Bartram Trail Mileages?

[stumpbumper]

I live in Upstate SC and have only spent one day on my bike at FATS. I want to do a weekend and camp at Petersburg Campground. While there I will ride Bartram in addition to the trails at FATS.

Can anyone tell me the trail mileage from Petersburg to West Dam? According to the map I got online, it is marked with yellow blazes.

And how about the lengths of Lake Springs and Secondary Trail?

Finally, how do of those three trails compare to those at FATS?

Many thanks.

[seenvic]

May 17, 2010 11:51:27 GMT -5 stumpbumper said:

I live in Upstate SC and have only spent one day on my bike at FATS. I want to do a weekend and camp at Petersburg Campground. While there I will ride Bartram in addition to the trails at FATS.

Can anyone tell me the trail mileage from Petersburg to West Dam? According to the map I got online, it is marked with yellow blazes.

And how about the lengths of Lake Springs and Secondary Trail?

Finally, how do of those three trails compare to those at FATS?

Many thanks.

P'burg to West Dam. Aprox 7 miles. (per my memory)

P'burg to WWPark. Aprox 9.2 miles (per Mark Hanna's bike computer). This is the new section of trail just built.

Lake Springs and Secondary Trail? Not sure what you mean by this. I think the Lake Springs Loops are about 3ish miles, total. Unclear what you mean by Secondary Trail.

If one lives in the mtns, ALL the trails down here are "pedal pedal" (one has to pedal alot). But for a local rider, Bartram is more pedal pedal than FATS. These are fun trails to ride.

I'd also recommend the Long Cane Horse Trail for your visit. It's up near Abbeville/Greenwood and is awesome. You will be well served to have a local guide on the LCHT. Let me know if you are interested and I'll see if I can get the locals up there to show you around.

[azdrawdy]

Petersburg to West Dam, without taking the Lake Springs Loop, is 6.5 miles. The "loop" adds right at 2.5 miles.

New Bartram: I am getting dead on 9 miles.

Wildwood Connector is 2.5 miles.

I know you didn't ask, but then you pop out at Washington Road and can go ride Keg for an additional 9 miles.

Turn around, go back.

The above 'bout hurt this boy this weekend. Awesome ride. I just wish I had refilled the backpack at Wildwood's day-use area. That's a lot of saddle time without a refill. Thank goodness for jetskis and boats to recuperate.

MD

[stumpbumper]

Thanks very much for the info. I ride at Southside, Paris Mt and DuPont a great deal so a bit of flat country will be welcome.

The map I have is from the U.S. Corps of Engineers and shows three trails at Bartram, Petersburg to West Dam (yellow blazes), Lake Springs (white blazes) and Secondary Trail (red blazes). The latter forks off of Lake Springs shortly after it forks off of Pb to Wd. It runs along the lake and then into Lake Springs trail further north. It appears to be rather short so I doubt if many people ride it.

Am all set for the upcoming weekend at FATS but the weather forecast is not looking favorable. I may have to postpone the trip a couple of weeks.

[dsquaredmsquared]

Not sure what the ACOE map looks like, but the following URL takes you to a Google map of Bartram Trail, from West Dam to Wildwood, and Keg Creek.

bit.ly/b7emiK

Hope this is helpful.

[stumpbumper]

That Google map is exactly what I needed. Thank you very much.

[dgaddis1]

Here's another one. It's got more trailheads, but doesn't show the trails like Dsquared's map.

maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112493191138240861154.0004351308c52f1b7228a&z=10

[dparrott]

The 'secondary trail' - red blazes is now defunct. Was closed last year when COE did a bit of re-route on the Lake Springs (white) trail.

[stumpbumper]

With the maps and information, you guys have been a great help but I do have a few more questions. I want ride from the Petersburg campground to the dam and back and then continue on the Bartram-Wildwood extension to the Keg Creek Loop, then back to Petersburg.

How do I find the B-W Extension there at the camground---is it marked or signed? On the map it looks like the extension ends at Washington Rd. Once I get there how do I get onto Keg Creek?

And finally, what are mileages of the B-W Extension and the Keg Creek trail?

Many thanks.

[seenvic]

That will be a big ride.

B-W Ext is right across the street from the parking lot. Can't miss it.

When you get to Wash Rd, ride right across it and down in the woods. What looks like a trail right in front of you is the Keg Creek Trail. It will end in a parking lot on Washington Rd. Ride across the bridge and you will come back to the spot on Washington Road where you entered Keg Creek.

B-W Ext is 2.5 miles one way. Keg Creek is 9.2 miles, including the paved part I described above.

You are looking at 43ish miles, I think, total.

[stumpbumper]

Now that I know the mileages my plan is to start at the crack of dawn, do the Petersburg-Dam there-and-back during morning, then rest an hour or two and have lunch before heading on to Keg Creek.

Or I might do just the opposite since P-D may be an easier ride than P-KC and in doing so I'll get the hardest out of the way while I am fresh and friskie.

Or I might get lazy (it has happened before), go fishing in the afternoon and finish Part Two of the plan on next day.

Again, many thanks for your help.

[seenvic]

Be sure you have a fishing license.

[dparrott]

Do P-KC first - it's longer, more technical and more aerobic and will be 31 miles. P-dam RT will be 13 miles. Add another 2-3 miles if you include the Lake Springs option.

A personal goal for me is to complete the 47 miles in one push and I think starting at P'burg and completing the KC piece first and then limping home on the old Bartram will be the way to go.