Find the top rated atv trails in Salem, whether you're looking for an easy short atv trail or a long atv trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a atv trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
This trail is very nice and honestly i don't understand why everyone is complaining. The cows don't care about you for the most part and even if they do they are just being curious. The Chessie trail doesn't own that farm and has no say as to what the farmer cares to keep in his field. The trail has also been made more bike accessible with small, person and bike sized gates so you don't have to lift bikes anymore.
I walk this trail often - it's very pretty, and the scenery varies, but most of it runs alongside Wolf Creek. It goes through sylvan areas, past some homes, crosses a couple of residential streets, passes a farm with animals grazing; the variation makes this fun. It's mostly level. Tall walkers will have to stoop in the tunnel that runs under a major roadway, though!
Very nice trail parking at Commerce Ave. Saw one other user my day visiting the trail. Smooth surface, very scenic with long vistas across valley of distant mountains plus section paralleling Craigs creek. Would love to see rest of the right of way developed into a trail.
Today I rode from Cass to Seebert, and back. The trail is well kept, with few ruts and no downfall blocking my path;. Most important, the trail was smooth enough I wasn't jostled and could maintain a steady pace. Near Marlinton, there is a section of asphalt, some of which is being buckled by roots growing underneath. Noticeable, but far from dangerous and un-fun as is sections of the Erie Canal Towpath trail.
I ran across a state maintenance worker who was driving it. He stopped, was friendly and we had a short, nice conversation.
We reserved a primitive site in Foster Falls State Park at the Mill Race Campground. I don't suppose we really needed a reservation, because we were the only ones there for the three days we were there. Actually, it was only two days, because we arrived late on the first day. But, the folks at the office were very helpful in arranging for our late arrival. Our paperwork packet was posted at the campsite and there was a bundle of wood and some kindling stacked and waiting for us.
The trail North to Pulaski is plenty wide and has a good surface for riding, though there are some soft spots here and there. We had to dodge around a lot of rocks in some areas, but for a rail trail cut out of rock along a river, I wasn't complaining. We stopped to move rocks and large limbs off of the path when we could.
There is a lot to look at along the trail and as being able to look at stuff is one of the great things about riding a trike, I had a great time and took a lot of pictures.
The Dora Trail, a walking trail connecting the New River Trail to downtown Pulaski, is loose gravel until you reach the paved portion. Some stretches are better than others, but we found ourselves dragging our trikes though a couple places because it was so soft.
Going the extra couple of miles and dragging our trikes through loose gravel was well worth the effort. Our reward was lunch and there is probably no better place to have lunch in Pulaski than "Al's on First". It was early afternoon and warm. They were serving on the patio, so we could keep an eye on our trikes while we rested and had our lunch. I had a chicken salad sandwich that was every bit as good as any I've eaten anywhere in the world...and I've been around the world...twice. My wife had a baked potato that she said was to die for. I think she was just really hungry. It did look good though. Definitely plan to have lunch there if you get into town.
Another great thing about downtown Pulaski is Pulaski Bikes. Their shop is right on the trail and they were very helpful. One of my bar end shifters had vibrated loose to the point it was becoming difficult to shift. I wasn't looking forward to making the return trip worrying about my shifter. No worries; I stopped and asked if there was anything they could do to help me and two of the guys came out and fixed me right up. I will be forever thankful for their help.
We had a great time on the trail and are looking forward to returning and finishing it with a trip out of Fries on up toward Foster Falls. We did the section from Galax to Fries Junction earlier this year, so we just have that one section to complete.
My first time on this trail. It was fabulous. From the great bike I rented from Blue Ridge Bikes in Galax to the excellent riding conditions. The trail is a flat, easy, fast ride but don't go too fast the scenery is fantastic. I can't wait to ride it again!! Oh yes, the lady at the trail shop was great. I bought two shirts. A t shirt to show off and a tech shirt for running and riding. Thanks to the park for such nice souvenir offerings!!
Definitely ride north to south. I did opposite and found last part of trail from New river to Pulaski is a long uphill slog at the end of a long ride. Also, be aware that the trail cut off to downtown Pulaski train station if you are headed north takes you by the sewage treatment plant which is ugly and smelly. Trail condition generally great until this cut off into Pulaski. Also on this cutoff there is soft mushy gravel. Definitely not a bike friendly surface. Avoid this cutoff and instead keep straight to Dora junction to complete the ride.
On a beautiful bike ride along the Jackson River, we encountered walkers, bikers, fishermen, runners, and folks on horses decked in pink riding for The Cure. We clocked 27.1 miles out and back starting at the Intervale parking lot; riding on a wide, hard packed crushed stone tread way. And, we saw a Bald Eagle! Thanks to Alleghany County and The Alleghany Foundation for implementing and maintaining this trail. It's a gem!
Rode this trail in September. The trail is paved and a comfortable ride. Has so many great things to see on the ride! Beautiful bridges (one is a locks bridge where people have put various locks to represent marriage, friendships etc) , waterfall, awesome lighted tunnel, and a cancer memorial park at one end. This is a "rails to trail" trail and very neat! Loved the ride and scenery. Not hilly so a GREAT ride for families!
I had a very good ride on the "new" section (from the Smith Bridge Trailhead northward) and my GPS read it as 6.5 miles. It's 3.5 miles from Smith Bridge to the Natural Well trailhead, and then another 3 miles to the terminus. I get 7.2 miles for the old section, so I make the total length as 13.7 miles. Some report it as longer. The confusion may be due to the old railroad mileposts, which don't correspond to the miles on the trail.
The new section has the same smooth surface as the old section. I think it's the best surface of any of the rail-trails in Virginia. The average grade on the new section is about 0.3%, so it's barely noticeable. The scenery is excellent. The trail follows the Jackson up until the last half mile or so, where the Jackson curves west to the dam and the trail continues north along Cedar Creek.
There are two picnic tables at the northern terminus, which is a nice spot although there are better views along the way. These are the only picnic tables or benches on the new section at present. There are some surfaced areas near the small trestles that suggest that tables or benches may be added later. There's a porta-potty at the Natural Well trailhead.
I did encounter an obnoxious beagle a couple of miles north of the Smith Bridge trailhead. I need some James Bond style accessories on my bike for these situations. Other than that, it was a great ride. Allegheny County has done a great job on the trail. I hope they add some tables and benches on the new section, and perhaps come up with a better trail map and mile markers.
We loved biking this trail this summer in August. It was shaded , well maintained and beautiful. Following the river was awesome. We camped at Foster Falls which was primitive camping and well maintained. The river was there to cool off after a long bike ride and the sound of the river lulled one to sleep. Also, within 15 minutes was a town that had a grocery store to buy supplies that were needed or to eat out if one wanted. Biking this trail in autumn would be picturesque.
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