MoCo Epic 2026

The MoCo Epic is a festival celebrating mountain biking, trails, and the community that makes this region a great place to ride! 2026 marks the 16th anniversary of the MoCo Epic. We can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with you!

GIVING BACK TO TRAILS

The MoCo Epic is MORE’s biggest community event and fundraiser. The event is made possible by the hard work and generosity of sponsors, partners, and over a hundred individual volunteers.

For the past five years, half of the event’s net proceeds have been placed in a fund dedicated to improving MoCo Epic trails. Projects include:

• Creation of a true novice loop at Schaeffer through the complete rebuild of ¾ mile of the Orange Trail.

• Professional and volunteer refurbishment of the Schaeffer White Loop to make it both accessible and challenging for adaptive riders.

• Purchase of brush mowers, string mowers and multiple gas and battery powered hedge trimmers to keep all the MoCo trails open in the summer.

• Opening 10 miles of the Seneca Greenway previously hiking only. The project includes replacing rotting bridges, constructing safe passage under Clopper Road, and upgrading multiple sections of trail to make them more sustainable.

An equal amount of net proceeds went into MORE’s general funds. Of this amount, $50,000 has helped finance new trails in Bacon Ridge, Frederick Watershed, James Long, Lake Fairfax, Locust Shade, Patapsco, River’s Edge, Windy Ridge, and a paved pump track in the City of Frederick.

CAMPING

We’re bringing back camping for the MoCo Epic weekend, from Saturday (10/10) to Monday (10/12)! Space is limited to 20 tents and 10 RVs/camper vans. There will be no hookups for RVs and open fires are not permitted. The camping fee will cover permits and rental of an additional portable toilet and sink. Campers are welcome to join us for a community dinner on Saturday at 6 PM.

If spots at South Germantown is full and you are interested in camping, check out camping options in Little Bennett.

Price: $25 per tent/RV

THINGS TO NOTE BEFORE YOU REGISTER

Registration. Your registration includes:

• An epic ride on a route of your choice

• Marked courses (except the 100-miler) and downloadable routes

• Nutrition and basic mechanical support at aid stations

• Trailside emergency response c/o the Liberty Bike Patrol

• Staffed first aid tent at the mothership

• A meal ticket to use at your choice of food truck

• Two beverages (beer and NA drinks available)

Sign in at the registration tent before your ride to get your packet. Be sure to stash your meal tickets in a safe place while you ride. Packet pick-up is also available on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Are you a MORE member? Be sure to take advantage of exclusive member pricing for Sunday rides. Register for rides labeled for MORE members.

No refunds or transfers after October 7. Once registration closes at 11:59 PM on October 7, all transactions are final. This will give us time to prepare bike tags, swag bags, and shirt orders. We will be accepting day-of registrations but swag bags are not guaranteed.

Shirts. Event t-shirts are optional and must be ordered by September 20. To keep costs down, we won't be ordering extras, so be sure to order yours during registration.

Stay fueled. No one likes to be hangry, especially after a long day on the bike! There will be a tent with lots of snacks and drinks to tide you over until you can get a meal from one of the food trucks.

Silent auction. A Cobalt Diablo Hardtail MTB frameset, free landscaping consultation from Fine Earth Landscape, gift cards, and other fun prizes will be available at our silent auction happening all day on Sunday.

Bring guests. Have family and friends who aren't riding but want to participate in Epic festivities? There will be meal and beer tickets for sale on the day of the event.

SATURDAY FESTIVITIES

SKILLS CLINICS

The following clinics will be offered on Saturday, October 10. These classes are free for MORE members. You can join/renew by adding a membership under merchandise.

• Youth Beginner MTB Clinic with 304 Biking – 9:45 to 10:15 AM

• Youth Dirt Jumping 101 with 304 Biking– 10:30 to 11:15 AM

• Adult Basic MTB Skills Clinic with MORE– 10 AM to 12 PM

• Adult Dirt Jumping 101 with 304 Biking– 12:00 to 12:45 PM

GRAVITY SOCIAL JUMP JAM

Saturday, October 10, 3-6 PM

The super rad Jump Jam is a highlight of the Epic weekend, and we’re stoked to have our friends from Gravity Social running the event! We’ll also have prizes from HandUp, Ground Keeper Custom, PNW Components, and more!

THE EPIC RIDES

Sunday, October 11

The MoCo Epic is a ride, not a race. This is YOUR adventure. Enjoy it at your own pace and experience some of the best aid stations which have historically featured hula dancers, fog machines, inflatable flamingos, and jambalaya.

Sunday rides will start and end at the mothership in the South Germantown Bike Park. All routes will have aid stations stocked with a selection of sweet and savory snacks, water, electrolytes, first aid supplies, a course map, and a portapotty. Sample GPS routes can be found here. We’re expecting new trail to be added to some of the courses, and final routes will be shared with registered riders.

Adaptive Rides

Adaptive routes are back for the MoCo Epic! This year, we’re offering 5- and 20-mile options. More info coming soon.

Infiniti HR 10-miler

Don't be fooled by the distance, this 10-mile course through Diabase Schaeffer Farm has a good amount of roots and climbing. Experience OG MoCo singletrack. You'll have the option to stop about halfway through your ride and refuel at an aid station before heading back to the mothership for the post-ride party.

Rodgers Consulting 20-miler*

Enjoy some of the flowiest, most fun northern MoCo trails! Your adventure will take you through Hoyles Mill Trail, up through Ten Mile Creek, and into Black Hill Regional Park for your first pit stop. Do a loop around Cabin Branch before heading back on the Diabase Trail and to the mothership for post-ride festivities.

Erik Scudder CFP 30-miler*

Enjoy some of the flowiest, most fun northern MoCo trails! Your adventure will take you through Hoyles Mill Trail, up through Ten Mile Creek, and into Black Hill Regional Park for your first pit stop. Do a loop around Cabin Branch before heading back on the Diabase Trail. Continue into Schaeffer Farm and back to the South Germantown Bike Park to finish. Choose your own adventure

*You have the option to skip 3 miles of Hamilton, Hard Rock, and Cabin Branch trails for a shorter ride.

Fine Earth 40-miler**

Also known as the MoCo south loop, this route offers the highest percentage of dirt trails of all the Epic rides. Starting off on the Diabase Trail, you'll dip into Schaeffer and continue to the fast flow of Seneca Ridge Trail. Traveling south on Muddy Branch, you'll drop down into the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, then turn to climb Seneca Bluffs, and pop out at Black Rock Mill. The final leg of your journey has you climbing back into Schaeffer Farm and onto the post-ride festivities.

Cobalt Bikes 55-miler

The full tour of MoCo north trails! This route strings together Hoyles Mill, Ten Mile Creek, and Black Hill Regional Park trails. Then you'll begin climbing on road to the flowy trails of Little Bennett and Damascus Regional Parks. From there, head south on the Seneca Greenway Trail toward Seneca Creek State Park and connect with the Seneca Ridge Trail for the long, fun run to Black Rock Mill. Then it's the final climb through Schaeffer Farm and back to the mothership for some post-ride refueling. This route is about 85% singletrack with occasional paved roads.

First Citizens Bank 70-miler**

The longest of our marked courses, the 70-miler combines the north and south loops for an epic day on the bike. Start on Hoyles Mill and head north to Ten Mile Creek and Black Hill Regional Park. Climb the road and be rewarded with flowy trails in Little Bennett and Damascus Regional Parks. From there, head south on the Greenway Trail toward Seneca Creek State Park for a tour on the Powerline Trail, Muddy Branch, and finally the historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. The final portion of your Epic loop takes you through Seneca Bluffs, Black Rock Mill, and Schaeffer Farm, then it's time for that well-earned party. Riders must depart the Seneca Greenway/Riffle Ford Rd aid station (mile 45) by 2:15 p.m. to continue on the course. 70-mile riders who don’t reach the cut-off will be asked to follow the 55-mile route.

Team XXL 100-miler**

This 100-mile self-guided course is not for the faint of heart. While it doesn’t have the long, sustained climbs and downhills of other 100-mile MTB routes, you’ll need to bring your A-game to deal with the shorter, sometimes punchier climbs. Your body and mind will be engaged more often than not, as the course is predominantly singletrack.

This Epic adventure hits all the parks of the 70-miler and squeezes more mileage out of the various trail systems. There will be no course markings for the Hundo, and riders are required to download the GPS route. Riders will be allowed one drop bag (gallon-sized clear bag provided by the event) which they can access about 60% of the way through at the Seneca Greenway/Riffle Ford Road aid station. Sunset on October 12 is 6:30 p.m. and it is required that you carry lights or pack them in your drop bag if you think you will finish after dark. Please note that our aid station partners at Muddy Branch/Turkey Foot Rd, C&O/Riley’s Lock, and Black Rock Mill may be packed up by the time you get there. We will have volunteers hanging out at the last three aid stations with water, snacks, and basic tools until the last rider comes through.

Riders will be asked to check in at each aid station for safety and tracking purposes. Packet pickup on Saturday is strongly suggested to make getting on the trails early in the morning as easy as possible.

**Blockhouse Point Conservation Park and the southern portion of Muddy Branch between River Road and Pennyfield Lock Road are closed for WSSC repairs. The project is set to wrap up in September, but we are working on an alternate route in case the trail is not reopened by the MoCo Epic.

VOLUNTEER NOTES

All volunteers get a special edition MoCo Epic shirt, food, beer, and our deepest gratitude!

Friday and Saturday Event Setup

These positions can provide flexible start times. Do you have just a couple hours in the morning to help out? Want to hang out all day and help where needed? Can't help until school is out? Regardless of when you can help, if you want to volunteer for event setup on Friday or Saturday, sign up using those options, and we will reach out for your availability.

Early Sunday Shifts

This includes Parking at 5:30 AM, Aid Station Support Drivers at 6:00 AM, and Registration at 6:30 AM. Volunteers who sign up for these specific early shifts will be provided breakfast and will also receive a special limited edition MORE swag!

Course Markers and Course De-markers/Sweeps

Course Marking/De-marking is an important part of MoCo Epic preparations, and we welcome first-timers who are willing to learn the ropes. We will be assigning shifts and pairing experienced course volunteers with first timers.

Course Markers are responsible for placing directional arrows along MoCo Epic routes. The arrows will be stapled on trees or staked to the ground. Course marking volunteers must be comfortable riding relatively long distances carrying supplies (signs, wooden stakes, stapler, personal nutrition) and must have their own GPS device. Course Markers are required to carry a cell phone during their volunteer shift and provide their contact number to the MoCo Epic planning team.

Course De-markers/Sweeps are responsible for taking down directional arrows and stakes along MoCo Epic routes and making sure the last riders make it safely to the finish line. Epic riders are usually tired by the time sweeps come across them on the trail. It’s imperative that sweeps encourage riders and can recognize if a rider needs nutritional, mechanical, or medical assistance. If the volunteer can’t provide aid, they must call the MoCo Command Center for SAG pick-up. Course de-markers/sweeps must be comfortable riding relatively long distances carrying supplies (signs, wooden stakes, stapler, personal nutrition) and must have their own GPS device.

Course De-Markers are also required to carry a cell phone during their volunteer shift and provide their contact number to the MoCo Epic planning team.

Sweeper/ Course De-Marking volunteers will be selected on a merit-based system. Not all volunteers registering for Sweeper/ Course De-Marking will be assigned Sweeper Slots. Preference will be given to volunteers that: 1) Have the ability to complete the expected tasks; 2) Volunteer for Course Marking; 3) Volunteer for other MoCo Epic volunteer slots; 4) Register early for Sweeper/ Course De-Marking and Course Marking.