The Bucca Family Trail is an easy flat trail that is perfect for the kids and even grandma. If you were to offer a Monte Sano based trail running degree the entry level course would be titled Bucca Family Trail Running 101.
Getting There
Park in the hikers parking lot on Nolen Drive inside of Monte Sano State Park and head east on the South Plateau Loop until you reach the Bucca Family Trail trail head.
The Trail
The Bucca Family Trail is the first of two trails built by and named after local mountain biking enthusiast Matt Bucca. This trail is relatively free of rocks and roots which is one of the reasons its a good family trail. Starting out the trail randomly curves for no good reason other then for the sake of curving. Near the one mile point the trail intersects with the Bog Trail where if you are not paying close attention you can veer off the trail and end up on a gravel road that is not the trail. As you get closer to the trails southern most point there are a few ramps that have been constructed by local bikers you can try some amateur parcore skills on. Eventually the trail turns back north and straightens out somewhat eventually ending near the Fire Tower.
Monte Sano State Park and the surrounding neighborhoods were built on the mountain's natural plateau. If you remember studying geography in 5th grade you of course know that a plateau is a flat area on top of a mountain. This flatness makes all of the trails located on it accessible to wide range of fitness levels. The downside to that is they are frequented by more people and can fall victim to erosion. If you happen to head out on any of these trails, Bucca family trail included, you may find they are quite worn down and can be extra muddy after a good rain.
