• Guest, we will be conducting site maintenance this week and some downtime is expected. At this time Rally Point and the Member Map will also become an app-only feature for long-term security and stability. A few days after this maintenance, a major upgrade revision to the forum site will occur.
  • HTML tutorial

Paddy Mountain driveable trail

MOAK

Rank V
Launch Member

Off-Road Ranger I

It's kinda cool that an area that we have been exploring for over 25 years is now on the radar. I'm sure you all have noticed the multitude of trails that have gates. I have spoken to the "event" ranger for BESF and anything over 10 vehicles requires an "event" permit. Keep that in mind when going up as a group. I also have confidence that each of you are practitioners of the "leave no trace" doctrine. I know that if the DCNR folks begin to notice trash, damage, or vehicles traversing where they shouldn't be, that more gates will be constructed. Take care, peace out..
 

Rocksylvania

Rank V
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

Sorry to hear that but glad you'll have it back on the road before too long.



What they deem primitive/dispersed requires a visit to the ranger station as well. Those sites accommodate vehicles just fine as the last time I used one there were 4 vehicles. I prefer them over the available campgrounds but I could see complications with some of them if you wanted to use an RTT. The random sites I was referring to are unsanctioned ones that regular people made and continue to use.
Thanks for clarifying.
 

Rocksylvania

Rank V
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

It's kinda cool that an area that we have been exploring for over 25 years is now on the radar. I'm sure you all have noticed the multitude of trails that have gates. I have spoken to the "event" ranger for BESF and anything over 10 vehicles requires an "event" permit. Keep that in mind when going up as a group. I also have confidence that each of you are practitioners of the "leave no trace" doctrine. I know that if the DCNR folks begin to notice trash, damage, or vehicles traversing where they shouldn't be, that more gates will be constructed. Take care, peace out..
I'm a backpacker by heart so LNT is near and dear to me. One of the reasons I joined OB, their core values. Good info on the "event stuff" but I'm always solo so far. Not that I'd object to a small group but probably not more than a few rigs. I like going at my own pace.
 

GratefulFozzie

Rank V
Launch Member

Influencer II

I think I may take that poe paddy pass. Has a camp ground at the I can explore around and then end there. As well as a couple of the easier ones.
 
Last edited:

jwright

Rank VI
Member

Steward I

OK, just got back from exploring up at BESF. Jackson Hill Road was like a sheet of ice, so I turned around and decided to try the Paddy Mountain 4x4 Drivable Trail off of Paddy Mountain Road. Is this trail one way? I tried going East to West and soon ran into a couple vehicles coming the other way. With the ice, it was quite tricky backing down the mountain a little until I could find a turn around spot. In the end, had some fun, but my adrenaline was pumping as I almost slid into that chain fence backwards trying to get out of the way of a minivan (yes, a stock minivan!) and full size pickup coming down the mountain - whew! :openmouth:
 

Wawa Skittletits

Local Expert East Region USA
Staff member
Launch Member
Member

Expedition Master I

No one way trails in BESF @jwright but there are a number of very narrow ones where your experience is likely to happen again.
 

jwright

Rank VI
Member

Steward I

No one way trails in BESF @jwright but there are a number of very narrow ones where your experience is likely to happen again.
Thanks @Wawa Skittletits - am I correct that the proper etiquette is that one tries to give the vehicle traveling uphill the right of way because going downhill is easier to control? In my case, I decided to yield even though I was going up because there were two vehicles coming down together and the path was so narrow. I am still new to this. Thanks!
 

Wawa Skittletits

Local Expert East Region USA
Staff member
Launch Member
Member

Expedition Master I

No problem @jwright! That is proper etiquette but sometimes conditions dictate a different approach. It’s a lot easier for you to pull over going up vs one or both of them potentially having to back up the hill to find a spot for their vehicles. I’d say use common sense but that’s about as common as proper etiquette these days haha.
 

Wawa Skittletits

Local Expert East Region USA
Staff member
Launch Member
Member

Expedition Master I

Check it now @jwright. Gaia is a user driven app (I changed the description) so what you saw was someone’s impression of it, not something official. I’ve always driven it east to west because I prefer going up the rocky section but there’s no reason you can’t run it both ways.
 
Top