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A second trailhead is 2 miles southwest of New Germantown on Route 274. During the annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, though, sports come first. The Big Spring State Park trailhead is on Route 274 near the Perry/Franklin County line. One is on the north side of Route 274 and follows the Path Valley Railroad grade the other is on the south side of Route 274 and follows the Perry Lumber Company Railroad. There are two different sections of the trail.
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Unlike some rail-trails, the Iron Horse Trail has some moderate climbs and requires good hiking boots.
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The 10-mile trail is within Tuscarora State Forest and was constructed in 1981 by the Youth Conservation Corps working with the Department of Environmental Resources Bureau of Forestry. When the company disbanded in 1906, the track and land were sold to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, becoming one of the first large purchases for the Tuscarora State Forest. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is Colorados largest, oldest and most renowned cycling event. After the grade was constructed to New Germantown, builders decided it would not be possible to tunnel through Conococheague Mountain, so the venture was abandoned.Īs for the Perry railroad, the Perry Lumber Company purchased a Climax locomotive in 1901 to remove 19,000 acres of timber from western Perry County. Originally, the Path Valley Railroad was going to be an extension for the Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad and would end in Hancock, Maryland. In 1972 thirty-six riders came out for the first official Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. The best bike and costume combination takes home the famed trophy.The Iron Horse Trail follows two abandoned rail beds: the Path Valley Railroad and the Perry Lumber Company Railroad. An Atlas of Colorado's Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides Stephen Hlawaty. Crazy bikes and crazier riders parade the criterium course with all the fanfare of a mini Mardi Gras.
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The Durango Cyclery Cruiser Crit brings down the house every year.It is one of the most scenic time trials in the United States.