Long Shot - Anyone familiar w/ York, PA/Cockeysville, MD

[spunkypenguin]

Anyone from this area?  I'm planning to visit family in New Freedom PA in a couple weeks and have a 10mi scheduled for that weekend.  I was looking at the Rail Trail that runs from York to Cockeysville, MD (Torrey C. Brown then Heritage Rail Trail)...wondering about the safety.  I live out in the country, so I'm not normally a trail runner - I run on back roads.  When I travel, I usually run city streets, but there's not much of that to be had in New Freedom.  From the Satellite views, it looks like there are some heavily wooded sections.  

I'll definitely bring my cell phone and pepper spray.  Any other trail safety tips?  I have a RoadID.  I'll probably be going out pretty early (like 7ish when the sun rises)

[hannahb]

I live in cockeysville. The NCR trail is safe. It's crushed gravel and flat. If you want any other recommendations let me know. I grew up near New Freedom and live in cockeysville now. There are some real trails I can recommend if you want, although they are all covered with snow at the moment!

[Deleted]

Went to college in York! It's safe. Have fun!

[spunkypenguin]

Jan 4, 2014 16:49:33 GMT -5 hannahb said:

I live in cockeysville. The NCR trail is safe. It's crushed gravel and flat. If you want any other recommendations let me know. I grew up near New Freedom and live in cockeysville now. There are some real trails I can recommend if you want, although they are all covered with snow at the moment!

Maybe someday I will be a real trail runner, but crushed gravel is about as good as it gets for me

It looks like a pretty place to run - any time I get to cross state lines during a run is a win in my book (makes me feel special or something)

[hannahb]

Jan 4, 2014 18:26:50 GMT -5 spunkypenguin said:

Jan 4, 2014 16:49:33 GMT -5 hannahb said:

I live in cockeysville. The NCR trail is safe. It's crushed gravel and flat. If you want any other recommendations let me know. I grew up near New Freedom and live in cockeysville now. There are some real trails I can recommend if you want, although they are all covered with snow at the moment!

Maybe someday I will be a real trail runner, but crushed gravel is about as good as it gets for me

It looks like a pretty place to run - any time I get to cross state lines during a run is a win in my book (makes me feel special or something)

It is pretty! I think there's still a cute little restaurant/ coffee shop at new freedom which may be nice afterwards. There is a slight decline going south so beware if you run south first because you'll feel the incline going back north!

[spunkypenguin]

My aunt was telling me about that restaurant - she wants to go there, so I'm sure we'll visit someone during the weekend I am going south first and saw that decline on the elevation map...guess it will just make me stronger for my flat race in March even if I curse it the whole way back!

[archaeominx]

I went to York College too

I've ridden the trail from Baltimore to York and back with DH. It's definitely safe. The lower end where it starts in Cockeysville can be pretty crowded so you should be fine.

[Deleted]

Jan 4, 2014 22:23:06 GMT -5 archaeominx said:

I went to York College too

I've ridden the trail from Baltimore to York and back with DH. It's definitely safe. The lower end where it starts in Cockeysville can be pretty crowded so you should be fine.

Really?! What years? I graduated in 2003, studied Biology.

That was really hard to type. *gets out walker*

[archaeominx]

Jan 5, 2014 11:45:51 GMT -5 @sessalee said:

Jan 4, 2014 22:23:06 GMT -5 archaeominx said:

I went to York College too

I've ridden the trail from Baltimore to York and back with DH. It's definitely safe. The lower end where it starts in Cockeysville can be pretty crowded so you should be fine.

Really?! What years? I graduated in 2003, studied Biology.

That was really hard to type. *gets out walker*

Dude, if you need a walker, I'm the crypt keeper!  I went my freshman year, 1993-94  I transferred to Pitt after that.  

[al320]

I think this is the trail where the bob potts marthon is, yes? Im running it i may, thats my only contribution to this conversation. Ive never actually been to york.

[archaeominx]

Jan 5, 2014 20:59:28 GMT -5 al320 said:

I think this is the trail where the bob potts marthon is, yes? Im running it i may, thats my only contribution to this conversation. Ive never actually been to york.

Yep, same trail.  

[mdposter]

I have been using the NCR trail for years, and normally I would say that it is safe. However, I had an incident this past weekend, with a hunter who was shooting way too close to the trail. This was just south of Freeland, Maryland, north of Beetree Run stream (about two stops south of New Freedom). I was riding a bike northbound and saw three deer cross the trail in front of me. Five seconds later I heard a gunshot close by. I yelled out that there were people here. I did not have my cell phone with me, so I could not call anyone. It was too close for comfort and frankly reckless on the hunter's part. There have been signs going up in the area about no trespassing from a hunting club, so I do not know if they are becoming more active. People regularly use the trail, and the incident was at a location fifty feet away from houses, including a pool where children typically hang out.

I tried calling the park headquarters, but they were closed until the weekday. When I talked to them on Monday, they referred me to the park police. The park police said that they could not do anything unless it had just happened. They would not even take a report, which was disappointing.

Normally, I would say the trail is safe, with a few trail angels along the way (in case you are not familiar, trail angels are random strangers who tend to help out fellow hikers). After this incident, though, I would recommend bringing a cell phone.