Anyone have some suggestions on gravel riding or events in the Virginia area? Sound off please. We had a facebook question concerning that from a reader. Thanks!
Where are you located in WV? We have some decent riding up here in the eastern panhandle and a great event you should consider in July...Gravel Race Up Spruce Knob. There's a facebook page dedicated to the race. Check it out.
As far as gravel riding I prefer to head toward the Blue Ridge Parkway and national forests. There are a ton of gravel roads all around the sides of the mountains, ton of fireroad, atv, jeep, etc. too.
I don't know of any formal events off the top of my head. They certainly exist though all over the place.
OK, I'm late to the party and my first post, but I'll contribute my $0.02,
All of these are rails to trails, generally a 1% grade each way, and they're conducive to doing out and back..... mileages are one way. For VA,
Virginia Creeper, 34 mi, Abingdon to White Top, easy enough to do one day out and back.
New River Trail, 58 mi, Pulaski to Galax, add a bit more if you're riding from a civilized place like a Hampton Inn. Take a diversion one of the ways into Fries. You're still in bum**** but it's cool.
Someone asked about WV - Greenbrier River Trail, Lewisburg to Cass. 68 miles, plus additional road options up to Snowshoe. Stay a night in Marlinton. Best ride of the three I mentioned, but all rides are GORGEOUS!!!! I recommend all three during the week if you like a lack of souls..... but the Creeper will always have some traffic.....
ergo wrote:OK, I'm late to the party and my first post, but I'll contribute my $0.02,
All of these are rails to trails, generally a 1% grade each way, and they're conducive to doing out and back..... mileages are one way. For VA,
Virginia Creeper, 34 mi, Abingdon to White Top, easy enough to do one day out and back.
New River Trail, 58 mi, Pulaski to Galax, add a bit more if you're riding from a civilized place like a Hampton Inn. Take a diversion one of the ways into Fries. You're still in bum**** but it's cool.
Someone asked about WV - Greenbrier River Trail, Lewisburg to Cass. 68 miles, plus additional road options up to Snowshoe. Stay a night in Marlinton. Best ride of the three I mentioned, but all rides are GORGEOUS!!!! I recommend all three during the week if you like a lack of souls..... but the Creeper will always have some traffic.....
My mom lives in Woodlawn, VA and I ride the New River trail every time I'm down there. Will be riding it next week! It's a beautiful, relaxed, easy trail. It does get lots of use in good weather but not too much in the winter. My mom runs an AirBNB and gets bike riders frequently. She rents out several rooms. Here's a link to one of them. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12512089
I'm in the Winchester area and there's plenty of gravel roads around here.
I did GRUSK Gravel Race Up Spruce Knob last year and had a blast. It is really remote and on the top of the mt. at Spruce Knob so it was chilly at night. Stay in the dorms as they were nice for $25 a niught and make sure you buy the food option for the weekend. They were good and there is nothing around anywhere close to get food while you are there.
I haven't done it but the Hilly Roubaix is within a couple of weeks of this ride/race and the riders there said it is a little more technical.
ergo wrote:One correction to what I said. The greenbrier trail is 89 miles long. It’s about 68 from Lewisburg to Marlinton.
ergo since I don't know the area is it flat like say the C & O Canal? You said about staying at Marlinton. Would that be say the 60 some miles on the leg out or so you could do an out and back?
ergo since I don't know the area is it flat like say the C & O Canal? You said about staying at Marlinton. Would that be say the 60 some miles on the leg out or so you could do an out and back?
Thanks Zman
It’s not flat, but it’s a constant one percent grade from Lewisburg to Cass. Marlinton is about 68 miles from Lewisburg trailhead, but add about 4 miles (including a significant two mile descent if you ride from town. If you venture off the trail you will have to climb. The trail is all crushed gravel.
ergo wrote: It’s not flat, but it’s a constant one percent grade from Lewisburg to Cass. Marlinton is about 68 miles from Lewisburg trailhead, but add about 4 miles (including a significant two mile descent if you ride from town. If you venture off the trail you will have to climb. The trail is all crushed gravel.
Thanks for this info. Where would a good place to park at the beginning of the ride?
There's parking at the trailhead on the Lewisburg side, although I don't know how comfortable I'd be leaving my vehicle there overnight, and I don't have any facts to back up my paranoia. We left our truck at the Fairfield Inn in Lewisburg, and there are probably plenty of places in Lewisburg to park. But that means the two mile climb coming back. If you started in Cass, you could park at the Bear Creek Lodge near the trailhead.
We rode from Lewisburg to Marlinton on day 1, (68 trail miles plus a few extra). The second day we rode to Cass and back (24 miles each way), so we stayed at the same B&B in Marlinton and didn't have to take our panniers that day. Day 3 was back to Lewisburg, which included the climb (probably 2 miles at steady 6 percent gradient).
If day 2 isn't long enough, Cass to Snowshoe ski resort is another 6 miles at 5% grade. (We didn't do that). When we do this ride again (and we will, the trip was that much fun), we're going to do the same itenerary, but we're going to add an extra day and take a shuttle from Marlinton to Cass and kayak back to Marlinton, staying a third night in Marlinton. There are multiple businesses that do that.
And I'll give a huge endorsement to Jericho B&B, where we rented a cabin for six of us in Marlinton. And be sure to check out the railyard and old sawmill in Cass.
Here are some of the VA Gravel events posted to Bike Reg. As for exploring and finding new gravel roads, I'd suggest North Garden or Crozet, just outside Charlottesville. A lot of stellar riding and gravel roads that do require pavement links.
I highly recommend your start/finish at Pro Ra Nata Brewery!
