This entire trail runs from Jerusalem Road to Pleasantville Road (and beyond! Although I've never ridden that section). This write up covers the section of the trail which runs from Harford Road to Pleasantville Road and is approximately 10 miles out and back. From the parking lot on the Baltimore County (south) side of the Little Gunpowder, enter the trail. Trail head is right in the middle of the lot. Follow the trail along the Little Gunpowder. There are four stream crossings and some nice rock gardens along the trail to Bottom road. When the trail exits onto Bottom Road, go right across the bridge over the Little Gunpowder River. Continue on Bottom Road until you pass Laurel Brook Road on your right. Just past Laurel Brook Road, enter the trail again on the left. The entry is a nice steep uphill climb to a flat trail. This section of the trail is an old railroad bed, so it's pretty flat for about .75 miles. At several points you can see the Little Gunpowder on your left down in the valley. Continue on the old rail trail until it abruptly ends, then turn left. There is a nice little 2 ft. drop around the first turn. The trail continues towards Pleasantville Road, with a couple of nice uphill sections and some rooty, technical downhill sections. Once you've reached Pleasantville Road, take a left on Pleasantville and ride across the bridge over the Little Gunpowder. Be careful here! The cars headed northbound on Pleasantville have a sharp, almost blind turn to get onto the bridge. Just over the bridge, lift your bike over the guard rail and onto the trail again. You're now in the Balto county again. The first section of trail has a nice, technical downhill section to a small stream crossing. The trail on this side of the L'il Gunpowder has some swooping up and downhill sections with stream crossings at the terminus of each downhill. Some fun technical sections, too. Continue along this trail until it dumps you out onto Bottom Road again. Come out of the woods and go left on Bottom, back down towards the L'il Gunpowder. Enter the woods on the right before you cross the bridge and backtrack along the little Gunpowder towards Hardord Road. At two of the stream crossings on this leg there are side loops that follow the streams uphill, cross the stream, the follow it back downhill. One of them has a nice, small waterfall at the top. This is a multi-use trail, and during the summer sections of it can be overgrown. Sticker bushes, the unofficial MD state flower.
There are everal places to park to ride these trails. These directions are for the parking area on Harford Road. If you're heading west on 695 (towards Towson), take exit 31B, MD 147, Harford Road N. Stay on Harford Road for 9.3 miles. There are parking areas on both sides of Harford Road, one on the left on the Baltimore County side of the Little Gunpowder River, and one on the right on the Harford County side.
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