a real rookie's castlewood ride

[singletrackmind]

Sounds like you rode only the toughest trail in the park!

[singletrackmind]

Ok, I am over the shock that you kept going and kept trying to ride that, if it's what I think you rode.
EDIT: I just reread your description, it is what I think you rode! Lone Wolf would have been easier. Really.
The easy river scene trail starts over by the railroad bridge. Turn left onto a rocky trail that very quickly turns to dirt. It does go through a dip, right around a bend up a quick little hill and out onto a paved trail. Follow that til you come to the road where the circle turn-around is, cross it to the dirt path. Follow the dirt path (there's some sand along this part, pedal quick and easy) to the big field. Follow the dirt track to a four way intersection. Right takes you to stinging nettle, left takes you back to the road, straight across and then turn takes you to the same areas but on singletrack in a woody area. Basically, you follow along the river from the Railroad bridge you can drive under to the stinging nettle trail.

If you are brave enough to attempt that section of Castlewood don't discount yourself, you can ride lone wolf, love or grotpeter. Sure, you might do some walking, but you'll be doing some riding too, more each time.

[singletrackmind]

You want the orange, the red was for someone else asking about some Castlewood trails.

It sounds like you did the severely eroded loose and rocky/rooty once it goes around the sharpish bend hiking trail that starts not too far from the Lone Wolf trail and meets it up at the top. If you kept going on the biking side along the bluff you were on the lone wolf, past a cement structure begins the lone wolf downhill to the creek, which you can either cross or go right to get back to the road. The hiking side takes you down lots of wood steps, under the railroad tracks via walkable tunnel to the Stinging Nettle trail.

[fastdogs]

I was kinda stuck- I couldn't ride up but I couldn't ride down either- too much loose rock for me. So I walked probably most of it. When it started down I could ride some of it, making heavy use of my brakes.
My bike was protesting, it wanted to GO and I was holding it back. We worked our way down as best we could, walking over large things because I don't know how to jump anything- if I can't roll over it (and this wonderful bike can roll over some pretty good sized stuff) I have to walk it. The beginning was clearly marked "river scene trail" and "start" but it had the T right away- the right side joined lone wolf trail. The left side went up the bluff.
I want to go back- I think I rode the paved part on the left side of the road (left side, if you are going down towards the river) and the sandy part along the river was fun. I think I am ready to try stinging nettle again, once I'm sure it's dry.
vickie

[fastdogs]

ok, that makes sense (I posted my last message before I saw the one with the map). I saw the cement foundation at the top. There was a wooden overlook too (I looked back at it thinking it was a trail and lost my momentum and had to walk yet again). several rock outcroppings with little trails to them, overlooking the river far below.
Along the river, in the flat sandy part on the left hand side of the road, there were also some singletrack trails by another large cement thing or foundation. There was a network of trails in there and I didn't have time to ride on all of them, but the little dips and small rooty parts was fun.
vickie

[uforgot]

Hey, I did that exact same thing when I rode Castlewood. I think I mentioned it. I looked at a map when I got home and realized that I was off of that scenic river trail big time! Roots, turns and loose rocks on the way up. I think I walked most of it!

[singletrackmind]

Yep, calling it the River Scene trail is kinda cruel, isn't it? It's pretty much a hiking trail til you get to the Lone Wolf climb, that wide rocky trail that joins the one you were on just before the wood overlook. After that you were on the Lone Wolf trail. There are very very few people that could ride up that nasty section.

That left hand side is the River Scene you were looking for, so there you are.

[singletrackmind]

Once you get to the wood overlook at the top of the lone wolf climb you'll see two trails going up some more. The one to the left is for hikers and takes you up to the bluff overlooks. The one to the right is wider and doesn't start out as steep. That one is for bikers. They do intersect after a quick rocky descent (watch that blind corner at the bottom) and you stay right up a rocky hill to the cement structure that is at the beginning of the downhill.