TWS Rocks - Climbing

Since the development of this area the trails have become more defined and should be easier to follow.  The second stream crossing for the west side trail is no longer needed. The west side trail can be picked up on the other side of the trail.  Directions below have been updated. 

Several small Cairns (stack of rocks) were placed on both the east and west trails to help new visitors spot the trail or turns.  Please do not add more, make them bigger, or kick them over. What's there is fine. In addition, when expecting friends to follow you please do not stack rocks, or make huge log arrows, etc in the fire road to mark the turn.  The Thurmont Police use the road to reach the gun range and DNR police use it to patrol the area.  Please don't piss them off by blocking the road.

Follow the fire road past the red gate for 10-15 minutes, 0.6 mi. The trail will pass some private property and a water utility building on the right after about 10 minutes. From there the fire road climbs steeply then levels off. A stream is visible downhill to the right. Continue on a few more minutes until the fire road reaches and parallels the stream just 15 feet behind a low rock embankment. Look for the small cairn on the right. It is frequently kicked over so don't expect much but the trail is visible if you are looking for it. The trail immediately crosses the stream with some steppingstones. Thirty feet further on you'll reach the junction of the east and west side trails. In the fall and winter the cliffs are visible up on the hill.

Two trails go to the rock. The East Side Tr goes to Ed Rocks, Roof Arete, and Bouldering Pit. Continue forward at the east west junction. Head uphill a short distance until an old road grade is reached. Continue up and right on the old road grade until a large rock (3x3x3) on the left is reached. Turn left uphill the last 100 feet to the right side of the main wall.

If you continue following the old road you will reach the boulder field, this is the Bouldering Pit Path. The road ends here. Cross the rocky hillside. The Bouldering Pit should be visible ahead and to the left depending on your path thru the rock field.  Other boulder are also in this area

To access the West Side, Pinnacle Rock / 4 Aretes areas, use the West Side Tr. Take the left fork in the trail after crossing the stream.  About 70 further the trail hooks right and continues up the hill. Look for a shallow dry drainage that heads toward Pyramid Rock clearly visible uphill once you are thru the thicker foliage.

The Base Trail traverses the various outcrops from the Pinnacle on the left end to the Ed Rocks on the right end. It only takes a few minutes to walk past all outcrops from end to end. It’s also easy to continue east over the top of the boulder field to reach the Choss Rocks area and the Bouldering Pit. The hillside is generally leaf covered loose rock so the 3 trails are best way to move around.