My Muddy Shoes

Stone Mill Course Preview Run #2

OK Stone Millers (and other assorted trail Riff-Raff),

Listen up! Got some important news about this run (and for the race too!) Due to some lingering water system construction there is a major course change coming your way for Stone Mill. The stretch of course from the Block House Point (BHP) parking lot to the C&O Canal at Pennyfield remains closed and inaccessible. Long story short, we’re moving the (World Famous) Pennyfield Aid Station to the Block House Point trailhead. That means that the course will skip the entire portion from BHP parking lot on through Pennyfield and up the canal to Violette’s Lock. The re-route, which you will explore at the 3^rd Preview Run, will take you through the BHP trail system and down to Violette’s Lock where it will dump out on the canal about 1 mile shy of Riley’s Lock. Overall, with the takeaways and the additions Stone Mill will still be a 50 miler. You can bank on that!

***Note: this is a much smaller parking lot than Pennyfield. Please car pool if possible!

For this preview run we won’t be affected too much. It will be shorter since we are cutting off about a mile of trail today but otherwise it will be an 8-mile out-and-back on the Muddy Branch section of the course (Miles 14.8 – 22.8). For visualization and training purposes you will be running in the direction of the race on the way back on this run.

We’ll still have liquids and snacks for post-run replenishment. Bring a chair to hang out afterwords.

Details:

Location: Block House Point Trailhead

Address: 14400 River Rd. Potomac, MD 20854

Date: 10 October 2026

Time: 0730

Course: Out-and-Back on Muddy Branch Trail

Distance: 16 miles RT

Caltopo: https://caltopo.com/m/G5N5

Course Aid: Yes, water at Turkey Foot Road. Refreshments back at the start too.

Cost: Donations accepted (coupla bucks, maybe something with a picture of Alexander Hamilton on it, some crypto or at least some spare change and Dorito crumbs from your car console). Help support Muddy Shoes Trail Runners!!!

OK, some other stuff:

– Just for the record, all are welcome to join us on these runs. You don’t have to be signed up for Stone Mill. If you want to come out and just do a couple of miles, go for it! We just love to see people out in the MoCo woods, hittin’ the single track!

– We highly recommend you download Caltopo on your phone and use the map link above. It helps with navigation if you get in a pickle out in the woods. Shows your location live and where the trail is.

– Our lawyer wanted me to let you know the following – *Please note, the course may not be marked beyond the normal trail markings (tree blazes), and neither Stone Mill nor MyMuddyShoes are responsible or liable for any incidents or injuries that may occur during these runs. Each runner undertakes these events on their own volition.

Hope to see you there cuz these trails ain’t gonna run themselves!

Cheers,

Dr. Single -Track