Originally Posted by
stevemtbr
Looks like an interesting route. Many years ago I rode up the power line trail off of Indian Trail rd but it was gated at the top so I turned around. Looks like I'll have to try it again. Around Strong rd was there actual trail or did you have to blaze your own? What was the total milage? Yep, looks like it was a good time.
Yeah, the end of the powerline over toward Indian Trail is evidently farm property, so we ended up skirting around it (hence the hike-a-biking through the woods over the edge to the north of the powerline). Or so I was told . . . it was getting pretty dark by then so I didn't have good visual reference to where I was. I know when we were turning back south it was on an old doubletrack that if you went down it, would take you to St. George's. Going from Whitworth on the powerline, you encounter a few gates but all have ride-arounds - - the gates are mostly there to keep vehicular traffic out.
We dropped down onto the cut where they're roughing in the new Barnes road after we left the water tower construction. Rode up it, dropped into some housing development roads and bushwhacked out the end of a cul de sac (then found a new trail just being roughed in) until we finally hit Strong. South of Strong along the bluff, if you get into the back of the new development on the rim, you'll get back into the 4x4 bogging area. There are a couple of trail heads back in there if you know where to look; and those wind along the side and drop you in above Woodside. My long-winded way of saying part trail/part side-streets/part bushwhacking.
Wish I had a mileage - - I'll put the Gmaps Pedometer to it tomorrow and see if I can get an approximate.
EDIT - Looks like it was about 11 miles. Ha, felt longer than that for sure.