Atchinson
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Atchinson
Location and Driving Directions
From Cleveland, take I-90 east to exit 212 (Rt. 528). Head south on 528 only a few blocks until you reach Rt. 307. Turn left (you will see a Marathon Station) and travel on 307 about a mile until you pass Bates Rd. Another 4/10 mile you will see the parking area on your right and a sign that says Hogback Ridge North. Pull in and park here. In case this lot is full (only holds 8-12 vehicles) you will need to park at Riverview Park. To find Riverview Park, head back west on 307 to Bates Rd, turn left on Bates, and stay on it until it ends on River Rd. Turn right onto River Rd. and travel a short distance to Bailey Rd. Turn left on Bailey and head down into the parking lot at Riverview Park on your left. Parking here will give you a nice 1.7 mile warm-up road ride to Atchinson.
Trail Maps
Description and Review
Follow the PVC pipe trail markers. From the parking lot start riding around the gate and along the rocky doubletrack road until it turns to the right. Now before you turn you may notice that what looks like a continuation of this road will continue straight but this option to the river is a muddy, thorny, rutted mess so you’ll want to turn right first. After this right you will see the entrance to the singletrack immediately on your left. Enter here (careful, this is a two way section) and stay on this section until the trail splits to the left and right. You may want to turn right here (although there is no set direction) and work your way along the singletrack until you cross a plank bridge. Right after this bridge turn left up a benched section that slowly works its way counterclockwise then back clockwise. You’ll soon cross another bridge, climb a short uphill, and start a short, winding benched section that parallels a steep ravine on your left. At the top you’ll turn right and continue on and eventually come to the section of trail that overlooks the river on your right. Be careful here because a couple sections get close to the edge and it is one, long drop.
After dropping down a long, winding, fairly steep hill you will come to the “Out & Back” trail. If you choose to continue straight here along the top of the ridge you will be on a muddy, rutted section that will take you to the old road down to the river on your right. If you choose to go down you may find it muddy and overgrown. The park has decided not to maintain this section at this time and actually has it marked closed with a wooden road block. If you chose not to continue on this “Out & Back” section then you will want to turn left at the “Trail” sign and start climbing back up the trail. This section goes up a bit then drops back down before you will be climbing for the last time. Continue at the top on a flat section, cross a short bridge, until you reach the original split, turn right, and look for the sign marked “Trailhead.”
Now head back on the two-way section until you reach the entrance, turn right and then a left back onto the doubletrack road you came in on. Please note that there may be other loops within the main loop but none of these are sanctioned by the parks at this time so you will be riding at your own risk.
CAMBA and Lake Metroparks are working together to keep this trail open and in decent shape so please do not ride when the trail seems muddy or remove or add any trail markers.
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