Paper Mill Road Trails at NCR

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Views · Wildlife

This run provides quick access to terrific terrain from two different parking lots serving the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail (NCR). It features lots of different terrain types including singletrack, fire roads, rock scrambles, steep inclines, creek crossings (depending on season), and terrific views of the Gun Powder River feeding into the Loch Raven Reservoir. Some trails are better in the fall and winter as briars grow over the trails in some parts.

This is a managed deer hunting area seasonally; be aware of hunting seasons and wear bright colored clothing during that time. This is not a blazed trail but is well worn in and easily identifiable during all seasons of the year. June 2020: map reading is beneficial if this is your first visit due to limited foot traffic this year. No bush wacking necessary.

Recommend a good trail running shoe as the terrain is mixed from soft, rocky, rutted, and very uneven.

Park at the Paper Mill Road lot or Ashland Road lot serving the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail (NCR). If coming from the Paper Mill Road lot, go south on the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail (NCR) and across Paper Mill Road towards Ashland. You'll run about 0.2 of a mile and see several trail entrances to your left. Each entrance connects to these trails and part of the fun is exploring which ones you like best to connect to the fire access roads. You may also choose to leave the Rail Trail at Paper Mill Road and run east to the Fire Trail entrance which is gated but accessible for pedestrians.

If you follow the trails that hug the river, you'll encounter some creek crossings and mud pits depending on how wet the season has been. The fire roads are rutted fairly substantially and have large trees in multiple locations that have fallen over the trail. These are great obstacles and present some fun to the run. There is a rock scramble that exists at the highest elevation of the terrain in the area. It runs across the ridge where you can enjoy great views and challenging terrain.