and lots of dirt roads in western loudoun. actual trails are way funner but this is next best thing.

Decent dirtbike trails with camping nearby in md?

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