Review Date
October 17, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Ranger Rick ,  Racer

Summary:
When I get my head out of my ass I will be looking for you.

Review Date
April 16, 2007

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: xterraoldman ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Except of the fact that the trail in the picture has a sign at the trailhead that clearly states "no biking" this is a good trail. The actual trails really worth riding in Betzwood are all off limits to mountian bikers, even though it's the mountain bike community that built them and maintains them. Until the park service it's head out off it's @#$, ride at your own risk.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
French Creek

Review Date
August 19, 2006

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: BShow ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
10 miles of Smooth, relatively flat Singletrack. A couple moderately technical spots, but most of it is not very technical. Its a nice after work ride if you're in the area.

Recommended Route:
I usually do a 7 or 8 mile loop 2 or three times after work. Its nice to hammer and actually get some cardio fitness out of MTBing for a change.

Review Date
September 13, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: hypermac ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Just started biking last April. I ride this trail a few times a week. What's best about this system is the sheer number of interconnecting trails. You really do have the ability to mix it up. I often ride some of the stretches twice, once each direction. Depending on witch direction your moving, the experience is different each time. In other words, its like a big puzzle where all of the pieces will fit giving you a different image each time.
Fun place and a couple of solid stream crossings.

Recommended Route:
Typically I'll start out turning left through the fence break of the paved trail about .5 mile up from the parking area. I'll hit the trails on this side of the power lines in various combinations. I'll cross the power lines (There are a few worn trails that'll bring you into the woods on the other side-look for them) and hit those trails. You'll find the stream crossings here. Then I'll work my way back across the power lines toward the river and hit the river trail going east towards the parking lot and mix up another loop. Also, if you cross the the 422 pedestrian bridge and turn right after it dumps you on the dead end road, you'll see a gate on your left. Go through the gate and down the hill. There's some pretty good single track there. At the beginning, you'll run into an area that's been blocked off due to an asbestos hazard. Go around it by climbing up the RR embankment and going down the other side. After a while the trail gets pretty tight along the river but still fun nonetheless. Eventually you will make your way to a spill way and tunnel behind Washington's HQ inside Valley Forge Park proper. Pop out out of the woods and make your way back riding the paved multiuse trails- It'll give you some good hill work if nothing else.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Valley Green, Fairmount

Review Date
September 12, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: TwilightZone ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Going west on the paved Schuylkill River Trail from the Betzwood picnic area, you come to a break in the fence after maybe .5 mile. Going right takes you to relatively flat singletrack trails that criss-cross all over the place. They are short and all lead back to the paved trail eventually. Some of them go through dense shrubbery with thorns, so those trails weren't as much of a thrill. This is a great place for those new to mountain biking to start out. If you go left from that fence break it takes you to more challenging singletrack, so after you get used to the easier stuff, try this. If you continue town the paved path until the fence ends, there's a trail off to the left that leads to more singletrack and down to the trail that runs along the river. If you follow the river trail west, once you cross a wooden bridge, there's a trail to the right. Follow it up and then turn left at the next trail junction and this will eventually take you to abandoned stone buildings which served as George Washington's commissary. Really neat history. This trail continues down a dirt road onto a narrower path and eventually to the end of the park where you make a left down singletrack to the river trail. You can then follow that back to the parking area. Nice easy way to kill an hour or two.

Recommended Route:
Route described by previous reviewer is right on the money.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
For beginners and easy riding, ride the paved path west to the end where it links up with the Perkiomen Trail, which alternates paved and gravel and goes 20 miles north up to Green Lane Park, where there are more trails. Or go east on the paved path down along the Schuylkill to Manayunk.