more stats
3.2 miles
Distance
427 ft
Climb
-379 ft
Descent
00:39:11
Avg time
49 ft
Altitude change
2,591 ft
Altitude min
2,967 ft
Altitude max
2,867 ft
Altitude start
2,917 ft
Altitude end
0.3%
Grade
-28.1%
Grade max
26.3%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
2,251 ft
Distance flat
00:39:11
Avg time

Thayer Trace Trail Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Deep Creek Lake State Park
    McHenry, Maryland
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (3 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in E-Biking
    • 75 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #40911 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #104871 in E-Biking
    • #123981 in Trail Running
    • #289604 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #197 in Mountain Biking · Maryland [+]
    • #91 in E-Biking
    • #744 in Trail Running
    • #1,707 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
  • TTFs on Trail
    Rock Garden
  • Year Opened
    2019
  • Land Owner
    Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Park Service

Going clockwise from the top, the first section winds through a forest and doesn't change elevation a lot, but it flows well over large rocks in some places. There are a few spots where you'll want to watch your bars on the trees and time your pedal strokes, but it isn't too technical. Once you start losing elevation, there are some line options through rockier sections, but it's generally pretty easy to stay on the right line. The switchbacks are tight and some of them have large rocks with uneven placement, so you may have to search for the right lines there. Before you reach the bottom, there is a straightaway bench-cut along a slope with some rollers that you can pump to really gain speed. There is a switchback soon after that, so watch your speed until you're familiar with it. Coming back up from the connector, the climb isn't too difficult. The switchbacks are wider and banked more, so it may be well worth riding counterclockwise as well. Completed in late summer, 2019. Trail name currently unknown, but it is blazed purple.

Tags
FlowyRock gardensRollers

Trail Supporters

  • Appalachian Dirt
    Builder

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 16 rides
  • 14 miles avg distance
All
  • 143 rides
  • Last: Oct 18, 2026
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Thayer Trace Trail Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 14, 2026 @ 12:56pm (America/New_York)
Jun 14, 2026
Low tree toward the end if riding clockwise.
Aug 1, 2024 @ 12:36am
Aug 1, 2024
One small tree down after downhill going clockwise. Otherwise great
Nov 6, 2023 @ 3:44am
Nov 6, 2023
Two trees are down and blocking the Beckman trail near the bottom.
Aug 15, 2023 @ 5:18pm
Aug 15, 2023
Perfect conditions
Jun 4, 2023 @ 9:41am
Jun 4, 2023
Trails are in Great shape. All the down trees have been removed.
more »
Status:
on Jun 14, 2026
Variable
Avg: 4.39 (9 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to thayer-trace-trail trailhead (39.525920, -79.281280)

      Photos

      12 more »
      mtb
      133 |
      Sep 4, 2024 @ 10:29am
      Sep 4, 2024
      mtb
      371 |
      May 27, 2023 @ 11:55am
      May 27, 2023
      mtb
      349 |
      May 31, 2022 @ 6:43am
      May 31, 2022
      mtb
      443 |
      Oct 7, 2020 @ 5:27pm
      Oct 7, 2020

      Videos

      4 more »
      Deep Creek Lake Mountain Biking | MTB Trails...
      mtb
      37:13 | 425 | Jul 27, 2022 , McHenry
      Deep Creek is highly underrated // Riding...
      mtb
      6:01 | 531 | Jul 19, 2022 , McHenry
      Purple Trail downhill clockwise to the clear cut
      mtb
      8:43 | 632 | Dec 19, 2019 , McHenry
      Deep Creek Lake State Park - Thayer Trace...
      mtb
      5:15 | 166 | Aug 8, 2023 , McHenry

      Routes with this trail

      16 miles • 1,863 ft • 6 • Loop •
      A little bit of everything at Deep Creek State Park
      ★ 1.0 • 17 miles • 1,758 ft • 22 • Loop •
      This is a good route for your first time through Deep Creek Lake State Park. Start at the parking area and...
      4.7 ★★★★★
      9 Ratings
      5 ★ 78%
      4 ★ 11%
      3 ★ 11%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      4 Reviews & Comments

      DADventureTV
      Downhill section from the gate (skiers left) should be a black. Downhill section on skiers right is a blue. If going up I would take skiers right trail or go up the fireroad. The part that goes back from the gate to connect into the end of The backside of Indian Turnip Trail is more fun if done from gage to Indian Turnip. From the end Indian Turnip take Meadow Mountain doubletrack all the way to the end at the gate and turn left.
      sutter2k sutter2k
      Should this trail be renamed "Thayer Trace" as referred to in the signage?
      sutter2k sutter2k
      Way better than the Indian Turnip trail to get here. So glad I didn't just round out my trip with the Indian Turnip trail. Some rock tech, flow rock and, some places to get a little air popping off of things

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      • By BennnnnnTF Pro & contributors
      • #225800 - 2,913 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Thayer Trace Trail located?
      Thayer Trace Trail is located in Deep Creek Lake State Park, McHenry, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Deep Creek Lake State Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 39.52592, -79.28128.
      ▼ How hard is Thayer Trace Trail?
      Thayer Trace Trail is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.3%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Thayer Trace Trail?
      Thayer Trace Trail has 427 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 379 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,591 ft to 2,967 ft.
      ▼ Is Thayer Trace Trail a point to point trail?
      Thayer Trace Trail is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Thayer Trace Trail?
      Thayer Trace Trail is 3.2 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Thayer Trace Trail?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Thayer Trace Trail. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Thayer Trace Trail? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Thayer Trace Trail are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Thayer Trace Trail?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 39 minutes to ride Thayer Trace Trail. The trail is 3.2 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Thayer Trace Trail?
      Thayer Trace Trail is a very popular trail. There have been 736 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 898 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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