Reviewed by: PATRICK , from PITTSBURGH

Summary:
IN MY FIRST REVIEW, I MENTIONED THE MODEL PLANE AIRPORT AS A POINT OF REFERENCE. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. THE PARKING AREA I'M REFERING TO HAS AN OLD GROWN OVER PARKING LOT I THOUGHT WAS THE AIRPORT. SORRY FOR ANY CONFUSION. BUT............
I HAVE DISCOVERED SOME MORE TRAILS BY THE TRUE AIRPORT. IF YOU SNAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE STATE GAME LANDS ROADS, YOU WILL FIND SIGNS LEADING YOU TO THE AIRPORT. ONCE YOU FIND THE WAY, YOU WANT TO PARK ACCROSS FROM THE GATED (YELLOW GATE) ENTRANCE TO THE AIRPORT. THE TRAIL ENTERS THE WOODS ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE THE GATE.
THE TRAIL IS A BLAST. I HAVEN'T RIDDEN THIS ENTIRE SECTION, BUT LOOK OUT FOR SPUR TRAILS THAT LEAD YOU INTO NASTY THORNED LOCUST TREES(OUCH)!!!! IF YOU STAY ON THE MAIN TRAIL YOU'RE IN FOR GOOD TIME.
LOOK FOR MORE REVIEW AT A LATER DATE.

Recommended Route:
THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE FROM MY AUGUST 24TH 2002 REVIEW.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
SAME AS BEFORE.

Reviewed by: Andy , from South Side, Pittsburgh.

Summary:
This is a great trail network. Bugs aren't bad and there are plenty of climbs, downhills, stream crossings, and pine forest sections to keep things interesting. Reminds me of the old 24 Hours of Canaan race trail at Snowshoe resort! Just need to have the trails mapped out to better plan fun rides & training rides. Leading to... I got tired of constantly getting lost here and at most trails in the area, which are poorly marked compared to the trails of southeast Michigan (thanks to the efforts of the MMBA), so I recently bought a GPS and have been working on making a trail map. Please write if you are interested in the map once I'm done with it. If you are an experienced Bavington trail rider and are willing to take a look at the map in-progress and offer feedback on the map's landmarks & details, let me know. Would be much appreciated. Next will be South or North Park...

Recommended Route:
In process...

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Moraine, Brady's Run

Reviewed by: PATRICK , from PITTSBURGH

Summary:
IT IS A NICE FAST RIDE. NOTHING TECHNICAL, BUT GETS THE LUNGS WORKING. THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR BEGINNERS TO GET THEIR FEET WET. IF YOU LIKE SOLITUDE SHOOT FOR WEEKDAYS.

Recommended Route:
PARK AT TRAIL HEAD LOCATED NEAR THE MODEL PLANE AIRPORT. I'D SKIP THE TRAIL AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PARKING AREA (TORN UP BY HORSES), INSTEAD RIDE ACROSS THE MODEL PLANE AIRPORT AND FOLLOW ROAD UNTIL IT TURNS INTO SINGLE TRACK IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE FEILD.
FROM HERE IT IS UP TO YOU!

Other recommended trails in the same area:
MORAINE(BUTLER), MINGO CREEK(WASHINGTON), QUEBEC RUN(?

Reviewed by: Patrick , from Pittsburgh

Summary:
I just discovered this section of Bavington when a friendly chap from Weirton WVa led me back. First, let me try to get you to the trailhead I'm talking about (sorry - don't know any road names.) Once off of the highway follow Old Steubenville Pike towards the State Game Lands as described in other posts. Once you past a big building with "Knowlton" painted on the side of it begin to keep your eyes open for a road on the right that says "State Game Lands." Maybe 50 yards past this road, and right before a driveway to a house, there is an unmarked dirt road. Turn right and follow the road. Stay to the right when a road branches off. You will end up in a parking lot. Park here. Now, the trailhead is to the right of the road as it feeds into the parking lot (if you are FACING the road you just drove in on.) In other words, as you enter the parking lot the trailhead would be immediately to your LEFT. The trailhead leads right into the woods. The other trailhead here goes up a little dirt ramp and puts you on an old asphalt tarmac that was, I believe, the location of a model airport. Take the trail and bomb down into the valley. Its fun, and fast went its dry. It gets slick when wet. Head down, and stay to the right when presented with an option to branch hard left. (I haven't gone this way . . . ) You'll eventually come to a fair sized stream crossing that runs along the valley floor. Cross the stream, and then you'll have the chance to basically go right or left. Laterly I've been heading left and going up and over that side of the valley. Going this way will drop you down the other side of the valley onto an old service road. Turn left on the service road and immediately look for a trailhead on your right. Take this sharp little climb and you'll find a couple of good obstacles. Follow this trail. Good singletrack - it eventually leads into a pine forest, and back out. It'll end with a steep downhill onto a service road. Go right. Stay on the service road. You will past the entrance to the model airport. Ride maybe .5 mile and look for a trail leading to the right up into the woods. The service road makes a 90 degree turn left, and the trailhead will be on your right. Take this climb and head right. This trail will eventually lead you to a grassy meadow. Once you get to the bottom of the meadow (little stream running across it) look up to your right for a trailhead leading back into the woods/ridge in front of you and to the right. If you cannot find the trail to the right just plod straight ahead. The model airport is on your left and you might hear the plane buzzing around. If you take this route you'll eventually come to the road leading to the airport. Follow the road to the right. Once you get to the intersection there are trailhead on the right and left. FACING the road to the airport you can take the trail to the left. It will eventually drop you into the meadow referred to above on the same trail referred to above. You can also take the trail to the right (again FACING the road leading to the airport) but it is not very well travelled and you need to bushwhack once up on the ridge. Take this only if you have a good sense of direction or if you're willing to turn around and follow it back out. If you do find the trail to the right leading out of the meadow follow it, and you'll eventually come out by the road leading to the model airport. The model airport road intersects another service road - a "T" Cross the service road and look for a trailhead. Head left and you will be led into a network of trails. The trails are on the ridge ABOVE the stream you crossed intitially after the downhill. Ride around up here. Work your way along the ridge and you can either find a fun downhill (short and steep) or follow the ridge right. The trail along the ridge will eventually drop below the ridge and double back. It will intersect the trail coming off of the downhill. Now, head right and drop back down to the initial stream crossing! For a good, tough climb go straight and don't turn off to the right. After a steep section you'll intersect a trail. Go right - down and littl drop then up a tough steep trail - and it will lead you out. You'll hit a grassy meadow. The old model airport tarmac is off to the right. Follow the trail and turn right. Turning left will lead you into the more traditional trails. All in all I'd venture to say that Bavington offers the best overall riding in the Pittsburgh area. These are State Game Lands so riding during hunting season (October for small game, I think, November and December and maybe parts of January for deer. And Spring gobbler in April?) is probably best confined to Sundays. And folks like to ride horses on these trails as well. They often park in the same lot, so the horse trailers will be a dead giveaway.

Recommended Route:
Out the back side of the parking lot by the old model airport runway. Go down into the valley, cross the stream and follow either the right or left trail options.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Settler's Cabin