HILL FEST! 2026
When: June 5-7
Rain or Shine!
Where: The Hashawha Environmental Center
Page Index:
Click on the links below to quickly navigate to the sections of this page.
REGISTRATION OPENS ON 1/19!
This year we are expanding and renaming our “Hill Yeah” event into a weekend bike festival called “Hill Fest!”. The dates are June 5th through the 7th, 2026. This is MTBMD’s fourth annual event to raise funds for the Hashawha Environmental Center trail system. All funds raised from Hill Fest! go back into the dirt through trail building, trail maintenance, storm clean up, and more. All work on the trails is done by unpaid volunteers and is done to support community access to safe, fun, and accessible trails with an emphasis on the community benefits of outdoor recreation, shared trail use, and education. Our goal is to nurture a shared commitment to our trails and outdoor spaces and mutual respect across all user groups.
Join us for a challenging and fun weekend in the saddle! There will be free rides, group led rides and other mini-events during the weekend. We will have limited camping for small (think “pop-up”) RVs and a separate, limited site for tents. We are in the process of lining up vendors and building momentum to put this into action.
You can register by using this link: Hill Fest Registration
Some Suggested Routes
Download route GPX files to use with any navigation service or GPS computer. These files are used each year so the names may be old but the routes are the same. Route files are updated as necessary to avoid trail closures (last updated 6/14/25)
PLEASE NOTE: There have been reports of some browsers being unable to download the GPX files. This is most likely due to browser security settings.
Event Vendors and Supporters
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Coming Soon
Join Our Team
If you are interested in being a sponsor, or a vendor at the event, please reach out to us via our Contact Page.
TBD
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Coming Soon
TBD
MTBMD would like to thank the park staff at the Hashawha and Union Mills parks for their continued support and sponsorship of not just our events but the work we do together!
Park Staff
TBD
Trail Maps
The trails in the Hashawha Environmental Center are a combination of flowing singletrack and wider access roads, open fields, plenty of hills (of course), with a couple of stream crossings thrown in for fun. Technical with rocks and exposed roots, and populated with steep "punchy" climbs, the trails are fun and sure to provide each rider with a challenging ride experience to remember. The scenery changes from mostly woods to meadows and open fields with beautiful views of rolling farmland.
We suggest you use the maps of the area via Trailforks for your free rides. We have placed a couple of suggested maps from our previous events on the registration page.
There will also be group rides with ride leaders and sweeps offered during the course of the day. And we have group led night rides planned.
Day of Event Notes
While we will be offering “at the gate” admission, you can save some money by signing up on BikeReg please before arriving on Saturday.
The Address for the Hashawha Environmental Center/Bear Branch Nature Center is: 300 John Owings Rd. Westminster MD. 21158
Parking: After entering the park continue to the first small parking lot on the right, look for staff to direct you to the field where we’ll have you park. Other areas will become available as needed.
Registration will be open from 8:00 - 10:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. For campers, we will have the registration open on Thursday from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. NOTE: There are no scheduled events on Thursday.
Tires to trail as soon as you are settled in and ready to ride. Visit our information booth for any questions you might have.
Events will be announced throughout the day, but the free-ride will be the best way to get to see this beautiful park.
Rest rooms and port-o-potty are located across from the MTBMD Information / registration booth at the Bear Branch Nature Center. There will be port-a-pots and wash stations at the campsites and near the vendor area.
Please bring sunscreen and bug spray. Like anywhere else we have seen an uptick in Ticks in the park, the best way to avoid these pests is to use a good bug spray.
There will be food and drink vendors available.
At registration you will be given a paper will all the important event details including phone numbers in case of an emergency. Keep it with you at all time, consider adding the phone numbers to your mobile device before setting out for the ride. You will also be given a wristband that designates your registration type. Please wear it at all times while your are attending.
You will encounter some stream crossings in each route. Additionally you will encounter a little bit of everything on these trails—especially the long route—roots, rocks and jank, punchy climbs and fast descents, hard pack, hero dirt, and loose over hard sections of trail. Most trails have been cleared of vegetation as much as possible but it’s Spring and the plants are growing back faster than we can keep them trimmed. Keep it all in mind.
You can follow the mapped courses that run anywhere from 3 to 14 miles in ln length. There is a fair amount of climbing in each route. The climbs are sometimes steep and occasionally technical. The event is name, “Hill Fest” is a reminder of this, but it merits mentioning here—Hashawha is hilly!
Event Camping
We have a limited number of camping spots at the park. There are 25 tent, and 15 “RV” spots available. There are no hook-ups. Generators are allowed but must be “quiet” and turned off between 10:00PM and 7:30AM.
RVs are defined as pop-up trailers, Pickup Truck Campers, and “Teardrop” campers. They must be small enough to fit in a 20x20ft area.
The Tent camping sites will be 15x15ft.
If you have any questions please email us at mtbmdtrails@gmail.com..
FAQS
Who is MTBMD? MTBMD is an MTB club and are trail liaisons for MORE located in and around the Hawhasha Environmental Center. We are a volunteer organization focused on the community benefits of outdoor recreation, shared trail use, and education. Our goal is to nurture a shared commitment to our trails and outdoor spaces and mutual respect across all user groups.
What are the ride lengths and how much climbing is involved? We will have maps available for rides from 3 to 14 miles in length. The group led rides will be available for the 7 and 10 mile routes. In addition, there will be group-led night rides on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Night Rides? Yes, there will be one ride each night, which may be multiple groups. The rides will cover roughly 7 to 10 miles. Helmet and/or handlebar headlamps will be required. Taillights are strongly recommended as they help keep the group together. These rides will be at a moderate pace and cover the same trails that you would ride during the day. They are not recommended for beginning riders.
Are the routes hilly? Yes! Topographically speaking, the Hashawha Environmental Center sits on land that is quite hilly, some of the hills are very challenging. Be prepared.
Do you have a map of the routes? Yes, available using the above buttons or on the Hill Fest! registration page on Bikereg.com
Can I just download a GPX file for navigation? Yes, See the buttons at the top of this page to download GPX files so you can use any navigation software you choose.
Are EBikes allowed? Carroll County allows Class 1 EBikes on all park trails, so yes, you can bring your (Class 1) EBike.
Can I ride the routes with a hybrid/gravel/cross/road bike ( with larger tires) Technically you could ride on a cross bike or gravel bike but we strongly recommend a mountain bike with at least front suspension. Recommended minimum tire width of 38mm is advised. Road bikes or hybrid bikes are not recommended.
What type of start do you have mass/rolling/show and go? Free-rides are as often and far as you wish. Form up a group of friends and enjoy the trail system. Group Rides will be announced at least 20min and 10min before the start.
Can I register the day of the event and will it cost me more? Yes., please consider saving money by pre-registering.
What time is the start of the event? The event “kickoff” time is 8:00 am, June 5th and the event checkout time is 1:00 pm, June 7th.
Do I have to pay for food? You can bring your own food for the day (or weekend). In addition, there will be food and drink trucks available in the vendor area for food where you may purchase your food and drink. See the sponsors section above.
Do you have beer available? We will have a “beer truck” available from our partner, Pipe-The-Side. In accordance with park rules, alcohol will be restricted to certain areas.
Are t-shirts/jerseys available, can I preorder do you have a sample to look at? As of this time we do not but we're looking into it
Do I get a discount for registering today? You can get a discount if you register before midnight on March 31st 2026. Please see the pricing structure on the Hill Fest Registration Page.
Do you share rider data? No we do not
Will trained medical people be available at the event? Yes, we will have Wilderness First Aid trained staff at the event and the Pleasant Valley Fire Fighter Department is aware of Hill Fest! and ready with an ambulance if needed.
If you sell out, is there a waiting list? How do I get on this list? No waiting list. First come, first ride.
What about refunds? This is a fundraising event and your "registration fee" is a donation, there will be no refunds issued unless there are circumstances beyond our control and inline with BikeReg's refund policy (dangerous conditions or inclimate weather that will not allow us to reschedule the event, natural catastrophe, acts of terrorism, etc.).
Can I sell products at your event? If you are interested in being a vendor at our event, please contact us at mtbmdtrails@gmail.com.
Will technical support be available and what is the extent of their support? We will have at least one mechanic on site and Trek Bikes of Westminster will be there with a Pro Mechanic offering technical assistance.
Do you have rider number bibs/ID? All registrants will receive a wristband that designates the type of registration. There are no rider number bibs or IDs.
IS water available? Yes, we will multiple places to fill your water bottles.
Is there a rain/bad weather date? No, unless the weather is extreme, the event will happen.
If the event is canceled will I get my money back and how long will that take. This is a charitable fundraising event and your "registration fee" is a donation, there will be no refunds issued.
Will signs/ markers be placed on the routes so I do not get lost? Many of the trails in the park are unmarked. Sadly some of them are also unsanctioned. We will have members of MTBMD patrolling the park to help those who may have gotten off course. You can always use the sheet you were given at registration to call for help. Cell service works in most of the park.
Who benefits from this event and is the registration fee tax deductible? Hill Fest! is a ride to help MORE and MTBMD fund trail maintenance work at the Hashawha Environmental Center. Registration fees are not tax deductible.
How can I report dangerous riders? An information sheet will be given to each rider, before setting out to ride, that has course maps and contact info should you need to use it for any reason.
We reserve the right to alter any and all details for Hill Fest! as we see fit. Information will be provided to registered riders by email and via BikeReg.com. All group rides and events require a signed waiver to ride. Helmets, hydration and a trail-worthy mountain bike is also required. MORE and MTBMD are dedicated to providing fun, safe, and inclusive atmosphere for ALL RIDERS. We will NOT tolerate any hateful, disrespectful, or inappropriate language/actions at our rides or events. We reserve the right to ask someone to leave if they are unable to meet this expectation or if a rider is endangering themselves or others.