In early October 2021 my wife and I bicycled from Galax to Fries and back on day one and then from Foster Falls to Buck Dam and back on day two. This is a real gem and an easy ride with spectacular views. When riding uphill the grade is very mild and we never strained or had to shift into a very low gear.

The surface is crushed gravel which is smoother in some places than other and there are lots of fallen walnuts scattered on the trail. I rode with 32mm tires and didn't have any trouble, however, I wouldn't want to ride the trail on anything thinner.

We can't wait to return soon and complete those sections we didn't get to the first time.

My wife and I did an out and back from Draper. The trail was perfect. We rode under a broken canopy of trees for miles, crossed several bridges, passed several picnic spots, stopped for pictures, met several nice people, and four very nice persons on horseback who smiled, and graciously let us move past them, in a way that didn’t spook their horses. One caution, on the longer bridge with only side rails there was a large number of wasps, and yellow jackets later in the day when the temperature was going up.

Wonderful trail! Trail was well kept and smooth riding. Camp sites about every 10 miles or so, some with bathrooms/picnic tables/fire pit. Just know and prepare for no cell service 95% of the time. Enjoy your ride!

Four of us drove from Raleigh NC to ride on 12-14 Sept 2021. On Sunday afternoon we rode Mile Marker 3 to MM15 out and back from Caldwell; this trail-head is very close to I64. We then drove 45 miles to Marlinton, and stayed at the Locust Hill B&B. This cabin is rustic with a Fantastic Porch and Awesome views for enjoying coffee and beer. The cabin is only 1/2 mile from trail! We rode out n back MM56 to MM36 toward Caldwell on Monday and out n back MM56 to MM68 toward Cass on Teus. Most of the time these trail sections followed the beautiful, clear Green Brier River! The trail was in GREAT Condition - no ruts, no rumble strips on this trail! Using Marlinton as our 2-night stay location allowed for convenient out n back riding without the use of a shuttle. Next time I plan to ride all the way down-river in one day! I plan to convert my 4-bike rack to a 3-bike rack for easier loading/unloading of bikes. One rider will begin with us, but only ride out for his desired distance and then back to the truck. He will then drive and pick us up at MM 3!

Can someone tell me how far it is from Caldwell to Renick on the trail?

I have biked and hiked every mile of this trail from various entry points. It has always been a pleasant ride with very scenic views. This is truly a gem.

We experienced the New River Trail from Draper to Galax with a tree canopy covering 98% of the trail. The region experienced rain showers with winds the night prior but it was just damp with standing water in low lying areas {Less than a dozen experienced}. The standing water could be easily navigated around but sections of the trails had tree debris plus there were plenty of golfball to softball size rocks randomly along the trail so please keep your eyes on the trail. Water is scarce on the trail so be prepared with hydration and nourishment.

Majority of the trail follows some sort of a water feature such as dammed lakes, rivers, creeks, brooks, streams, rapids etc.

Great ride. The wilderness was awesome and the trail was well maintained. Started at Cass and went south. A fellow rider had a flat that couldn't be fixed. Another trail rider gave him a lift back to Cass where our shuttle driver, Chuck, just happen to be! Thank God for small , no huge, blessings! Overall a good trail trip!

After doing the Virginia Creeper, this was next on my list. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was very impressed. The campground at Foster Falls was a perfect place to stay, with the visitor center and camp store nearby, and the cliffs of the New River rising up to proved a stunning backdrop. Trail itself was well maintained, with good signage, ample rest spots and toilets. Shot Tower makes for a very interesting stop along the way. Looking back at the pictures reminded me of what a nice ride this was.