E-biking the South Mtn Civil War Trail Around Myersville, Boonsboro, and Beyond

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38624802
35 miles. Picnic at Devil's Backbone County Park, 15.8 miles into the route.
Toilets are at the beginning, middle, and end.

NOTE: BRING AN EXTRA BATTERY. STEEP HILL ALERT!

Description
This route covers a variety of terrain through the hills of South Mountain and it's surrounding valleys. South Mountain was a battlefield during the Civil War, and we will bike through some of the locations where fighting occurred.

This is a very hilly ride and it will be a great way to add some elevation to your EBL Five Mile High Club!
https://ridewithgps.com/challenges/26795

Highlights include stops at Washington Monument State Park, the Civil War Reno Monument, historic Boonsboro, Devil's Backbone Park, South Mountain Creamery (which has fresh homemade ice cream), and miles of soul nourishing country scenery that will put a smile on your face, even as you climb some of the steep hills.

We will ride through many farmsteads surrounded by relaxing pastoral scenery. There's also plenty of mountain riding (especially if you opt for the longest route). The ride goes up and over the mountain on the way out, then we meander through the valley for a while, and then back up and over the mountain again on the way back to Myersville. The longest route makes a 3rd climb up and down the mountain, just for fun, on a secluded set of seldom traveled mountain roads.

There are FOUR versions of this ride, and they all start and end at the same location. Bring an extra battery if you have one, because you will want to cover as much terrain as possible in this picturesque wonderland. There are no gravel roads on any of the routes.

The longer two routes have a lunch stop in Devil's Backbone Park. There are many lovely places to stop for lunch on the shorter routes: Boonsboro or the Reno Monument would both work well. All 4 routes have a stop at South Mountain Creamery, if fresh home made ice cream is on your menu.

There are all season heated indoor restrooms at the parking area. There are a lot of other restrooms along this route but most are only open seasonally. There is a public library in Boonsboro that has year-round restrooms. Every route has the restrooms marked, with notes about if it's closed for the winter.

Here's the previous Meetup for this ride if you want to check out pics:
https://www.meetup.com/electric-bicycle-e-bike-lovers-washington-dc/events/284193505/

The Routes
41 miles, 4300 feet elevation gain:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38624800

35 miles, 3400 feet elevation gain:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38624802

29 miles, 3100 feet elevation gain:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38624808

22 miles, 2600 fee elevation gain:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38624816

Hungry for more?
If the roughly 4300 ft elevation gain isn't enough for you, you could add MD Trail 19A "The Hills of Catoctin Mountain West Backroad Tour" which starts at the same parking lot as this ride. This will add another 4300 ft elevation gain over an additional 35 miles.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36966242

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Further reading
Battle of South Mountain:
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/south-mountain

Reno Monument:
https://stonesentinels.com/less-known/south-mountain/general-jesse-reno/

Washington Monument State Park:
https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/western/washington.aspx

Devil's Backbone County Park:
https://www.washco-md.net/parks-facilities/county-park/parks-devils-backbone/

Historic Boonsboro:
https://www.town.boonsboro.md.us/

DISCLAIMER
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER GREGORY MAASSEN, NATHAN MERRIS, TRIP COORDINATORS, THEIR AFFILIATES, FAMILY AND FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYERS NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS IS LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF A USER’S ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS.

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