KILLER LOOP

KILLER LOOP

Start / Finish: Damascus Town Park (red caboose)
Length: 25 miles
Configuration: Figure 8 Loop ( more or less)
Degree of Difficulty: Difficult (because of climb and rocky technical section and length)

This is a combination of Mock Holler Loop and Taylor's Valley Loop so use the mileage off those rides as a guide. This is a great endurance ride. The hardest section is at the beginning when you are fresh. If you survive the rock garden from hell on the Beech Grove Trail, you got it made! Take plenty of water especially on those hot summer days. You may want to avoid this trail during hunting season. I'm not the only one who knows about the wild game!

From the Damascus Town Park, proceed up Laurel Avenue (Route 58) to Cowboys Mini-Mart. Cross the street and go up Fourth Street (look for the Adopt -A-Trail sign marking the Iron Mountain Trail Club as designated caretakers) (note: this is not in place yet.) Pass numerous small houses on a ascending dirt, very rough, rock strewn road. This is "Mock Holler". You may be chased momentarily by an aged toothless beagle we call "gummy".

Stay to your right as the road continues to climb. Pass a NFS sign, a pole blocking vehicle access and on to the yellow blazed double-track trail. This is the Iron Mountain Trail (and the old AT). Continue on this trail, crossing several small creeks, making the technical 2 mile climb all the way to the top. This will be the sight of the Mountain Bike Festival Hill Climb event.

Turn left at the top of the hill. Continue to follow the yellow blazes until you meet a gravel logging road. Turn right on this road, go about 3/10 mile and look for an orange blazed trail to your right. This is the Beech Grove Trail. Go down this trail. This is a nice down hill, several switch backs and rocky sections. Toward the last mile, you will enter the "rock garden". Concentrate on the negative space between the rocks and flow like water through and around them. There are several high rock water bars that can be ridden over but are a technical challenge! At the end of the trail you will see Route 58. Cross the road, go down to the parking lot and hit the Creeper Trail. Make a left on the Creeper Trail and ride 4 miles to Taylor's Valley.

You will go through the small Taylor's Valley Community Park area (another red caboose) staying on the VCT. You will pass through the front yard of a newer house with a large collie dog that will bark but won't bite (maybe). Pass the old log cabin on your right and cross the road.

You will then come to a section where the trail is paralleled by a gravel road, passing houses and cabins on your left. At the end of this stretch of houses take FR 49100 that turns to the right and splits off from the trail. Start climbing! C'mon... it's really not that bad!

Turn to the left at all the intersections until you reach the gate (another dirt road splits off to the left). Go right through the gate, and follow this up and down the rolling fire road . This road is very grassy in the summer as vehicles are not allowed on it. You will go through several wild life clearings, keep your eyes open for deer, turkey, grouse and bear!

You then reach a field at the top of a small mountain. Look to your right, under the large oak tree and you will see a Cairn (pile of rocks). There is a faint blue blaze on this tree. TURN RIGHT HERE. This is a very difficult turn to see when the weeds are high.

Go through the weeds and you will emerge on a gently descending double track trail. Follow this trail as it descends all the way to the stream at the bottom. Cross stream (you may be able to find the rock passage we laid out and avoid getting your feet wet). You are now at Creek Junction and under the highest Trestle on the Creeper Trail.

Walk up the path beside the trestle to the top (you need to carry your bike, so don't whine!). Turn left on the VCT, enjoy the view from the trestle, and head down hill 12 miles back to Damascus.

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