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For those familiar with Windrock- Trail Route Question

wnyjpgy

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Aug 26, 2015
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I came across a thread on either here or NC4x4 that I can't "refind" on what trails to hit at each park.

There a group of us (From Buffalo, NY) heading down to Windrock and Harlan in mid July and I was looking for some "must hit" trail advice from someone since I "hear" it's pretty spread out. We're only spending 2-2.5 days there so I would like to avoid spending time being lost, or deciding what trails to it.

My rig is basically the smallest (Ls Tj on tons and stickies), with the majority of the group in buggies with 43's.

If anyone could share a few trails, or trail list to hit I would greatly appreciate it.

We've been to Harlan a few times now, so we should have that portion of the trip covered.

Thanks In Advance.
 
The typical Combo #1 route for 100% capable rigs will be:

Trail 15, 46(lil mule), 38(lil school bus), 45(stair steps) then hop on some gravel roads after 45 for 5, then right on G6 then actual trail 39(Cadillac) will be on your right. It's a bit of a gravel drive, but the signage is there.

Once on 39 it's a long trail but good along the way. When you come to a fork in the trail, left is the final climbout of 39. You will top out and go RIGHT on G39(gravel road).

If you want to trail ride some more, at the aforementioned fork you'll keep going straight/right/downhill. Then will send you towards trail 40 and 40A. 40 is Rail trail(tough) and 40A is a winding trail that will take you to the bottom of Trail 3. Trail 40 will also put you out on Trail 3, just facing the opposite way. Either way, you'd need to proceed to Trail 3 and it will top out on G39 just like trail 39(Cadillac) did.

From there, you can simple gravel road drive back to the main vein gravel road trail where you can cruise back down to the bottom of Trail 15 and head back to camp.

Rattle Rock is trail 47 and the best way to do that is early in the day. Hit Trail 15. At top of huge playground area, look for a trail straight ahead and take that. Rattle Rock will be on the left about 50 or so yards in. You'll also "see" Rattle Rock when you are topping out of lil mule trail on your way to lil schoolbus if you do that route before hand.

Once at top of Rattle, you're right at the main vein gravel rd.

The only other hard/difficult/sketchy trails are way on the other side of the mountain. Trail 75 Waldens Ridge and Atomic Ridge....trail 26 I believe. It's either a 45 minute(or so) gravel road drive out to those/some on HWY 116 then once over there....thats kinda all there is for rigs of your groups caliber. Others can chime in on that....I don't care for those trails as thats not my idea of fun. Just personal preference. YouTube searching can give you an idea of the those trails.

If you're wanting to do some semi "street Jeep on 35's with lockers" type trails, I like(in order):
22, 21(couple tough spots now a days), G26, 44, 43, 35, 36 then on to 19. They're all generally in one area aside from 19 which is near the top of the Stair Steps trail.

The last group I would do would be most likely trail 2 to trail 16(long, multiple sections), then on to 13, 12 and 9 which will dump you back out on the main vein G1 trail. You're a long way out and you can either choose to take G1 back to trail head or run 16 in reverse.
 
Yup I'd bet if you save all ur aluminum cans and bring em between now and then Tonyb will guide ya

damn he got here before I could post lol
 
Tony B, Thank You for taking the time to post that. I greatly appreciate it..

With working from "home" these days, I do have significantly more aluminum cans than normal...:drinkers:
 
No problem. Windrock isn't really your typical park with trails every 30ft that loop back on one another.

I think it's a fun place, but just be sure to pack all the tools and food you'll need when heading out. Sometimes rig recoveries can take days depending on the location and level of ****ery.
 
If you are wanting to do Atomic Ridge and Walden Ridge, I would take G2 as the main path crossing the road as needed and visit Panther Rock along the way. Trail 7 is a quick up and down but nature had started overtaking it a bit when I last saw it a couple of years ago.

Would definitely recommend something in first area with 21,15,38, etc. The second area around 39,3,etc is good as well.

16 and the related trails are bit too bland for me. .

I haven't been on 12, but hear it is a nice ride in the creek.

I haven't been to Harlan but from what I gather if you can get around there, you will be fine at Windrock. A paper map and a brain help a lot, but a GPS and a little experience helps a lot as well.
 
Thanks for the info everyone. We get around fine at Harlan, I'm good with everything except cream puff, your turn, and a couple others (upper damnation maybe?). My buddies run them without issue.

The creek trail sounds fun, we use to do the Gulch trail at Big Dogs in Gore until that trail was closed.

I've seen a few water fall pics, any guidance on where they are at ( My wife likes them).

Thanks Again for the replies.
 
Trail 12 / creek is a nice place to be when it's 90+ degrees and 4 million % humidity. It's the perfect trail for those days.

There is a small waterfall "sometimes" near the beginning of trail 22....needs lotsa rain. The other is off of trail 16 in the 2nd or 3rd sections I believe.
 
Windrock offers an App that has a GPS map on it that is actually pretty good although kinda pricey for just 7 days worth of use($10). I used it last weekend and it helped a lot. It uses the GPS on your phone overlays your position on to the map. Having a route planned out similar to what Tony mentioned and then using the App really helped us stay off the gravel roads and in the goo stuff. The trails are really well marked.
 
Windrock offers an App that has a GPS map on it that is actually pretty good although kinda pricey for just 7 days worth of use($10). I used it last weekend and it helped a lot. It uses the GPS on your phone overlays your position on to the map. Having a route planned out similar to what Tony mentioned and then using the App really helped us stay off the gravel roads and in the goo stuff. The trails are really well marked.





Scooter you tight azz! $10??? Dirt cheap compared to getting lost at Windrock IMOP. You need to tell UPS to give you a raise for flying all that cargo.......
 
I've done some personal mapping of the areas I have ridden, and it is a lifesaver for me. I'd relate it to going fishing with someone that really knows the lake and has a GPS/Chartplotter. I haven't used the mentioned app, but my experience with GPS trail riding is that you can still get pretty screwed up trying to follow your dot, but it is a better reference than a paper map only.
 

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Scooter you tight azz! $10??? Dirt cheap compared to getting lost at Windrock IMOP. You need to tell UPS to give you a raise for flying all that cargo.......
I am a tight ass. I'm not gonna lie. Some of my friend say I squeak when I walk. I just thought that $10 for only 7 days of use was a little much considering Backcountry Nav app is $10 for life. $10 for three months or a year would be more reasonable.
 
Since no one has mentioned it yet - they are really strict on booze and will check your cooler when you enter the park and drive around on rzrs looking for people booze cruisin
 
Since no one has mentioned it yet - they are really strict on booze and will check your cooler when you enter the park and drive around on rzrs looking for people booze cruisin
Very true. They also asked to look in my glove box and a small dry bag my wife clips around my T-case shifters. Didn't ask to see in the backpack we had behind our seats but they may not have noticed it.
 
Thanks for the information everyone. We're pretty well behaved on the booze part (until were back at camp for the day), and most of us have young kids in our rigs so it should be a non issue.
 
Here are some trails linked together that I initially found before one of my first trips to Windrock. Maybe it can help you out our at least give you an idea of some routes.

EXTREME RIDES: Day 1 - Black Top to 75 (Walden's Ridge) to 74 to G67 to G66 to 51 to G53 to 53 to 54A (Devils Elbow) to 54B to 66 Day 2 - P1 to G5 to G6 to 39 (Cadillac Hill/Rail Trail is an option here for anyone) to G39 to G2 to G1 to 22 to 21 to 38 (School Bus) to G5 to 45 (Stair Steps) to G37 to 15 or 47 (Rattle Rock-if anyone dares) ADVANCED RIDES: A1 - 35 to 26 to G26 to 44 to 42 to G6 to G5 to P1 to 15 A2 - 15 to G5 to G6 to 42 to 43 loop to 42 to G6 to 5 to G37 to 19 to G20 to 4 to G2 to G37 to G5 to P1 A3 - G1 to 11 to G1 to G50 to 50 to 60 to G53 to 53 to G55 to 72 to G52 to 51 to G66 to Black Top to 15 (if time permits) A4 - P1 to G5 to G6 to 42 to 49 to 6 to G6 to 41 to 26 to G26 to 27 to G27 to G6 to 36 to 35 to G6 to G5 to P1 to 15

INTERMEDIATE RIDES: I1 - 22 to G5 to G6 to 27 to G26 to 26 to G6 to G5 to G37 to 19 to G20 to 4 to G2 to G5 I2 - BLACK TOP to G50 to 50 to 60 to G53 to 53 to G55 to 61 to 62 to 66 to 62 to 61 to G55 to 72 to G52 to 51 to G66 to Black Top I3 - P1 to G5 to G2 to 4 to G20 to G37 to 5 to G6 to 41 to 26 to G26 to 27 to G27 to G6 to 36 to 35 to G6 to G5 to P1 I4 - 2 to 16 to G1 to G50 to 50 to 53 to G55 to 61 to 62 to 66 (Caryville Flats) to 62 to G54 to Black Top

BEGINNER/SCENIC RIDE (Friday ONLY): 2 to G1 to 11 to G1 to G50 to 50 to 53 to G55 to 61 to 62 to 66 (Caryville Flats) to 62 to G54 to Black Top
 
Here are some trails linked together that I initially found before one of my first trips to Windrock. Maybe it can help you out our at least give you an idea of some routes.

EXTREME RIDES: Day 1 - Black Top to 75 (Walden's Ridge) to 74 to G67 to G66 to 51 to G53 to 53 to 54A (Devils Elbow) to 54B to 66 Day 2 - P1 to G5 to G6 to 39 (Cadillac Hill/Rail Trail is an option here for anyone) to G39 to G2 to G1 to 22 to 21 to 38 (School Bus) to G5 to 45 (Stair Steps) to G37 to 15 or 47 (Rattle Rock-if anyone dares) ADVANCED RIDES: A1 - 35 to 26 to G26 to 44 to 42 to G6 to G5 to P1 to 15 A2 - 15 to G5 to G6 to 42 to 43 loop to 42 to G6 to 5 to G37 to 19 to G20 to 4 to G2 to G37 to G5 to P1 A3 - G1 to 11 to G1 to G50 to 50 to 60 to G53 to 53 to G55 to 72 to G52 to 51 to G66 to Black Top to 15 (if time permits) A4 - P1 to G5 to G6 to 42 to 49 to 6 to G6 to 41 to 26 to G26 to 27 to G27 to G6 to 36 to 35 to G6 to G5 to P1 to 15

INTERMEDIATE RIDES: I1 - 22 to G5 to G6 to 27 to G26 to 26 to G6 to G5 to G37 to 19 to G20 to 4 to G2 to G5 I2 - BLACK TOP to G50 to 50 to 60 to G53 to 53 to G55 to 61 to 62 to 66 to 62 to 61 to G55 to 72 to G52 to 51 to G66 to Black Top I3 - P1 to G5 to G2 to 4 to G20 to G37 to 5 to G6 to 41 to 26 to G26 to 27 to G27 to G6 to 36 to 35 to G6 to G5 to P1 I4 - 2 to 16 to G1 to G50 to 50 to 53 to G55 to 61 to 62 to 66 (Caryville Flats) to 62 to G54 to Black Top

BEGINNER/SCENIC RIDE (Friday ONLY): 2 to G1 to 11 to G1 to G50 to 50 to 53 to G55 to 61 to 62 to 66 (Caryville Flats) to 62 to G54 to Black Top
Holy hell. I'd spend all day staring at a map trying to keep up with where I was. Probably a good ride though. Lol
 

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