Everything you need to know about the Virginia Creeper Trail!
The Virginia Creeper Trail is one of the most famous biking trails in southeast America. It is located in southwest Virginia, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains and running along a short section of the Appalachian Trail. What used to be a railroad back in the 1800s, is now a premier destination for cyclists and hikers looking to enjoy the beautiful landscape that Virginia has to offer. You will bike into the lush forests, rolling farmland, streams, and some of the most beautiful trestles (bridges), exactly 47 of them (our favorite trestles being #12 and #7)!
One of our favorites, trestle #12!
The bike trail starts in Abingdon, VA, and travels 34 miles through pastures, the town of Damascus, and up into the mountains ending about a mile past the old railroad station in Whitetop, VA. Although the trail technically starts in Abingdon, the vast majority of people coming to bike the trail take a shuttle up to Whitetop and then ride back down to Abingdon or Damascus (which is at the halfway point). It is problaby more famous going from Whitetop to Abingdon, due to it being mostly downhill this direction.
We started our day by driving from Hendersonville, NC to Abingdon, VA. It was about 2.5 hours to drive up to Abingdon. Once you get to Abingdon, we headed to The Virginia Creeper Trail Bike Shop at 201 Pecan St SE, Abingdon, VA 24210. Give them a call and you can easily save your spot on the shuttle! ***We did not go during the busy season, which is after Labor day until November, so you may have to call ahead a couple of weeks to save a spot! There are TONS of bike shops and shuttle services around the area you can call to reserve a spot. We recommend The Virginia Creeper Trail Bike Shop. They had one of the cheapest shuttle prices we could find and our driver was quite a character! He explained everything you see along the drive up to Whitetop, starting from where to grab a quick bite to eat to the history of the Creeper Trail.
The shuttle that takes you up to Whitetop, VA.
How much is the shuttle? The shuttle rate from Abingdon is $25 for adults, and $18 for children (12& under). If you don’t own a mountain bike, you are able to rent it from the bike shop for $36 + tax, and it includes the shuttle.
The shuttle will drop you and your bike off at the Whitetop Station in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. If you REALLY wanted to see the beginning of the trail, bike North about 1 mile to the Virginia-North Carolina border.
OUR EXPERIENCE: Our experience was absolutely amazing. We were able to stop at the old train stations, stop in Damascus to grab a quick bite to eat and go into some shops. We stopped at Green Cove and was able to visit the Green Cove Collective. This store sells, everything from patches, socks, camping gear, coffee, and snacks. This cute little store is definitely worth a stop.
tips:
We would recommend biking with a mountain bike, there are a few bumps and roots along the way. A road bike won’t be a good choice.
Leave some time to explore the town of Damascus and Abingdon, there are a couple of great restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries.
Carry some water with you!
Book your shuttle early if you are going during peak season!
