Come Spring, I'm thinking about driving the MABDR (Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route). Has anybody recently driven this and do you have any pointers/suggestions?
Expedition Master I
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Member I
Im thinking about it but might do the first couple of segments starting from the South. I know the BCDR website says the trail is easy but do you think it’s something that can be done with the wife and kids or is it more geared towards being done with a multi car caravan with other skilled drivers?
Member I
It was easy enough that at a few points I needed to remind myself that the point of the trip is to get outside and explore places I haven't yet been. With the exception of the expert section, a car could do most all of it.
Member I
Trail Blazer I
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Doing some research on this route. If anyone is familiar how many days to complete the entirety of it? Looking to hit this in mid-June.
Advocate I
Camping options are pretty slim in the middle area between western MD and southern PA.
Some of the options are:
Greenridge State Park (MD). There are campsites along the forest roads. Not familiar enough to know if reservations are required.
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Area (Hedgesville, WV). Wooded setting campground with vault toilets. No amenities. First come basis, $5/ night (I think). There’s a payment drop box.
Around Harpers Ferry there are two fee campgrounds, a KOA and River Riders.
That’s about it until you get into PA. I’m not familiar with anything that direction.
Through this same area most of the route is paved or some groomed gravel.
Some of the options are:
Greenridge State Park (MD). There are campsites along the forest roads. Not familiar enough to know if reservations are required.
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Area (Hedgesville, WV). Wooded setting campground with vault toilets. No amenities. First come basis, $5/ night (I think). There’s a payment drop box.
Around Harpers Ferry there are two fee campgrounds, a KOA and River Riders.
That’s about it until you get into PA. I’m not familiar with anything that direction.
Through this same area most of the route is paved or some groomed gravel.
Expedition Master I
Very helpful! I’m thinking of doing MABDR North-South in June. I probably won’t be able to do it all in a week, but it would be an interesting ride home from NJ.
Expedition Master I
I’ll be heading south from NJ to NC 6/6-12/22. I’m thinking of doing a section from Wytheville, VA south as a trial run over a weekend, so I’d skip it in June.
Trail Blazer I
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- Johannes
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Haha I'll be right behind you if my group decides on this as our summer trip. Targeting 6/15-20. Based on my research I'd estimate it can be done in 4-6 days depending on conditions. But we'll likely have 5 of us. So stops will likley make us closer to 5 days rahter than 4.
We're considering Section 2 and probably part of 3 going Northbound either the first or second week of May [in '22 Jeep JT w/ RTT]. Knowing that it opens in May, curious if anyone has done an early season run.
Expedition Master I
Coddiwomple Overland has YouTube videos of some of the trails with snow on them. He does it in a JT.
