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The Huckleberry Trail winds through a mix of urban, agricultural, forested, and wetland landscapes. In addition to the 8.2-mile main trail spine, between Blacksburg and Christiansburg was expanded to include two additional segments, Huckleberry North and Huckleberry South.
About the Route
The 8.3-mile main spine of the Huckleberry Trail leaves off in the north from the Blacksburg Library, just a couple blocks from the Virginia Tech campus. Along the northernmost 2 miles, trail users may hear a marching band in the distance or notice a game at the nearby Lane Stadium. Continuing along this meandering trail, the trail leaves the town of Blacksburg and enters a rural landscape, passing quiet homes, open fields, and pockets of forests.
After a large tunnel passing under US 460, the trail reaches a roundabout. Here, trail users can either turn right to hop on the northern spur of the Huckleberry Trail or turn left to stay on the main Huckleberry Trail heading south. The 5-mile Huckleberry North segment reaches a trailhead at Heritage Community Park and Natural Area, a 169-acre park on the north side of Blacksburg. At the northern end of the park, trail users will find both the Gateway Trailhead and the Blacksburg-Rotary Mountain Bike Skills Park.
Continuing south on the original Huckleberry Trail, trail users will hit the Coal Mining Heritage Park and Loop Trail at mile 5—just before reaching a railroad bridge over the still-active Norfolk Southern rail line. The park borders the Huckleberry Trail on both sides and contains old mining equipment and interpretive signage.
The trail continues to the west of New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg, running adjacent to the active rail line. Using the Renva W. Knowles Bridge over VA 114, the trail continues behind big-box stores to Cambria Street NW and a trailhead at the Christiansburg Recreation Center.
The Huckleberry Trail southern spur picks up at the intersection of Cambria Street NW and Providence Boulevard and winds through residential neighborhoods to the new southern terminus at Christiansburg High School.
Unlike most rail trails, the Huckleberry Trail is quite hilly. While certain sections of the trail were built on former rail line alignments, the trail also rolls through agricultural fields where the climbs are short but the grades can be as steep as 6%. Where the grades are greater than 5%, turnouts are provided. The Huckleberry Trail connects to a series of natural-surface trail systems, including the McDonald Hollow Trail Network, the Gateway Trail, and the Poverty Creek Trail System.
Trail History
In the early 1900s, the Virginia Anthracite Coal and Railway Company built a rail line to transport coal from the Merrimac Mines and provide mail and passenger service to Blacksburg. The line was also used by the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech, who unofficially renamed the Blacksburg train station Huckleberry Junction because the train often stalled or ran so slowly that the cadets could step off the train and eat from the abundance of huckleberries that grew along the line. Trail users can still find some huckleberry bushes growing along the trail today.
The Huckleberry Trail runs between 2701 Meadowbrook Dr. (Blacksburg), which offers parking, and Independence Blvd. SW (Christiansburg).
Parking is also available at:
Blacksburg Transit also provides access to the trail.
Please see TrailLink map for all parking options and detailed directions.
We have been on a lot of rail trails, scenic yes... but not for the average rider...
We love The Huckleberry Trail! We are the proud owners of A bed and breakfast in a historical queen Ann Victorian home. The Oaks Victorian Inn- 1893 built of the famous Wilderness Trail and just 1 mile from the current head of the Huckleberry. Electric assist bikes are easily rented to enjoy the full 14 mile length of the paved route. We have many guest use the trail to access Virginia Tech football games or campus events by bike. The views and changes in landscape is just magical and what you dreamed of seeing on a coutry trek in Virginia. What a great addition to have in the Christiansburg/Blacksburg communities.
Parked at the Rec center and biked to the Gateway parking area - 11 miles one way. On the return, we took the trail headed into Blacksburg for a short distance - first trail I’ve seen with roundabouts. Yes, it is hilly - but it adds the opportunity for some good downhill coasting ! The mileage markers are interesting/inconsistent between sections. There are cement ones, road sign types, and sometimes it wasn’t super obvious which way the trail went. Trail Link kept us on the trail!
The Huckleberry Trail is the result of a partnership between Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Montgomery County that provides a beautiful paved greenway for bikers, runners and walkers. Note...it is not a rail trail, there are hills! We did a YouTube video of our ride that you can find on our channel, Bent on Bike Trails.
This is a very nice trail. Well maintained, great views, good mix of terrain. Thanks Virginia.
Very surprised at how well maintained the trail was. WE really liked the rolling hills and the countryside mixed with a little urban too. We are on our way to Indian Head Trail in Maryland but stopped here to do the Huckleberry Trail to gain some miles. Very good trail for walkers, runners AND cyclists! 4 out of 5 stars for this ride! MEW from Georgia
My husband and I biked this trail last week. We picked it up at the NRV mall (note to others - be sure to park by the movie theatre and not behind the dept store - steep uphill if you park there - flat by the theatre). This trail is beautiful and goes through woods, pastures, and a little bit of "city" in Blacksburg. You can see Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium. This was a gorgeous trail but was a bit hilly between miles 3 and 5. No problem for my husband but I had to walk a few hills. We did go "off trail" on the coal mine loop - it was a little dicey but fun! Highly recommended but be warned about the hills.
Last year (2010) the town of Christiansburg extended the trail to parallel the remaining active railroad to where it crosses VA 114. It now ends at the NRV mall's movie theaters ands adds around 6/10s to the length. There is also ample parking at the new trailhead at the theaters. In comment to an earlier reviewer stating it is hilly and not a rail-trail; well it is a rail-trail but portions of the original line were severed by the Virginia Tech airport and the 460 bypass after it was abandoned years ago, so the ends had to be connected. The town also wants to cross VA 114 with the trail and make it end further into town.
"This trail is a delight at all times, but I recommend it most during the month of June. Start at the Blacksburg end (right near the public library) and enjoy the range of wildflowers and the hedgerows of berries and blossoms. Vistas of meadows with the Blue Ridge mountains in the background make this a serene and peaceful experience."
"This ranks as one of our favorite trails in VA. It's relatively short, but asphalt can't be beat on a bicycle and the country scenery is an attraction. There is an old anthracite coal Mine that has been blocked off that is of historical note. We met the very friendly police chief of Blacksburg (Chief Brown) and several other folk."
"We ride with a recumbant and a handcycle and had difficulty with this one. One reviewer wrote that there were a ""few hills.""
It turns out there are a lot of hills and the grades are about 8%. Most rail-trails we have riden have far fewer hills and it seems unlikely a train actually used this one. Too bad, it was a pretty trail and in a lovely part of Virginia.
The town of Blacksburg has some nice eating spots and parking by the library was convenient, but you do have to ride on the street for a block or two. On the other end at the mall is probably the safest access, but the long steep hill is intimidating."
"The Huckleberry Trail is a nice, scenic trail for biking or in-line skating. There is an excellent paved surface that averages a ~2% upward grade toward Blacksburg, with a few short, moderate hills.
The trail is scenic and quiet on the Christiansburg half; users will see open fields and have views into downtown Blacksburg.
Skate it in dry weather.
Recommended!"
"The Huckleberry trail running between downtown Blacksburg, Va and the New River Valley Mall on US 460 in Christiansburg, Va runs for 5.76 miles. It is great for train watching. The trail crosses over the Norfolk Southern Whitethorne line (former Virginian railway)where heavy long coal trains climb to the summit of the eastern divide. The bridge offers a great vantage point to view the locomotives. A mile south of the bridge the trails ends at the mall where the Huckleberry line (Blacksburg branch) is still in limited use. If you are lucky you might witness a train delivering cars to the Corning plant. The line was build to serve the coal mines in the Merrimac area just north of the NS tracks. The community got its' name from the civil war ironclad ""Merrimac"" of which burned coal from the mines in this area.
The trail is paved, quiet, and friendly. "
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