A great start to the Summer. At the PA border is a map of the entire trail which is split in two by the Mason Dixon line. Plus you have the opportunity to see or ride the train which is a fun draw to the area. Gear up and ride on. Both sides of the trail have numerous road crossings, with metal gates blocking the trail except for narrow pass thru's, which tend to get a bit annoying for cycling since you are forced to slow down at each one. The trail is used by an eclectic mix of horseback riders, joggers, walkers, hikers, bikers and people of all ages. But I absolutely love this trail, and plan to use it every weekend possible. The Torrey C. Brown Trail, formerly known as the Northern Central Railroad Trail (NCRT) extends 20 miles, stretching from Ashland Road in the Hunt Valley area to the state line. Easy access from I-83. I cant recommend this trail strongly enough. When it was constructed in 1984 along the abandoned North-Central Railroad, the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail was one of the first rails-to-trails projects in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The views were beautiful of the woods and water. One of the more popular trails is the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail, an old railway corridor that extends over 20 miles from Cockeysville to the border of Pennsylvania, and features a mix of bridges, asphalt, and gravel terrain. Gunpowder Falls State Park: Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail | VisitMaryland.org As for my wish list, I wish the surface was wider and more developed. It was beautiful, it had some history to watch along the way and the people I encountered seemed friendly. I just tried this trail out today actually. ", "We covered this trail and also 1.5 miles of the York County Heritage trail which connects to the NCR in PA. The MD trail is quite nice. ", "I did 42 miles on the NCR, and I thought that the trail was extremely well maintained. Very rough trail. Its nice to have the mile markers along the way, along with plaques telling about local information along the trail. Had no issues and did not see anyone dealing with flats unlike two weeks ago when people were pushing their bikes due to the tacks in a couple of places (in PA as well). I started out at the southern end and rode north. The Northern Central Railroad Trail (NCR Trail), recently renamed the Torrey C. Brown Trail (TCB Trail), is a rail trail that extends from Ashland north for 21 miles to the Pennsylvania state line. Parking is in the lot on the right, just before the mill. I look forward to going back a riding the entire 20 miles to PA. Bob A. The northern half, less so. "I have cycled the combined North Central Railroad (NCR) Trail and York County Heritage (YCH) Trail many times both in sections and the entire length, up and back. The ride from the trail back up to the lot is a steep but very short climb. I think the terrain took it's tole more-so than the hills. What a wonderful experience. The trail has good restroom and water facilities. It is wonderful, and my husband and I have been on it several times already. Compared to the rail trail in York County, PA, this Maryland trail is a major disappointment. We have lived within half a mile of this trail for the last 26 years, during which it has had one major resurfacing and a number of patch jobs. it's a little busy in the beginning if you start on south end, but it really gets better once you get away from all the walkers. There are many places to access the trail and plenty of places to stop for a bite to eat along the way. I suggest catching a York Revolution’s baseball game if they have a home game. But being a road bike, it started getting very uncomfortable around mile 5. The trail is 10 feet wide with a stone dust surface. For someone who grew up in the rural villages of East Africa,riding up this trail brings a lot of nice memories and nolstagia. In 2008, Brown received the Woodrow Wilson Award, an award given to Hopkins' alumni for distinguished public service, from the Johns Hopkins University alumni association. Monkton Station - From I-83 N, take exit 27 and turn right on Mt. There are multiple parking lots along the trail, and multiple different opportunities for recreation. It is even pleasant on a 95 degree day. There are some active rails on this part for tourism during the summer and you will have the chance to see other people riding and walking. Enjoy! It's perfect for summer cycling because the whole length is shaded. Picked this trail because it was flat and went for a number of miles. The trail itself begins at the end of Ashland Road in Cockeysville, but offers no parking … My wife dropped me off in Ashland and we met up for lunch in New Freedom at Paesano's Pizza . There are picnic tables, bathrooms, and even a little snack bar set out by one of the local residents. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has done a great job of maintenance, from mowing the sides of the trail to picnic tables about every half miles, mile markers and at every crossroad it tells you the distance to the next two roads. There are plenty of places to park along the trail and some basic but welcome toilet facilities at fairly regular intervals. The trail follows an abandoned railroad corridor through the countryside of Northern Maryland. ¿¿ Anyway, this is a very nice trail, well shaded along much of the trail. In fall, it tends to be overly cool. The majority of the trail is tree-lined and shaded. Any dogs (though our groups tends to have northern breeds like Siberians and Malamutes). Recently, DNR was contacted by a bicyclist who was riding the Torrey C. Brown Trail (North Central Trail) from its beginning in Maryland to its terminus in York, PA, where he and his friends were staying overnight. Recommended. This was our first trip to New Freedom, PA and our first ride on the Brown. With dogs. There are multiple trail heads with Montkton serving as a great mid-point as it offers a cafe, real bathrooms and a small museum. The southernmost trailhead and parking area is located just off of York Road (State Route 45) in Cockeysville, Maryland. The scenery changes from fields to streams to verdant hills; the entire ride was captivating. It is a well maintained trail and a fantastic resource for walkers, joggers, cyclist, horseback riders and others. The PA side is roughly half shaded. If you ride a recumbent trike you're in for a rough ride as much of the trail is two single tracks. ", "This trail from Ashland to the Mason-Dixon Line is a beautiful, scenic trail. The Torrey C. Brown Trail is a 20-mile long unpaved pathway located between the New Freedom, Pennsylvania and Cockeysville, Maryland to the north of Baltimore. The bike rack stays on the car all summer. 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