Find the top rated dog walking trails in Johnson City, whether you're looking for an easy short dog walking trail or a long dog walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a dog walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Note: this is a public road and not a 'rail trail' where cars are prohibited.
We started at the intersection of Hwy 21 and Railroad Grade Road on the Fleetwood side, mid-morning on a Tuesday. We parked off the side of the road as there was no designated parking area here. We should have driven on about 3/4 mile to a gravel lot across from the Fleetwood Post Office and parked there (assuming that is allowed). The first 3/4 mile from the intersection with Hwy 21 is very steep downhill, narrow, with blind curves... not the safest conditions for bicycles; also some traffic. It was quite an ascent at the end of our return trip. Next time we will avoid this section.
Railroad Grade Rd. branches off to the left about 1/4 mile past the Fleetwood Post Office. Here the road becomes 'unimproved', which means it is chip seal without any painted lines. I would call this the trail road. I saw at least one previous review that mentioned heavy traffic. We did not encounter heavy traffic on this section of the road during our ride... car or bicycle. The riverside scenery is beautiful. We were particularly impressed with a large Christmas tree farm. There is a gradual incline to Todd but hardly noticeable. We would definitely do this ride again.
The “Creeper” is a nationally recognized rail trail in southwest Virginia. People of all riding abilities can ride parts of this trail; it’s downhill from Whitetop to Damascus and you can get a shuttle to the top of the mountain! There are 46 bridges or trestles along this 34 mile pastoral ride between Whitetop and Abingdon, Virginia. Definitely worth a visit. We did a YouTube video of our ride that you can find on our channel, Bent on Bike Trails.
Whitetop down to Damascus was a downright scary ride for me. When I was 15, I fell off my bike and broke my jaw -- this ride brought back that memory almost the whole way down. The scenery, however, was gorgeous. Would MUCH prefer to have hiked this, even part of it vs what we did. We had ridden the Abingdon to Damascus leg a few months ago, and that was a really nice ride. Thia surprised us both!
Started at Johnson City entrance and rode to Sycamore Shoals near Elizabethton. Excellent surface and very wide. Next day, started in Elizabethton. Narrower trail with lots or barriers because trail crosses city streets.
The first 4-5 miles from Johnson City is some of the prettiest trail I've ridden on, the second half is nothing special. Slight up and down the whole time and very well maintained.
On October 6 2020, I pedaled round trip from Damascus, VA to Abingdon, VA on the Virginia Creeper Trail.
At Abingdon, I walked around town for an hour or so before making the return trip. Abingdon is a nice town with many historic buildings and markers that I enjoyed reading.
This part of the trail was uncrowded and has a lot of nice-to-beautiful scenery.
I had planned to ride a 2nd day on the trail, doing a round trip from Damascus to the end of the trail at Whitetop, but after seeing the crowds that were taking the shuttle to Whitetop, I changed my plans. I didn’t want to be pedaling uphill and having to avoid the crowds coming down. I was told by a couple of the shuttle drivers that I talked to that this is the most crowded time of year on the trail because people come to see the fall colors. Maybe I’ll return after the leaves have fallen to do the Damascus to Whitetop section.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? Partly because the Creeper Trail is over-hyped, so my expectations were sky high. It is a nice trail, but I much preferred the New River Trail (which I rode on October 9 and 10) because it is less crowded, has better scenery, and is better maintained than the Creeper.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this trail. It is paved and in great condition. There is a dog park, play ground, and restrooms. Also, very easy to access off of I-26. I will definitely return!!
We thoroughly enjoyed our great walking experience on this trail. One request we might suggest is a better observance of verbal announcements by cyclists approaching hikers from behind on the trail. Pls announce your approach as trail protocol requires. Collision between a bike tracking at high speed and an inspecting walker can end tragically. All in all, a great experience.
We rode up with our bicycles. Took roughly 45 minutes with stops to take in the beautiful views. Recommend starting from the bottom (park right outside of the church) and ride up. The ride down is amazing! Enjoy!
Very nice trail for walking or biking.
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