Had my wife drive me up the narrow winding road up to Whitetop and drop me off for the ride all the way down to Abingdon where she picked me up and I bought dinner (of course).
Word of advice: Get an EARLY start. Just as I was setting off from the top, three rigs of bikes and bikers were ferried to the top to ride down.

Few of these are frequent bikers as is evident by their attire, and that's fine and I'm glad they're there to enjoy the experience. But I really enjoyed the fast ride down the first 17 miles and if I was in a group or came up on a group it would not be enjoyable at all.

The scenery is top-notch, but in a group it would be hard to pay attention and not crash down the ravine.

Whitetop to Damascus is not all downhill, there are plenty of relatively flat spots. The trail is mostly dirt and some rocks that can throw the tire if you don't watch out. But I just loved the speed I gained and the clear trail ahead. If you're riding uphill please watch out for those coming down - they probably don't expect an uphill rider nor know trail etiquette.

Damascus has several incredible bike shops. I had a great time visiting, checking out equipment and talking with the owners.

Eat at Wicked Chicken! Fantastic menu and quite varied and the food is amazing. There's also an ice cream shop on the premises, and bike lock-up is safe. Service is first-rate.

Damascus to Abingdon is actually much more scenic that the downhill portion, going through beautiful farm country, very small towns, plenty of river crossings and open fields.

My only criticism of this trail is the trail transition on to the trestles - not smooth and one must lift up the front tire. In some cases (not all) its like trying to jump a curb. Hopefully in time this is fixed.

Next year I'm considering either staying in Abingdon or Damascus and riding the trail from there. Frankly, there's too much scenery to absorb in just one ride - and the food in Abingdon and Damascus is fantastic.

The Virginia Creeper Trail is beautiful. My husband and I stayed in Damascus and rode our e-bikes, we are in our 60s, from there to Whitetop and back, then Damascus to Abington the next day. The trail was crowded the first day going against the people who were shuttled to the top but nice on the way back. We rode on a Wednesday. It was a wonderful ride. One which I would recommend to anyone.

Real scenic. Steady rise. Just the right distance to and from.

The new extension from Westmoreland to Magnolia Ridge (By Publix) is a great addition.

Parked at the town park in Damascus. There were tons of people around gearing up to ride on a nice Friday morning. Assumed that most were riding/shuttling east up to Whitetop, so we decided to ride west to Abingdon to avoid some of the crowds. Just leaving the town park headed west had to cross the busy main road. No crosswalk was painted on the road, a huge oversight given the number of people crossing the road. First short section of the trail was narrow, with soft fill, so had to proceed with caution. First three miles or so were close to the main road, not such a great section of trail. After Alvarado, trail rose gradually up to Abingdon, nice views of the river and some sections through farmlands. The bridge surfaces were in great shape. Trail surface was usually very good, 32 mm wide tires. Saw quite a few riders heading east from Abingdon towards Damascus. Watch out for the gates that require you to stop and open them!

The trail is in horrible condition. Ruts and large rocks are plentiful. Plus the trail is full of people who have been shuttled to the top riding down with little regard for anyone riding up. I went on a Wednesday and it was packed. I can't imagine a weekend. Stunning scenery though, but I won't return.

This was our first ride on a rail trail and we loved it. Not crowded at all, smooth surface and beautiful scenery.

From Damascus to Whitetop going uphill, the trail is hazardous. Not only are there droves of people coasting down, not all are experienced riders, there are children and people just not paying attention. Add to that that the trail is fairly narrow, the surface can be rocky, so it is not an enjoyable experience. Going downhill is not much better since people randomly brake or stop. The surroundings, however, are beautiful. We went on a semi-holiday (Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day) so maybe it's better during the week.

The trail is fairly enjoyable except for the endless waves of idiots who are bussed to the top and coast downhill side by side. Rode the whole trail from Abingdon-Whitetop-Abingdon and thoroughly enjoyed the ride except for the Damascus-Whitetop section. It wasn't the climb that bothered me but the droves of people riding downhill on the wrong side of the trail. I was nearly hit head-on at least six or seven times in the last 5 miles before reaching Whitetop.