Find the top rated mountain biking trails in Virginia, whether you're looking for an easy short mountain biking trail or a long mountain biking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a mountain biking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Winchester isn’t friendly to bicyclists or runners. So I think in effort they tried to create a nice running/ biking loop but failed. The sidewalks are dangerous if you try to run on them in the city and the green circle still makes you have to run on such treacherous terrain. Also you still have to cross traffic. Pedestrian bridge would help but I know that’s costly. Bottom line it’s an effort made of a broken circle. Consulting runners would have been helpful.
This trail has enough to keep you interested. It is easy, and long enough for an afternoon. Was well worth the trip down from Charlottesville. Plan to return.
Farmville is in a shallow bowl along the Appomattox River with the High Bridge Trail rising out in two directions. It is uphill on a slight but steady grade. Not a bad grade, but one a casual cyclist would notice. So you park Downtown and ride out in either direction. The High Bridge is east. When nearly worn out, turn around and the down grade works for you. Further, Farmville is a college town (Longwood University) so there are abundant local and chain restaurants when you want to refuel.
We gave this an average rating as compared with other rails to trails and State Parks we have biked in the Mid-Atlantic area because once out of town the scenery does not change much. We have biked most of the Trail and it becomes a long green tunnel in many places. For this reason the Trail is best suited for a quicker pace consistent with biking and horse riding rather than walking. For the best Trail experience include the High Bridge structure, its role in history and its vistas.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g57784-d1908609-r634293226-High_Bridge_Trail_State_Park-Green_Bay_Virginia.html#
November 2017 we paddled this trail west of Chickahominy campground. We thoroughly enjoyed pedaling this trail and the geocaching along the way. You can hear the traffic along most of this trail, but the condition of it is excellent. Enjoyed multiple trips to Cul's Courthouse Grille. This November we finished the trail east to Jamestown. Again a lot of the trail paralleled the highway, but the geocaching was fun.
I confess. I liked it as city river trails go. It's varied. Look at its map and you'll see a reclining squid with arms going on both sides of the river and even down the middle of an island in the river. It helps to learn the various names of the legs so you'll have a clue as to where the heck you are. There are high legs, low legs, jungle legs, urban legs, tunnel legs, bowed legs and unshaven legs. Something for every leg man.
Let's say I lived nearby. I'd be on that trail often for biking and running. In the summer it was nice and firm, flat and wide. On a hot August Monday I saw nearly no one else except a humongous shaggy white free-range dog that chased me a 1/4 mile. The good news is: He didn't bite either me or my tire.
This describes the first 7 miles of the trail from the south. I started at Occoquan Regional Park (more on this later), so traveled about 1.5 mi (all steeply uphill) before actually getting to the southern terminus of the CCT. I have to say that the trail is not well marked. Note that as you fly down Workhouse Rd the trail secretly takes a right without much signage. Also, as has been noted in previous reviews, the path through the prison area was very confusing, again due to lack of signage. After the prison, the trail continues with asphalt - thanks to the person who spray painted directional signals on the asphalt where users must make turns. I had fun crossing the creek several times. With the water level I dismounted only once. Otherwise plowed through the water like a kid! Not long after crossing Pohick Rd (approx 1.5 mi) the trail turned from asphalt to dirt/rocks. Encountered a newly fallen (I swear based on the fresh smell of the leaves and branches that it had fallen the night before) tree that required some nifty maneuvering. I continued on this for a bit, then decided to turn around. Will explore more of the trail later.
But, while parking at Occoquan Regional Park required a 1.5 mile uphill at the start, it provides a 1.5 mile downhill at the end. Plus, and this is the real bonus, you can coast right down to the Brickmaker’s Cafe and have a beer or two before you head out. I recommend the Port City Porter.
Last week I rode from Leesburg to Falls Church on the WO&D -- it's a great trail with long flat segments and rolling hills, going through woods and fields all the way to Tysons and Vienna. Be aware that some of the intersections are dangerous, and toward the western, more rural end, many cars don't even bother stopping. But the trail is well-maintained with many opportunities for stopping (but very few of them with bathrooms, unfortunately).
We have biked parts of this trail twice now. Except for the bridge, it's not a very interesting trail as it's just pretty much a straight, fine gravel path with trees lining it on both sides. What it lacks in interest, it makes up for in ease. Since it's a former railway it is very flat and not very crowded at all. We parked on River Road in Farmville and rode towards the bridge, which is only 1 mile from the parking lot (cost $4 per car year round). It is an ideal path for young families as it's flat, uncrowded and very few roads to cross. We had our 8 year old grandson and he easily rode a total of 10 miles, while the little ones were in the bike trailer. There are lots of fun places to eat in Farmville or bring a picnic and stop along the trail at some picnic tables. There are numerous port-a-johns as well as nicer restrooms along the trail every 2-4 miles (not flush, but clean and located inside a building). Make sure to bring plenty of water. The mosquitos were really pesky when we stopped, so you may want to bring bug spray this time of year. Also, there were literally hundreds of wasps all along the bridge. We didn't experience that the last time we rode, but the ranger said it's typical for this time of year. They don't bother you, but it also made us feel like we wanted to get off the bridge ASAP instead of stopping to take in the views leisurely. The little critters dropped the stars from 4 to 3.
I had a very bad (like, emergency room kind of bad) crash on this greenway near washington park. they have allowed roots to push up the asphalt in a section that is shaded and has poor visibility; none of the damaged area is marked. the city of roanoke should be ashamed of the lack of maintenance. it's a hazard and I would avoid any trail maintained by the city.
If you live in Cville and want to go for a nice short ride in town, you can't beat this one! Beautiful landscapes, nice hills, fun!
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