Riders pioneer new 480-mile Virginia Mountain Bike Trail

Virginia Mountain Bike Trail from Scott Wootten on Vimeo.

In the fall of 2011 Cyclists pioneered The Virginia Mountain Bike Trail, an off-road connector route spanning the length of Virginia’s Allegheny & Blue Ridge Mountain Ranges.

These riders returned to the commonwealth’s early american frontier, in search of recreational resources. Their purpose was to connect public lands in Virginia’s mountainous border region. The group embarked on a mission with the intent to establish a permanent long distance backcountry trail that rivals the infamous Arizona or Colorado trails.

What they discovered was a world class back-country expedition; as they linked 8 major trail systems in the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests. Their route, consisting of primarily single track trails, covered 480 miles and climbed 65,000 feet over the course of 12 days. Beginning just west of Strasburg, the explorers began their journey on the County Line Trail. They rolled southward along rocky ridgelines, challenging climbs and fast descents and after two full weeks, the riders finished their final descent down the Iron Mountain Trail to Damascus.

This sounds like an amazing expedition for Summer 2012. Stay posted for more as I learn more about the route and begin planning a trip.

If you live in the area or have ridden any of this series of trails, let us know!