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Parson's Mtn. Recreation Area Trails Mountain Bike Trail
Abbeville, South Carolina
MTB TRAIL STATS
Avg Rating:   |
1 trail review |
|
Status: updated 6/12/08 by seenvic |
Difficulty:  Intermediate |
| Length: 40 miles | Global Rank: #1779 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Out & Back |
| Ridden: 6 | Wishlist: 7 |
| Avg. Speed: 6.83 mph | Avg. Time: 3hr 0min |
Directions:
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Description: 7 Mile Motor Cycle Trail - Medium to Difficult; 12 Mile Loop Trail - Difficult; 28 Mile Horse Trail - Medium. There are 3 types of Trails in the Parson's Mt. Recreation area, all are accessible and legal to mountain bike. Horse trail is a 28-mile loop that crosses roads, so you can get off and back to your car easily. There are 2 motor cycle trails 7mile loop and a 12 mile loop, they are busy on Sunday, but the weekdays the trails usually only have Mt. Bikers. Both Motor Cycle trails are great for speed and jumps, they are perfect for some friendly racing too. After a rain the red clay presents a problem, but they are still a lot of fun if you don't mind getting muddy, the mud puddles are deeper than they look. The 7 mile loop seems to be the best because it doesn't have straight up long burn your leg climbs like the 12 mile loop and there are several place you can get off the trail if you need to shorten your ride. Watchout during hunting season - not a good place to ride you'll probably be mounted on some hunter's wall. Also watchout for the dirt roads they don't all lead back to your car. The Horse trail is great for a scenic ride they usually have a few places that are impassable and you have to walk around. The Hiking Trial is a great single track it has really good down hills and the climbs are challenging. There is a great little creek crossing and several bridges to cross. Please note: the hiking trails are NOT officially open to bikes, yet. They may be soon, in a year or so. The USFS is NOT harsh in their enforcement, but they think are not specifcally open to bikes as you read this. They probably are the best trails there, and the decision makers at the USFS district office love the local MTBers. We just haven't asked yet for them to open to bikes. I'd reccommend staying away from Parson Mtn until dry season as those motorcycle trails are good when not wet. They are NEVER dry. But during the wet winter, you'd be miserable riding a MTB there.
Read more about camping at Parson's Mountain Recreation Area.
Additional Info: The hiking trail at Parson's Mtn. Recreation Area is closed to bikes. Mt. bikers must use the ATV, motorcycle, or horse trails. The lower half of the horse trails (Midway Area) is not really used by people on horseback. This area has pretty much been reserved for mtn. bikers.
added on June 19, 2003 by guest
Description: 7 Mile Motor Cycle Trail - Medium to Difficult; 12 Mile Loop Trail - Difficult; 28 Mile Horse Trail - Medium. There are 3 types of Trails in the Parson's Mt. Recreation area, all are accessible and legal to mountain bike. Horse trail is a 28-mile loop that crosses roads, so you can get off and back to your car easily. There are 2 motor cycle trails 7mile loop and a 12 mile loop, they are busy on Sunday, but the weekdays the trails usually only have Mt. Bikers. Both Motor Cycle trails are great for speed and jumps, they are perfect for some friendly racing too. After a rain the red clay presents a problem, but they are still a lot of fun if you don't mind getting muddy, the mud puddles are deeper than they look. The 7 mile loop seems to be the best because it doesn't have straight up long burn your leg climbs like the 12 mile loop and there are several place you can get off the trail if you need to shorten your ride. Watchout during hunting season - not a good place to ride you'll probably be mounted on some hunter's wall. Also watchout for the dirt roads they don't all lead back to your car. The Horse trail is great for a scenic ride they usually have a few places that are impassable and you have to walk around. The Hiking Trial is a great single track it has really good down hills and the climbs are challenging. There is a great little creek crossing and several bridges to cross. Please note: the hiking trails are NOT officially open to bikes, yet. They may be soon, in a year or so. The USFS is NOT harsh in their enforcement, but they think are not specifcally open to bikes as you read this. They probably are the best trails there, and the decision makers at the USFS district office love the local MTBers. We just haven't asked yet for them to open to bikes. I'd reccommend staying away from Parson Mtn until dry season as those motorcycle trails are good when not wet. They are NEVER dry. But during the wet winter, you'd be miserable riding a MTB there.
Read more about camping at Parson's Mountain Recreation Area.
Additional Info: The hiking trail at Parson's Mtn. Recreation Area is closed to bikes. Mt. bikers must use the ATV, motorcycle, or horse trails. The lower half of the horse trails (Midway Area) is not really used by people on horseback. This area has pretty much been reserved for mtn. bikers.
added on June 19, 2003 by guest 
TRAIL REVIEWS review this trail
reviewed by PSUtuna on August 7, 2009
Very nice trail. Nice mix of hardwoods and pine forest. Goes from singletrack to wider areas. Terrain transitions nicely from a nice flow, rooted areas, and rocks. Not overly difficult. Would be a nice place for racing or time trials. You can choose to just roll along or try to go as fast as you'd like. Is located near ATV trails that are also open to mtn. bikers. Also located very close (within 20 minutes) of Hickory Knob State Park and Bakers Creek State Park that offer excellent mtn. bike trails. I'd recommend giving these trials a try if you are in the area.
Similar Trail: Hickory Knob, Bakers Creek
