Just thought someone should post on this multi use (horse, hike, bike) trail at Croft State Park since they suggested I take it. I went out to do the Southside Trails today but went to the park office to get a trail map first. They explained the Advance America Bridge had been taken out by floods in the spring and since it was longish drive back out of the park people who came in were just doing the Craig trail to the Lake Johnson Connector then on to the Kelsey Creek Trail out and back for 20 miles. It joins the Palmetto Trail also but I believe the one portion is horses and hiking only so you can't loop back.
I rode just the Craig trail and half the Lake Johnson Fairforest Creek Connector. It was very sandy and damp after the last couple nights of heavy rain. It is not a mountain bike trail primarily with no s turns or berms, just straight ups and straight downs. I ran into 3 sets of brush and trees I had to go around but after going around the first tree I didn't see any more horse patties to watch out for. Was trying to avoid them on the first portion. The trails is definitely single track after you cross the road with side brush hitting your legs in areas, it's very rooty and quite washed out in spots with lots of loose rocks. It was my slowest ride in some time just watching for down trees, loose rocks and debris on the trail. It was obviously not a well used trail. It was kind of fun on the way back with more down hill then up, but honestly every time I went down I was thinking about the west, rooted, rocky, eroded climb back up.
It was fine, I'd give it 3 stars, but I would strongly recommend taking the time to drive round to the Southside Trails parking lot. Wish I had, i cut my ride short so I could be done within 2 hours worried about heavy rain called for in the afternoon. Too bad, that rain didn't come, i could have gone and rode the other trails too.
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