Love riding the Virginia Creeper Trail. Most people ride it from Whitetop Mountain down to Damascus, but it's just as enjoyable riding the section from Abingdon to Damascus, and back. Both routes offer beautiful scenery and make for a great ride. ‍ read more

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April, 2025. We visited Abington, Virginia quite a few years ago. After discovering the Virginia Creeper Trail at that time, we promised that we'd return "someday" to bike at least part of the trail. This trail is a nationally-acclaimed Rails-to-Trails that extends for 34 miles and over 47 trestle bridges. While best known as a biking trail, it's actually a multi-use trail with bikers, walkers, stroller pushers, runners, equestrians, and more, especially near the access points. In the past, the trail started near Whitetop, went about 18 miles to the center point near Damascus, and ended in the charming town of Abingdon (or vice versa). Unfortunately, Damascus was hard hit by Hurricane Helene, and 18 trestle bridges were destroyed as well as many portions of the trail so the Whitetop to Damascus portion of the trail is currently closed. The 18-mile stretch from Damascus to Abington IS open. While there are bike rental companies, as well as shuttle services to take you to the trail's start, we brought our own bikes. We decided to ride the 8.5 mile segment from Abingdon (elevation: 2,020' to Alvarado Station (the old train stop at 1,750') and back. This "lower" section is considered a relatively easy to moderate stretch through rolling farmland and forests and over beautiful trestle bridges. As mentioned, our turning point was Alvarado Station, where we enjoyed our picnic lunch on a bench river-side. The stop also had drinks and snacks available for sale, a water refill station, restrooms, and a big, friendly dog eyeing our lunches! The trail is wide in most areas, and is very well-maintained. There are multiple access points with parking lots, information kiosks, regular mileage markers, benches, photo ops, and some restrooms. In a relatively recent development, e-bikes are now allowed on the trail. With its restaurants, breweries, shops, local theater, and more, make some extra time to visit Abingdon! read more

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An amazingly beautiful day!! The trail is a beauty! I walked from the site of Black's Fort to the entrance to the Great Knobs. read more

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The name for this trail seems bizarre; who wants to walk while imagining someone creeping up behind you? I figured maybe it was named for a vine that grows along the trail or something, but in fact this is a rail to trail park and the train that used to use this right of way was called the creeper because of the windy path it took up the nearby mountains. The segment I tried was quite pleasant. A wide trail with soft ground and a bit of light gravel, it offered views of majestic farms on one side and a local school and skate park on the other. Parking was ample, and bathroom facilities were near the end of the trail. It runs a substantial distance and I didn't have time for all of it, but it appears to be an excellent resource. read more

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Super well maintained and absolutely delightful trail. Great for all levels (if you go downhill) but def need a hybrid or mountain bike to ride. We opted to park in Damascus and get shuttled to the top. The drive took about 15-20 mins. This meant we got to cycle down to our car. Loved seeing the scenery (it's a rail to trail). There's a ton of river spots, bridges and shops/cafes. Plenty of spots or stop for a snack or meal along the way. Friendly bikers and walkers. Super clean and wide. Feels safe and an excellent way to check out to check in to nature. read more

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"It's two trails really, that meet in Damascus, a mountain bike trail, and a farm fields trail", Charles, Shuttle Driver. No more true words were spoken but we didn't hear them until second day. Since my wife and I did have two different experiences I am going to parse this review out that way. We stayed in Abingdon as a home base. Bikes: Cannondale Topstone 3, 37mm WTB Riddler gravel tires. 21 SEP : Sunny, 80 degrees, 1500 start, 21 miles We took off from the Abingdon (AB) trailhead, large, gravel/dirt parking lot and headed towards Damascus (DS). The original goal was 10 out and return. We had been in the car all day (from Ft. Meade, MD) so we just wanted to see the trail a bit and get a little saddle time. Leaving AB is a low grade downhill for a few miles then, for the most part reasonably flat with a little climb after Alvarado and going towards DS. This is the farm field trail, it is a combination of open fields, rolling along a forested river. Mostly shady but there are some open areas. It is lovely, an easy peddle and any level of rider would enjoy this portion. The other interesting thing is passing through peoples back/front yards, and at times the trail reduces to a single dirt lane in a field or along a road. 22 SEP: Partly Cloudy/Breezy, 65-73 degrees, 1000 start, 34 Miles We took a shuttle from AB to Whitetop (WT), this was the advice we got from most reviews we read, and postings we saw in FB regarding use of the trail. People say the trail from WT to DS is a "downhill". What I would say is depending on your bike, your age, your riding level and comfort with rocky/slippery terrain this is true with a caveat. The first 4 miles or so is a brake feathering, almost breakneck, lunge (got to 24mph). [caveat: On our bikes, maybe not true on ebikes/mountain/upright hybrids] We stopped a few times to take pictures, and flex tense body parts. It calms down a bit after that but remains rocky, and a bit slippery because it was wet although it hadn't rained since 12 SEP. The last portion coming into DS is relatively flat. There are 40 trestles total, some still have the metal frame but all are wooden surface, sturdy and good railings. I had no concerns, and while my spouse was nervous beforehand, she did great and I am so very proud of her strength of will. I was doing the return on investment thing in my thinking. I was looking at it as 24 hours of leave, driving 780 miles, two nights hotel, and meals to ride 55 miles on bikes. My spouse reminded me, and I love her for it..."you were counting the wrong beans". The trail was very nice and a great resource. The 3 days overall experience was priceless. read more

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If you want to take a peaceful walk or bike ride please visit the Creeper Trail. The trail is a gem! My only concern is that if you see a person a person heading towards you stay on your side of the trail and let them through. I saw a man stay on the trail looking almost like he wanted to play chicken with an oncoming rider. read more

Time for a nice walk and get out of the car for a bit, I stopped here to check out the interesting locomotive on display. Bummer that it's behind a fence but I suppose that keeps it from getting damaged by people. The trailhead here in Abingdon has a large parking lot and it was in use today by a number of bikers and what looked like an organized bunch with a van that dropped them off and will pick them up down the trail. The trail runs for 34 miles from here in Abingdon through Damascus, and ending just past Whitetop Station in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, at the Virginia-North Carolina border. It might be used for pedestrians but it definitely looked to be getting more use from cyclists. Enjoy! [Review 14973 overall, 475 of 2021, number 1273 in Virginia.] read more

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Unique hiking experience! While hiking, my husband and I read up on the trail and were surprised by how rich its history is. We hiked about 3 miles until it started raining but we loved the trail, its tranquility, history, and sights. read more

Virginia Creeper Trail - Hiking Near Me - Abingdon, Virginia

The trail was used by trains which had to go slowly up and down the mountain (creeping speed) hauling the cut large old growth trees. Most back roads are very similar to the ones in Dollywood region, built alongside of creeks with small meadows. Due to hills and valleys, cell phones may not work. Remember these areas are other people's homeland and please be respectful. Ask kindly and they will be happy to help. read more

This is a venue that is a must do! It is so much fun and peaceful, a complete joy! It is reasonably priced and we usually rent from Adventure Damascus, great equipment and shuttle service! read more

It's all downhill. You hardly need to pedal. Then it flattens out. Anyone including octogenarians and kiddos can do this in a heartbeat. I didn't pack snacks. Or fancy gear. Just sunglasses and a waterpack. Yup. I showed up. Rented a bike. And off we go. What I'm trying to say is: don't sweat all the small stuff. What a darling trail. Surrounded by greenery, a flowing brook, scattered patches boulders to climb, and a few meandering goats, you'll pass across bridges, tunnels and spend most of your time breathing in clear air that smells like pure nature. Along the way you can stop and read informational signage or visit nearby landmarks. I don't classify this as a challenging trail. It's a leisurely trail. And a beautiful escape from the daily grind. read more

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I am an avid cyclist and love riding gravel. I absolutely loved this trail and cannot wait to come back again. I stayed in Abingdon and rode the 67 mile round trip. It took me about 5 hours and 27 minutes including a lunch stop on the way back in Damascus. I didn't push hard and stopped for a few pictures. The climb up after Damascus is long with no breaks in the climbing, but it is not very steep. I averaged 11 mph on the climb without trying too hard. (I am a 51 year old that is 40 lbs overweight.) When going up the climb, you to have to be careful because people in big groups coming down seem to think the trail is one way. I had people on my side and they wouldn't move over as they seemed to not even see me. Other times, people would move out of their line right in front of me. So, be attentive since they are not. There were places open to refill with water but fountains were shut off due to the pandemic. (I put a cloth mask in my saddle bag.) I read some reviews that say the trail is too rough. I don't really know what they are talking about. Maybe they expected a greenway. It is much smoother than any typical gravel ride I've ever done. There are a few rough spots and it is mostly on the steeper portion between Damascus and Whitetop. It is nothing major though and still not bad at all. I rode my gravel bike with 38c tires and 42 psi in the rear, 40 psi front (set up tubless) and I weigh 225 lbs. The only time I wished for less pressure was on part of the descent. I didn't lower it as I felt the higher pressure would be better for the ride from Damascus to Abingdon. Especially considering there is a little climbing back into Abingdon. The entire trip was 67.5 miles according to my Wahoo which included going to the state line. If it matters to you, it is an easy ride from Whitetop station to the line and back as it is fairly flat. The climb to Whitetop is not bad at all. I never even used my easiest gear (1x setup) and averaged 11 mph without a pushing too hard. So, anyone in reasonable shape should be just fine and I think it is worth a try if you are. To me, the ride down is much more rewarding when you earned it. The scenery is beautiful and worth slowing down to enjoy. There are few gates to go through but they don't surprise you and it is no big deal. One farmer was with his cattle as I slowly rode through them. He was friendly and we chatted for a minute. I got lots of waves and smiles from locals. I cannot wait to come back with my brother. read more

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This is not a business but a rail to trail conversion It's a great place to ride walk bike etc. read more

The ride itself is fairly easy. In fact, I'd say it's more for the laziest of bike riders, lol because it's pretty much a gradually descending downhill ride with not much peddling required. You can stop at various points along the way to rest or snap pictures. You ride across several small wooden bridges. There's an old post office/country store early along the trail where you can stop for snacks, souvenirs and ask questions of the friendly rangers. It's worth a look anyway and there's also bathrooms nearby. Continue coasting down the trail and you'll encounter a cafe which is pretty popular and visited by most riders from what I could tell. It's your basic cafeteria food, sandwiches, hotdogs, etc. there's even a meatloaf sandwich which my friend got and it looked super dried out. I had a slaw dog which was marginal at best. The hotdog was some 14cent overpriced phony knockoff and covered in slaw. Wifey had a grilled cheese and it was nothing to write home about either. Our other friends had a wrap which they seemed to enjoy. I would definitely pack my own lunch if I had it to do over... Anyway, the ride was nice under the tree covered canopy trail. The trail itself was safe and well maintained. It was definitely worth the adventure and day outdoor. We used one of the outfitters in town to rent bikes which were very reasonable. It makes for a great outdoor activity and way to enjoy some nature. I'd recommend this Trail. read more

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What an excellent trail. Well cared for, clean, and convenient to several locations due to its length.

If you have ever heard of the Virginia Creeper Trail, it's likely that you've heard someone rave of the awesomeness that is the Virginia Creeper Trail. And here's a spoiler alert, I'm gonna brag on it too! The trail itself is an old railroad that has been converted and turned into a biking trail. You can ride up it, and some people do. But I don't trust those people. They're not likely human. I mean, why would you ride 17+ miles uphill when you can take a shuttle to the top and coast down? It's that easy! You can pedal and speed up your journey, or you can take your time and enjoy the scenery. And the let me tell you, the scenery is worth taking it. Crossing back and forth over the Appalachian Trail and the river, the trail is absolutely stunning. Pack a picnic and enjoy it on a giant rock in the river because there's nowhere to stop and eat until you are back into Damascus. If this sound intimidating, just know that if you can balance on a bike, you can do this! It's not strenuous. It's a great family activity! There are at least 20 beautiful wooden or metal bike bridges that you cross over and countless places to pull over and take a break. I usually stop several times and it averages me about 4 hours from top to bottom. There are port-a-potties every 8 miles, I think. It's an amazing way to spend the day outside! Once you do it once, you'll want to do it over and over! read more

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Biking the creeper trail was a wonderful experience. I hadn't done much biking in years, so I was nervous about how I could possibly bike so far and how steep the trail would be. I didn't need to worry. Adventure Damascus dropped us off at the top of the mountain with our bikes. The ride down was an easy, relaxing, scenic glide down. We enjoyed crossing trestle bridges, viewing the river, the fauna, and foliage. We also enjoyed reading the placards with information about the stead's history and wildlife. We took a look around the old train station/general store and chatted with the trail volunteers. This was a fun, amazing experience and we have recommended this trip to several of our friends. read more

This may be the fastest, most solid five start rating I have ever smashed on Yelp. I've enjoyed two Memorial Day weekend vacations with family & friends spent biking The Creeper Trail and the experience is so thoroughly enchanting and dear that I cannot wait to go back to enjoy it again someday. Here's why: - You do not need to be in tip-top shape to bike this trail. Any first-timers concerned about having to break a sweat pedaling or generally wary of haulin' up any kind of incline (no matter how slight) should consider going for just the Whitetop to Damascus half of the trail. It's a gradual downhill ride so breezy that it makes 17 miles feel easier than a waltz and a cake walk. Speaking of cake, if food is a major motivator for you, there is a little diner along this span of the trail called the Creeper Trail Cafe that serves all kinds of comforting Appalachian-style Southern picnic foods, but their "world famous chocolate cake" takes on heavenly levels of palpable indulgence when eaten after you've been cruising your bike for 12 or so miles through such glorious nature as the Creeper Trail has to offer. - The trail is well marked, steeped in history, and surrounded by rustic pastoral vistas, natural waterfalls, babbling brooks, antique bridges, and, if you go in Spring, flowers, flowers, flowers! Sometimes it's easy for me to slip into daydreams if I catch a scent similar to the smell memories I have of the intoxicating high grass and blossoming honeysuckle vines that line the farmlands along Abingdon to Damascus half of the trail. Pure bliss. Also, it crosses and overlaps the Appalachian Trail in several spots--cool! - It's fun for the whole family! Every time I've biked the trail I've been in the company of many family and friends including my 80+ year old dad and my brother's young kids and we all rave about how rad the experience is. The only downside to the family funtime appeal is that the trail can get crowded on weekends and holidays. If you can make time during the week to do the Whitetop to Damascus part of the Creeper Trail (the more popular span), I 1000% guarantee it will be less crowded thus more enjoyable. Even the Friday before Memorial Day weekend was waaay more chill rider-wise. - You can build biking the Creeper Trail into a larger vacation touring Appalachian delights. Whether your taste in vacations skews towards outdoorsy activities, music history, arts & culture, regional food/festivals, roadside attractions, theme parks or other miscellaneous Americana, this corner of the US offers a bounty of attractions among which the Creeper Trail is, by any measure, a treasured diamond in the rough. I recommend renting your bikes (if you need to) and staying overnight in Damascus for two to three nights. That way you can be shuttled to the trail ends and bike the trail in halves over the course of two days, each day ending in Damascus. A word of caution: speaking as a dummy who nearly busted my own ass falling into a river while trying to balance on a slippery rock to get a better photo of one of the more majestic waterfalls along the Creeper Trail, don't risk your safety of the safety of others for unimportant stuff. Have fun, but mind the rules and have some sense. People can and do get hurt on the trail; just imagine how difficult a rescue effort would be in this remote mountain area and act accordingly. read more

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Always a blast! Must see in the fall months. I have been Terri years now and have enjoyed myself both times! We use Chelsea +Rob's Airbnb in downtown abingdon and they are amazing. The trigg room and the book room. The trail is charming and wonderful in every way. Happy biking!! read more

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Great Trail! Started at Whitetop to Damascus. .had a nice ride down! Started early in the morning...take a thin jacket because even in the summer its cool coming off top! Loved it! read more

Virginia Creeper Trail - So many places to stop and explore.. - Hiking Near Me - Abingdon, Virginia

What a nice leisurely stroll down the mountain. It will take you a few gorgeous hours to get from the top to be bottom over 17 miles of off-road trail friendly for the whole family. If you have your own bike, park at the bottom and go up and back down to get a little bit of a workout. It's not too hard in most places and worth the ride. Pick up your own trash and be mindful of the water provided to you and the items you bring. They will fall off your bike. read more

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Riding the Virginia Creeper Trail was a wonderful experience. One I can't wait to do again in the Fall cause I can only imagine how beautiful the trail will be at that time. We decided to be crazy (i.e. stupid) and ride the trail uphill from Damascus to White Top. I run a couple days a week but hadn't been on a bike in at least 9 months. The ride uphill was beautiful and wasn't really painful until the last 5 miles. I definitely recommend getting gel seats in addition to padded shorts. I struggled through the last 5 miles but finally made it to the top! At the top of the mountain, there is a book in the store where you can sign your name if you rode uphill. After getting recharged, we made our way back down to Damascus. The downhill ride was thrilling and fast. Absolutely loved it. However, riding uphill made me appreciate the beauty of the trail more since I was going slower. Riding uphill also enhanced the downhill experience. About 35 miles later, I was more appreciative of the diversity and beauty of nature. It made me more purposeful about my intent on traveling and seeing the world. And definitely sealed the fact that I will be back to ride this trail in the fall. Happy riding! read more

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Obviously tons of fun. Great place to walk, run, bike, even horseback ride. Wonderful for kids anf adults. Always fairy flat surface and reasonably smooth' except patches of mud after rain. Mile markers help keep track of progress from trail head. My kids love all the "giant bridges." read more

Virginia Creeper Trail - Hiking Near Me - Abingdon, Virginia

Beautiful place for a wonderful bike ride through the woods. I recommend you have a reservation for a rental bike as we were lucky to get one on this gorgeous day. Everyone had a great time. read more

Virginia Creeper Trail - Creeper Trail start off from Damascus - Hiking Near Me - Abingdon, Virginia

One of the best bike trails in the country. Very easy to ride up or down and it's really a great view from anywhere on the trail. Lovely to walk or bike any time of the year. read more

This trail is certainly one of a kind. Even though me and my cohort from the Entrepreneurship for the Public Good (EPG) program in Berea College rode only half of it (thus 17 mi out the total 34 mi), I certainly still did enjoy it and I was so thrilled to be there. It is definitely an experience one would remember for a lifetime. Riding your bike in the neighborhood is one thing and riding your bike with a bunch of friends through the woods, along creeks and over bridges is another whole new story. Glad I rode the trail. Now it's your turn! read more

I'm not going to squander my 1000 review on just any place. It's justly reserved for the Virginia Creeper Trail. Make this a fall tradition! Make it a spring tradition...heck, go in the summer even. I heard about this place from one of my colleagues; she kept raving about how wonderful it is. This past October, I planned a trip to check this trail out for myself. A lot of planning was involved: to take my own bike or to rent, to get a hotel or find a vacation rental, to take my Westie or to leave him at home. There are plenty of bike rentals in the area so if you don't want the hassle of adding a hitch to your car and getting a bike rack, like me, you don't have to. My husband and I decided to take our own bikes, get a vacation rental, and take our pup. What an adventure! We hired one of the rental companies to take our bikes to the top. I highly recommend that you park in Damascus and take the shuttle up to Whitetop. It was much better to have our car waiting for us when we were done, rather than have to take the shuttle at the end after the long ride. The shuttle ride will take approximately 20-30 minutes. Also, if there is rain or has rained, make sure to take towels. You will finish with a bunch of mud all over. If you ride too closely behind another biker, you will get a lot of mud on your face. It was hilarious to see little kids tandem riding with their parents with their faces covered in mud. Plan ahead and bring a backpack full of snacks and lunch. Otherwise, there is one stop halfway that serves food, but everyone else goes there too. If you have your own, you can stop wherever along the trail. Dogs are allowed on the trail, but as long as you have them on a leash (and clean up after them), which is pretty tricky while you are riding your bike. We had a doggie cart attached to our bikes, but for the ENTIRE 17 miles, our short-legged Westie wanted to run alongside. Never once did he get in the cart. It took us approximately 3.5-4 hours, stopping many times to let other bikers pass so our pup wouldn't block their way. The ride is leisurely and maybe a few times we ended up actually pedaling because it is a slight decline most of the way. Take in the scenery and make sure to bring your camera. You'll see pumpkin patches, Christmas tree farms, and if it's the fall you'll see the most brilliant colors of the leaves changing. It was absolutely the highlight of the fall and a trip that we plan on making an annual tradition. It's great for the solo traveler, duo, or families with children of all ages. read more

Had a great time with my teenage daughter biking the trail today. Sundogs made it easy to rent a bike and drove us to the top for the easy ride down. Loved it... can't wait to do it again. read more

What an awesome ride! Flying down a mountain for 18 miles might sound terrifying but it's an amazing experience. You hardly have to pedal as you coast down the trail alongside a creek the majority of the way. It's beautiful, cool and the path is entirely enclosed by trees so it feels like you might run across a Hobbit leaving the Shire if you're paying attention. This is not something you want to miss. read more

Virginia Creeper Trail - Hiking Near Me - Abingdon, Virginia

Literally a trail for any age and any level of biker thanks for the primarily downhill voyage. 17+ miles through national forrest and private property offers views of scenic woodland, forests, streams, open fields and plenty of places to stop, rest and take in the views. From a regular and extreme mountain biker's (my husband) point of views, this was a beautiful, easy and enjoyable ride that I would recommend to anyone. read more

Best thing since sliced bread. It's a 17-mile rail trail (34 miles if you bike all the way to Abingdon) that has a gradual descent from Whitetop Depot on Mount Rogers. You really don't have to pedal at all. Just point the bike in the right direction and stay on the trail. There are several bridges over the river and all are completely safe. You have a better chance of going off the trail anywhere else along the trail so the bridges are no concern. It is a beautiful trail with lots of little openings to babbling brook scenes all the way down. The trail does go flat as you enter Damascus but it's an easy pedal through town. Damascus has done a great job of making the trail especially beautiful as it winds through town. read more

Simply the best trail on the east coast for runners. The first 17 miles are relatively flat and great for long runs and tempos. Most of the trail is shaded and great for hard exercise. read more

Absolutely love the creeper! It's great for riding bikes riding horses, walking or walking pets plus it runs beside the AP trail! Love the bridges and the trails are well kept ! read more

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Great experience.. we rode from white top to Damascus.. it was a beautiful day.. we actually were a little cool in the shady spots.. but absolutely beautiful ride.. most of the ride was down hill.. it was somewhat crowded.. but not too bad.. read more

BeAutiful trail. All downhill and a ton of spots to stop, get in or look at the water. Bring bug spray if you are prone to bug bites. We loved this trail it was easy and lots of things to look at got to talk to some of the locals and some of the folks that were hiking the Appalachian Trail. The restaurant to stop at half way down the half day ride was good, if you lag behind the group you come up the shuttle with, it won't be so busy in the restaurant. We had a lot of fun and people brought their young kids, older kids and we even saw some older folks riding and having a good time. read more

We love the creeped trail! It's so flat, quiet, and shaded. Perfect for runs or family walks.

Just got back from walking this trail with my brother and his sons. I would do it again and it was a lot of hiking. If you are passing by or local please give this trail a chance. read more

I have been on this trail twice and loved it both times. It is a beautiful mostly wooded trail that runs along a creek. There are some great places to stop and dip your feet, sit on big rocks or enjoy a picnic. It is suitable for all ages as the trail is downhill going back into town. read more

A Beautiful Creep to the Top! We, (2 adults, 1 young adult, 1 older teen) biked this trail yesterday, starting at the beginning in Abingdon, VA. We bought a map at the welcome center, but we didn't use it as we found the trail is well-marked. Starting at 2000 feet in Abingdon, you go down about 200 feet for the first 8 miles. The trail then levels out until you reach the town of Damascus, some 17 miles from Abingdon. The surface of the trail is described as being crushed limestone, however large parts of it are packed dirt with lots of small stones and in many places bigger stones sticking out of the dirt, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. We rode on hybrid bikes (special road/trail bikes), but a mountain bike may be more comfortable. Initially the trail is fairly wide, but it narrows significantly after a few miles. By the time you reach the first farm about 5 miles out, the trail is no more than old-timey wagon tracks, meaning a grassy strip with on each side a dirt track of 1 foot wide, sometimes narrowing to 8 inches. The whole trail goes through national forest as well as private property. At the first farm in a pretty valley surrounded by rolling hills, you'll encounter a metal gate you'll have to manually open, and you'll probably have to dismount your bike. You'll encounter two more such gates each about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the other. After the last gate, you're back in forest. The trail widens and narrows, and changes surface from crushed limestone to mostly packed, bumpy dirt, to more wagon tracks by the time you reach Damascus. You also cross many trestle bridges which are all numbered (there are 47 over the 34 mile length of the trail!) The longest one (I think it was #7) crosses the Holston river and which affords a nice view. You're probably 40-50 feet above the river. The trail runs mostly parallel to the river until Damascus at mile 17. After the town of Damascus, the trail at one point becomes a narrow strip of barely a foot wide for 1/4 mile or so before it widens out again. Before Damascus, the trail is pretty, riding alternately through forest with the river on your left and some impressive rocky cliffs on your right and a valley or two. There are also a few "stations" (Alvaro comes to mind) where there are restrooms and picnic tables. A few miles past Damascus, when you're mostly in national forest, we started noticing a lot of bikers coming the opposite direction. We had read something about shuttles and soon we realized that all these people had taken a shuttle ride with their own or rented bikes from Damascus to Whitetop station at the top, and just riding the trail the 17 miles downhill back to Damascus. We were the only ones going up! It had also started raining quite hard. The trail, being mostly packed, rocky dirt the remaining 17 miles and at times barely 6 feet wide, also became very muddy in many places. Soon we were splattered with mud. Some of the bikers going downhill, including large groups of adults with young children, didn't make it easier and some kids were going way too fast, at least one wiped out. From Damascus, the trail rises gradually from about 1900 feet to about 3700 feet. The scenery is absolutely stunning with towering pine trees and tall, craggy cliffs surrounding you, and the trail runs along a fast-moving creek (I don't remember the name) with large rocks in it. You continue to cross trestle bridges going over this creek in many places. In places, there are benches for resting and enjoying the view. Before I forget, around mile 22 or so, you'll ride through a gorgeous, very picturesque valley, definitely worthy of a 360 camera view. By the time you reach mile 30, the creek has ended, but the scenery is still beautiful, alternating between towering trees and mountains surrounding you, then riding through or grassy fields with old timey barns and big rolls of hay. Then all of a sudden you reach Whitetop station, at mile 33.4. The station is a small white building where I think you can buy drinks & snacks, although we didn't use it as we had a picnic lunch. The are 2 covered picnic benches nearby, and 50 feet further there are 2 outhouses (non-flushable toilets and no sinks) as well as the parking lot for the shuttle vans. There's no spectacular view at the end, unfortunately. We found out the last .6 mile of the trail is not maintained. We decided to ride it anyway to get exactly 34 miles in. It's very narrow and you'll cross the last trestle bridge #47, and it ends at a state road. We started around 10:30 am and got to the top around 2:30 with several pee breaks and time to put on rain jackets. After our picnic lunch, we rode 34 miles back read more