Our favorite eight bike trails across the state.
Cyclists ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Roanoke.
Photo by Scott K. Brown
The Alpine Loop Gran Fondo begins in Harrisonburg.
Photo by Joe Foley
Bridge on the Virginia Creeper Trail.
Photo by Cameron Davidson
Cycling through Old Town Alexandria.
Photo courtesy of Capital Bikeshare
We’ve got mountains, flatlands and miles of former train tracks reimagined in singletrack and doubletrack asphalt wending their way through coal hollers and urban enclaves alike. So it’s no wonder Virginia is home to some of the best and most varied cycling in the country.
Bike tourism is really growing around the world,” says Beth Weisbrod, executive director of the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation, which oversees the 55-mile-long trail between Richmond and Williamsburg. According to the most recent report in 2015 from the Washington, D.C.-based Outdoor Foundation, biking is the third most popular outdoor activity behind running and fly-fishing—and the second favorite activity among outdoor enthusiasts.
More than 800 miles of the U.S. Bicycle Route System are contained within our borders, making Virginia the state with the most bike miles in the system.
So get your ride on! The trails await.
Alexandria sits on the scenic Mount Vernon Bike Trail, which runs along the Potomac River. The Holmes Run and Four Mile Run trails, which link with the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, are other popular destinations. BikeWashington.org
Residents of Ashland refer to their quaint town as the “center of the universe,” which is at least an appropriate designation when it comes to cycling. U.S. Bicycle Routes 1 and 76 run through the area, linking Yorktown with Astoria, Oregon to the east and west, and Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida, going north and south. Town.Ashland.VA.US
Cyclists know Damascus as “trail town USA,” thanks to its proximity to prime biking locations. The Virginia Creeper Trail, which runs 34 miles to Abingdon, is one of the most popular rail-trails along the Eastern seaboard. Other hotspots include the Appalachian Trail, Daniel Boone Heritage Trail, and Virginia’s Birding and Wildlife Trail. VACreeperTrail.org, AppalachianTrail.org, NCDBHT.org, DGIF.Virginia.gov/vbwt
Farmville is situated in the middle of High Bridge Trail, an old train bridge built in 1853 as part of the Southside Railroad, which crosses Appomattox River basin. Once a rail bed, the 31-mile, 125-foot high trail offers flat, level riding with impressive views. DCR.Virginia.gov/state-parks/high-bridge-trail
High Bridge Trail State Park in Farmville.
Photo courtesy of Virginia Dept. of Conservation & Recreation
The International Mountain Bicycling Association lists Harrisonburg as one of the 11 best ride centers in the world—and it’s easy to see why. Nearby George Washington National Forest offers over 1,000 miles of mostly-mountain biking trails and another 1,000 miles of scenic dirt roads. FS.USDA.gov/GWJ
In Richmond, the James River Park system includes 550 acres of trails. Other nearby favorite cycling destinations include Forest Hill Park and Pocahontas State Park. JamesRiverPark.org, Richmond.gov/Parks/ForestHillPark, DCR.Virginia.gov/State-Parks/Pocahontas
Visitors to Roanoke can explore 26 miles of paved trails on the Roanoke Valley Greenways, as well as the infamous Mill Mountain Park and Carvins Cove Natural Reserve, which are especially appealing to mountain bikers. Greenways.org, PlayRoanoke.com
History takes a front seat along more than 25 bike routes in the Williamsburg area. Don’t miss the newer Virginia Capital Trail, which runs from Jamestown Settlement to Chickahominy Riverfront Park and is part of the 4,233-mile TransAmerica Bicycle Trail that runs from Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown. VirginiaCapitalTrail.org, AdventureCycling.org
