By Quinn Uva, Woodstock Mountain Bike Team Captain
This is the quintessential run to do when visiting Woodstock. This run is one of the oldest in Woodstock making it a classic and has been heavily revamped in recent years. The easiest way to access “Cloud Drop” to “Sir Bermsalot” is from the Knox Meadow parking lot off Route 106 — less than 5 minutes south of downtown Woodstock. Parking in downtown Woodstock is also an option as you can access all of Mt. Peg via the Village Trail on the north end. There is no fee to ride Mt. Peg, but donations are greatly appreciated and can be given to the Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association (WAMBA) to support the trails.
Starting from Knox Meadow, head across the wooden bridge and take a right. Follow the grassy ski trails to the end of the field and begin climbing up Redline on the left. Redline is the main climbing trail on the south end of Mt. Peg and was recently revamped into a flowy climb. Continue on Redline, go past Crosstown (if you’re crunched for time, take Crosstown and skip straight to “Sir Bermsalot”) to “Cloud Drop” Connector, which will lead you to the last portion of the climb, “Into the Clouds.” If you thought the last two trails were steep, this might be the time to turn on your e-bike (Woodstock loves e-bikes btw!) “Into the Clouds” is the final meandering and punchy push to the summit of the south end, home to the infamous “Cloud Drop”. Along this last punch you can see “Hardstyle” to the right, another best of Woodstock. (Hardstyle is a great second lap. It counters the flow of “Cloud Drop” to Berms with its loose, technical, and steep terrain. Give the skinny log leading into Hardstyle a try at the summit; watch your derailleur though!)
This is where the fun begins. “Cloud Drop” is a hand-built flow fest consisting of small to medium sized berms and many optional doubles and jumps. This is one of those trails that is fun for all types of riders but comes alive at speed. Entering the first few berms with speed will set you up for effortless dirt to dirt transfers. After a flat-ish section, continue left on “Cloud Drop.” On your way down this next portion, take a quick peek to your right at the “Hardstyle” trail gap (it’s easier than it looks)!
But “Cloud Drop” is only just the beginning… now it’s time for “Sir Bermsalot.” Just revamped last year in 2023 as one of Woodstock’s first machine-built trails, “Sir Bermsalot” is the brother from another builder to Black Bear at the Kingdom Trails. Large berms and small to medium sized jumps/doubles from top to bottom are the staple of this trail. There are even split lines with different jump options near the top. Yet again enjoyable by riders of all skill levels, there are multiple triples and berm gaps for experienced riders (you’ll see them).
And that’s the end! “Sir Bermsalot” will shoot you out where you started at the bottom of Redline for easy access to another lap! Remember to thank the trail builders! Gavin Vaughn and Graham Farrington (G&G Building and Racing) outdid themselves on this run!
