Find the top rated birding trails in Christiansburg, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Most of this trail consists of a wide grassy median with two narrow gravel ruts on either side. This is great for bicycles but recumbent trikes, or anything with more than two wheels, will be forced to ride with at least one wheel up on the grass making for a slow rough ride. I rode almost the entire trail over two days on my trike, from mile marker 25 to 77, and it is a beautiful trail -- for bicycles. Short sections that are in full shade in deep forest are pure crushed stone, no grass. This makes it clear that when the trail was originally constructed it did not have a grassy median; the grassy median is due to bad maintenance. Politicians love to attend ribbon cutting ceremonies for new infrastructure, and the press will cover new stuff, but who ever read about politicians attending a ceremony to celebrate routine annual maintenance? Build and neglect.
Some friends and I rode the entire Greenbrier River Trail as part of a four-day 180-mile bike tour. (The entire route is part of Adventure Cycling's Short Routes collection at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46271108)
On the Greenbrier River Trail, you're enfolded by green mountains, flowing water, wildflowers, solitude, and lots of places to get wet. And quiet! The near-total lack of cell coverage meant no dinging intrusions from the "real world". So relaxing to disconnect and reconnect!
There is a remote feel to this trail, but you’re never far from camping or water. The primitive campsites along the trail are free and first-come first-served. The campsite at Mile 28.5 was an especially nice place to swim and gather around a campfire. There is also an adjacent Hipcamp and Watoga State Park for those who want a hot shower.
Cass, a former lumber boomtown, has a steam excursion train a small museum for rail buffs. Marlinton offers a respite to trail food, including a combination bike shop-café. Jack Horner's Corner, just off the trail in Seebert, has good food and ice cream.
Several things set this trail apart: the feel of isolation, the abundant camping options and the trailside displays showcasing the human and natural history of the Greenbrier valley.
We biked from Fries to Fries Junction, then down to Galax, and then back to Fries. Beautiful bike ride! We saw several deer, birds and squirrels. The pathways are very level and provide a smooth ride. Hoping we get to explore more of this trail before we leave town. Highly recommend!
NRT is my heart trail, have been on many others in va but this is my favorite and most scenic!!!
Mill mt is a great e bike trail due to big climb, I like to come back down the road due to downhill speed and roughness of the old paved road that makes the trail surface, makes a nice loop and can be extended out to the parkway and around the roanoke mt loop that is closed to vehicle traffice which has beautiful overlooks.
Nice trail along the creek. Connects with the other two trails in town for a seamless ride. With the other two connecting trails it is an outstanding trail for a small town. Well done.
While this trail largely follows Garden City Blvd SE, there are some spots on it that are scenic and away from traffic. It mostly consists of a steady climb to the end of the trail, but the first three quarters of a mile is relatively flat with one climb at the quarter mile marker. The trail is plenty wide enough for passing and is paved in its entirety. There is a small park on the trail and park just off of the trail behind the elementary school. Because it is an off shoot from Roanoke River Greenway traffic is lighter than the main greenway. There is shade on about half of the trail. The biggest concern is on Wednesday’s it’s garbage day so there is usually garbage cans and other refuse waiting to be collected.
The surface of the New River Trail should not be described as “crushed stone.” This is factually incorrect. I rode the entire trail from end-to-end and back again over three days in mid-June 2024. The first 20 or so miles from Dora Junction (Pulaski) toward Lone Ash consist mostly of a wide grassy median with a narrow dirt track on either side. This is fine for bicycles in dry weather but those of us who ride recumbent tricycles are forced to ride with at least one wheel on the grass, which makes for a tortuous slow and bumpy ride. Some sections are indeed smooth crushed stone, such as the 5.5 mile spur from Fries Junction to the town of Fries which is the best maintained section of the trail, perhaps because Fries attracts tourists and more cyclists than other parts of the trail. The first part of the 12 miles from Fries Junction up to Galax is very rough and rocky but the trail improves toward the end. Nonetheless most of this section would best be described as coarse gravel, not crushed stone, and the gravel is quite soft in places. Parts of the trail from Foster Falls to Ivanhoe and from Ivanhoe to Fries Junction also have a grass median, but other parts are gravel or crushed stone. The surface for the first few miles on either side of Foster Falls is well maintained but deteriorates the further one rides away from the park headquarters. Cyclists would benefit from a more accurate description of trail surface conditions.
We have been on a lot of rail trails, scenic yes... but not for the average rider...
We rode this a 2nd time and it is so nice. Love the artwork. You ride right by Black Dog Salvage. Mostly level, not crowded. You can see the STAR from trail.
I have biked and hiked this entire trail. Very scenic and much to see. Can be busy during the weekends.
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