Added Rockwoods Range.
It's incredibly sad how the trails in Rockwoods Range (not Rockwoods Reservation) have been destroyed by horses. The adjoining Greensfelder Park has already been obliterated by equestrian use (including, unfortunately, its section of the Green Rock Trail). And Rockwoods Range is now hopelessly lost as well. It would take years to restore the Round House Loop and its two spurs.
It's hard to show with pictures but it can be described. The trail has ample size for any use. But irresponsible horse owners, not satisfied with tearing up the main trail, have created walk-around trails that are also eroded, rutted, and ruined. Now they're using the area between the walk-around trails and the main trail. This results in areas forty feet wide in some places that are nearly impassable by any means.
The picture doesn't do the damage justice, but you can get an idea of how widespread it is.
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The area in between the walk-around path and the main path is deeply pockmarked and eroded and there appears to be evidence of walk-around trails going even further around.
If you're looking at the picture thinking, it's not that bad, I don't blame you. The picture is lousy and doesn't look like much. But hike just half a mile up the Fox Creek Spur trail and you will get an idea.
Sorry to post such a downer thread on a fun topic but this is one beautiful natural area that has been all but ruined for hikers.
On a happier note, there is a section of the Green Rock Trail that goes through Rockwoods Range, and it prohibits horses in this section. It passes through nicer topography anyway. It's point-to-point, but it does go to the Round House Memorial. So if you want a taste of Rockwoods Range, start at the Green Rock's trailhead (which is about 20ft from Rockwoods' Fox Creek Spur trailhead), and go back the same way after you reach the Round House Memorial.
It's incredibly sad how the trails in Rockwoods Range (not Rockwoods Reservation) have been destroyed by horses. The adjoining Greensfelder Park has already been obliterated by equestrian use (including, unfortunately, its section of the Green Rock Trail). And Rockwoods Range is now hopelessly lost as well. It would take years to restore the Round House Loop and its two spurs.
It's hard to show with pictures but it can be described. The trail has ample size for any use. But irresponsible horse owners, not satisfied with tearing up the main trail, have created walk-around trails that are also eroded, rutted, and ruined. Now they're using the area between the walk-around trails and the main trail. This results in areas forty feet wide in some places that are nearly impassable by any means.
The picture doesn't do the damage justice, but you can get an idea of how widespread it is.
The area in between the walk-around path and the main path is deeply pockmarked and eroded and there appears to be evidence of walk-around trails going even further around.
If you're looking at the picture thinking, it's not that bad, I don't blame you. The picture is lousy and doesn't look like much. But hike just half a mile up the Fox Creek Spur trail and you will get an idea.
Sorry to post such a downer thread on a fun topic but this is one beautiful natural area that has been all but ruined for hikers.
On a happier note, there is a section of the Green Rock Trail that goes through Rockwoods Range, and it prohibits horses in this section. It passes through nicer topography anyway. It's point-to-point, but it does go to the Round House Memorial. So if you want a taste of Rockwoods Range, start at the Green Rock's trailhead (which is about 20ft from Rockwoods' Fox Creek Spur trailhead), and go back the same way after you reach the Round House Memorial.
