Fant's Grove Perimeter Loop

This ride takes you on a journey around the perimeter of Fant's Grove. It uses sections of all four main trail loops (Gray Diamond Trail, Green Triangle Trail, Red Square Trail, and Blue Bar Trail) to provide you with a bit of what each has to offer.

Some areas of the trail may be difficult to navigate in late fall/early winter due to leaf litter. The Blue Bar Trail is missing many of the intersection markers listed on available map. Some sections of trail drain poorly after rain and see heavy damage from horses.

Park at the Butch Kennedy trailhead. Begin the ride by riding up Arena Blvd until it dead ends at Queen Street. This will be the Green Triangle Trail entrance.

Head into the forest and follow the trail. After a short distance, you'll come to a dirt road near the Starkey Swine Farm. Cross the road and enter the trail at marker A2. Follow the trail a short distance and arrive back on the road at marker A4. Follow the dirt road past the field and enter the trail again at marker A6. The route will now become old school singletrack in a mixed hardwood forest. Continue to follow the trail. It will cross a paved street at marker A7 then continue into the forest.

At this point, the route will trace the perimeter of the peninsulas bordering a branch of Lake Hartwell. This will provide some great views of the lake. Continue to follow the trail until it terminates at a forest road. There will be a picnic pavilion off to the right. Turn left and continue down the road until you reach marker A12. Now make a right and follow the trail to marker A15. At this point, the ride will continue right onto a short section of the Gray Diamond Trail. Follow the trail to the right and continue until it overlaps with the Red Square Trail.

This section of the ride will have more climbs and offer steeper terrain. There will be a few water crossings as well; some will require walking your bike due to the amount of mud. Once you reach the intersection at marker B9, continue onward on the Red Square Trail. Follow it until it terminates at a forest road. Make a right and follow the road to marker B11. Pass around the gate and look for the trail entrance behind and off to the left. Do NOT cross the paved street.

Continue on the Red Square Trail to marker B12. This is where it will intersect/overlap with the Blue Bar Trail. The entrance to the Blue Bar Trail may be very difficult to identify. As of January 2017, there were three or four downed trees laid perpendicular to the entrance between two big trees. Ride the trail for a short distance and it will dump out on a forest road. Shift into high gear and head down the road. Speeds in excess of 20 MPH are possible at this point.

After about a mile, the road will intersect another road. Pass though this intersection and stay left at the next three forks. After a short ride through a sandy section, the trail will dump out on another forest road. Make a right at the next intersection (if you go straight you'll end up at the first intersection you passed when riding down the road). Follow the road until it turns left and turns back into trail. Then, cross the paved road and head down the forest road. Look for the trail entrance off to the left after about 1/4 mile (if ride ride into the field, you've gone too far).

This next section of trail may be difficult to navigate when covered with leaves. It will become a bit steep at points and once again become forest road. Follow the road until it intersects with another at marker B20. Make a left onto the road then an immediate right back onto the trail at marker B21. Follow this trail through the woods until you reach marker B24.

At this point, you'll intersect again with the Red Square Trail. Make a right to continue on the Red Square Trail until it intersects with the Gray Diamond Trail. Make a right on the Gray Diamond Trail and follow until it intersects with a forest road at marker B30. Cross the road and follow the forest road. It will cross over a paved road and join in with the Red Square Trail and Green Triangle Trail. Exit over the bridge and up the hill back to the Butch Kennedy Trailhead.