First published in the September 2024 Equiery

Equestrian Partners in Conservation (EPIC) directors Kayla Gatalica, Anne Davies and Allan Noble have been hard at work creating a new trail in Montgomery County: the Kay Family Trail!

The new trail is located within the Breezy Loop Trail Complex in Boyds. Horse trailer parking for this complex is at the Potomac Pony Club field on Bucklodge Road. The Breezy Loop Trail Complex consists of multiple connected loops with the trail head at the Potomac Pony Club field lot. The entire trail system can be ridden in two to three hours depending on the route and pace. The trails include stream crossings, views of Sugarloaf Mountain and farmland.

The Kay Family Foundation has been a big supporter of EPIC over the years and the new trail is named in their honor. The Trail head is in a large wooded area west of White Ground Road.

“Years ago, the Humane Society installed two large turtle pens, each about 600 feet in circumference, to house turtles displaced by the construction of the Intercounty Connector. Removing these pens, which consisted of 140 steel posts, wire mesh, and landscaping fabric, was no small feat,” according to EPIC president Allan Noble. The pens had been left abandoned after the Humane Society tagged and released the turtles.

In addition, the group worked to remove a massive old trash dump at the trail head. Some of the trash included remnants of early to mid-1900s farming equipment. Extensive trail clearing and smoothing was also done to ensure the trail is safe for multi-use. EPIC volunteers also reworked a stream crossing to make it more accessible.

There is still work to be done before the trail will be open to the public. EPIC plans on a formal dedication and official opening later this fall.

About EPIC
EPIC is a Maryland Horse Council Industry Professional member organization that was founded over 15 years ago by a group of Montgomery County horse enthusiasts, led by Mike Rubin. The group saw a need for an organization devoted to advancing and preserving equestrian interests within the rural character of upper Montgomery County. EPIC is currently run by an all-volunteer board of directors.

EPIC has created two public equestrian trail systems to date. One is along the Dry Seneca Stream Valley in Poolesville and the other is the Breezy Loop complex in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve in Boyds. These trails cover over both public and private land and are managed through EPIC’s team of volunteers. All EPIC trails are posted with numbered signs. For trail maps, visit epicmontgomery.org.

Dry Seneca Trail System
The Dry Seneca Trail system is located in Poolesville with the northern part located behind Harkaway Stables on Partnership Road. The trail follows the stream for about five miles and crosses Sugarland Road to continue along Montevideo Road on its way to Poole’s Store on Old River Road.

The terrain is mostly gentle, rolling hills with a few stream crossings. Visitors enjoy many scenic agricultural views. Roundtrip, the whole trail can take about three hours if ridden at a moderate pace.

The trail also connects to Seneca Creek State Park on Montevideo Road. Through the park, visitors can get to the new Seneca Bluffs Trail that goes to the Potomac River and C&O Canal.

There is no dedicated trailer parking lot for this system, however there is space for about four to six trailers along Sugarland Road where Sugarland Road separates Ladd’s Loop from the Sugarland Loop. EPIC suggests new trail visitors scope out the parking by car before bringing their horse trailers.