Here is Mountain Bike Riding information
for Michaux or the Pine Grove Furnace Area.
How to Get There
Ride Route 1 - Snowmobile,
Single Track and Log Sled Trails
Ride Route 2 - Laurel Lake, Cold Spring Road and Leaf Trail
How to get to Pine Grove Furnace
Take route 34 north of
Gettysburg and through Biglerville. Continue north for about
2.8 miles and take a road (S. Main Street) that is angled to the
left to Bendersville. Stay on this road for 2.35 miles
where you will go through Bendersville. When you cross over
Opposum Creek and take a right. You should pass
the Conewago Camp Grounds and continue for 1.25 miles to the
stop sign at Coon Road. Continue across Coon Road and
up to the top of the Piney Mountain. There
is a parking area on the left, but the Pine
Grove Furnace parking area is another 2.70 miles down
the other side of the mountain. .Park at Pine Grove Furnace located on
Quarry Road (see map below). The furnace stack pictured on the left
and Restrooms are at the parking area. A General Store (closed in
winter) is located just behind the Furnace stack.
Ride Route 1 - Snowmobile,
Single Track and Log Sled Trails
See the Ride Route 1 Map for references
for this ride. From the Furnace Parking lot, take
the Bendersville Road south for about a 1/2 mile to the Snowmobile
trail head. This trail head is off to the left and
just past a clay mining area on the left. There is
a a steep dirt mound blocking the trail head entrance. (If you cant find
the trail head, then just stay on Bendersville road to the top.)
Take the Snowmobile Trail to the top where it meets Piney Ridge
Road (dirt) and Bendersville Road (paved). At this
intersection, there is a large mountain top parking area across
Bendersville Road.
Go though this mountain top parking area and find the trail at the
far end (West end). This trail is shown on the map as as a
blue hatch trail and it is a single track. Follow this single
track trail for a about a 100 yards and cross the ATV trail.
Continue on the blue hatched single track for about a mile.
Here you will cross the Slate Quarry Road (double
track). Continue on the single track which has moderate to
easy climbs but is technical. If you follow the single track
to its end (another 2 miles) you will end up on Piney Ridge Road
(dirt) that comes into view on your left.
You can follow the Piney Ridge Road to the west for about 0.4
miles where you can pick up a connecting trail on the right.
This steep down hill connecting trail resembles a dry bed creek
and connects to the Log Sled Trail (dirt logging trail).
Take a right onto the Log Sled Trail and continue on the trail
until you reach the bottom (Near the gate marked on the
map). Feel free to take any of the blue blazed side trails
off the Log Sled Trail. The Log Sled Trail will begin
to climb back up the mountain toward the mountain top parking
lot. This climb is on a good surface and is not
technical. Half way up you will cross Slate Quarry
Road. If you turn left, it will take you to Bendersville
Road. I suggest you go to the parking lot at the top and
return to the Furnace on the Snowmobile Trail. The
Snowmobile Trail is a blast coming down.
Ride Route 2 - Laurel Lake, Cold Spring Rd,
and Leaf Trail.
See the Ride Route 2
Map for references for this ride. Park at the
Laurel Lake Parking Lot located on Pine Grove Road and Laurel
Lake.
Begin by crossing Pine Grove Road and proceeding up Cold Spring
Road (Improved Dirt) for about 1 1/2 miles. The Leaf Trail
Head is to the left when the Cold Spring Road takes a sharp
90 degree right.
Follow the Leaf Trail until you cross the Iron Run stream. Continue for another 1/2
mile where it intersects with another trail to the
left. This is just before Route 233.
From this point you have two options:
Option 1 - Daugherty Trail
Turn 270 degrees to the left and take this Daugherty Trail back up
the hill. Go straight at the first intersection of
trails. Bear left at the second intersection. Climb
over the hill and cross the creek. Continue until you
intersect with the Lepper Farm Road.
Turn right onto Lepper Farm Road and go down the hill.
Cross the Pine Grove Road and follow the YMCA Camp road
to the lake. Turn right at Pine Grove Road and
head back to the Laurel Lake parking area.
Option 2 - Fuller Lake and Railroad Bed Road
Continue from Leaf Trail to Route 233. Turn left onto 233
and then a right on 233. The Furnace area is 100
yards to the left. Take this left and proceed to
Bendersville and Quarry Road.
Turn left onto Quarry Road and continue gate just to the right
of the Restrooms. Proceed on the AT trail past this gate and
follow until you cross over the steam at Fuller Lake. To the
far left of the lake, you cross over the steam and onto the
Railroad Bed path. This is still the AT trail.
Continue on this path until you get to the Pole Steeple parking
area on the back side of Laurel Lake.
If you get a chance, hike the Pole Steeple path for a fantastic
view of Laurel Lake. Expert riders may be able to ride most
of the way, but it is really steep. Pole Steeple is at the
top of 100 foot quartz cliffs. After taking in the view,
take the trail back down to the parking area. Expert riders
may want to continue on the back side of Pole Steeple and take a
left onto the Old Forge Trail.
From the Pole Steeple Parking area, proceed to the right around
the lake to the Laurel Lake Parking area.
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