Review: Started on Bell Island and got in about 10 miles and broke two spokes on Buttermilk.It is a tough trail and worth the trip from Danville.Great job on trail maint. and added features.

Similar Trail: Hidden Hollow and Witchback @Angler's Ridge

Review: Started on Bell Island and got in about 10 miles and broke two spokes on Buttermilk.It is a tough trail and worth the trip from Danville.Great job on trail maint. and added features.

Similar Trail: Hidden Hollow and Witchback @Angler's Ridge

Review: Started on Bell Island and got in about 10 miles and broke two spokes on Buttermilk.It is a tough trail and worth the trip from Danville.Great job on trail maint. and added features.

Similar Trail: Hidden Hollow and Witchback @Angler's Ridge

Review: Awesome trail if your ever in richmond this trail is a must

Review: Can be easy if you stay on the main trail, but there's lots of people walking around with no real care of where they're walking. All of the other trails I found were less than 12" wide, a few bridges about 8" wide, 2' long. Plenty of switchbacks and twists at the bottom of hills.

Review: Love this trail. Bring a good attitude and a lot of gas. I get winded big time riding this trail with north section together.

Review: I just rode this today (in combination with Northbank & Belle Isle), 7/28/12. Unlike my previous review, I took my time and carefully weighed my options. I WANTED to complete this trail no matter what and not bail out. So, when there were some major, serious, extreme technical sections *above my ability* - it's cool... I took my time and if I had to get off and walk my bike through it, so be it. I combined Buttermilk with Northbank and Belle Isle today and had a blast! Word to the wise: If you really want to go full out, you had better be riding a FS bike!

Similar Trail: There is nothing that compares to Buttermilk!

Review: Great trail! It has almost everything, steap short climps, and drops, challenging rocks and roota to get over amd narrow paths!! No delibrate jumps but there is a skills park on belle islle that is good to see where you are on your trail riding skill! Over all fun and challenging course!!

Review: Whoa... I *tried* to ride a section of Buttermilk from the Reedy Creek entrance, east towards Belle Isle. I am man enough to admit it: I BAILED OUT... This is way too advanced and way too insane for this 51 yr old body! I watched some of you young guys tackle this trail. With all due respect - you all are NUTS! Ha ha ha... In a nutshell: If you want to ride Buttermilk, you had better bring your "A game", because this trail is nasty! You have to see if to believe it.

Similar Trail: I don't think there is anything that can compare to Buttermilk!

Review: Probably the best trail in the James River Park trail system. Some awesome flow to be had, some exposure, climbs, descents, skinnies, and ROCK GARDENS like you wouldn't believe! It's worth noting that the James River Park System might in fact be the best urban mountain bike trail system anywhere. Where else can you ride 20 miles of singletrack in the heart of downtown?! For a great ~12 mile loop, ride North Bank to Buttermilk to Forest Hill to Belle Isle.

Similar Trail: North Bank

Review: If you ride out to Westover Hills and cross the Boulevard Bridge to North Bank trail it's an awesome little loop. I ride it clockwise, it's compact and maintains enough flow and features to really keep you on your toes, and there are definitely a few line options that can hospitalize you if you aren't aiming for them. I love the loop with North Bank because you'll crush some singletrack and then basically end up running right through the city - quite a unique experience on the bike. Everything stitches together with the crazy crowded footpath hanging under Rt 1 with great views of the river and the city.

Review: Great trail. X-Country style fun. Hard packed and fast. Nicely maintained. Many trail users, use caution. Really excellent ride that I would not miss if I were going to be in the area. I linked it up with Belle Isle, Forest Hill Park and got about 12.5 miles out of it on one loop. Lots of exploring at Belle Isle and Forest Hill Park, Could probably cut out 2 miles of going over the same thing twice with some experience. Trail will rate very difficult because of some of the features but this is an intermediate trail and could be ridden by beginners if they are careful and walk around the few tough areas. Not too much climbing, more of a roller coaster. Very fun. Great asset to Richmond. Thanks Richmond folks. You have done us all a huge favor by keeping this trail in great shape. Other activities, climbing, canoeing/kayaking, running, hiking, walking. Great multi-use area. A little wider than strict single track in a few areas but very much worth it. Very well built and maintained. Not as consistently rooty as Northern VA trails.

Similar Trail: Priddy Creek.

Review: Best trail ive ridden. Very well ridden in and Perfectly maintained. lots of flowing singletrack with all kinds of rocks, roots, climbs, descents, cliffsides, etc. Overall, extremely fun trail. id recommend it to everyone except beginners. its a bit hard for inexperienced riders. Also, ride along with Forest Hill Park, and Northbank. All of it together makes for a great, about 10 mile, loop

Similar Trail: northbank trail

Review: I don't know why it took me so long to do the entire North Bank/Buttermilk loop, but I am awfully glad I did. This trail system is the best maintained that I have seen, and offers more technical challenges (AKA rocks) than I have experienced. However, it's still has a great flow to it. I would certainly recommend riding it clockwise.

Similar Trail: Pocahontas State Park

Review: Techy, rocky, awesomeness. Just watch out for other trail users! Single-speed friendly (particularly if you ride down-river on the buttermilk & up-river on Northbank). Rolling elevation changes. Lots of rocky, rooty challenges.

Similar Trail: Gap Mountain, Blacksburg, VA

Review: This was a great ride, with some climbs, a lot of rock and roots and some good downhill. I rod in conjuction with north bank and it was a good 7 mile circuit. I rode clockwise and climbed quite a bit. Next time I'm going to go counter clockwise to got a different look at it. All in all fun ride.

Review: Nice trail. Challenging enough for most people with great vistas of the James. Lots of rock armoring which is great for the trail...not great for you if you fall without a helmet. Scary when wet. Combine with North Bank for a loop with 2 river crossings.

Similar Trail: Pocahontas State Park.

Review: A great trail. Buttermilk follows the river valley and runs up and down its South side. It's a well maintained single track with with lots of rock and good uphill/downhills. You can get some great elevation here and some of the higher points give a really good view down the valley.

Similar Trail: North Bank

Review: Not for beginners. This trail completely whipped me. I started at Belle Isle, rode through Buttermilk, and ended on Northbank. It was around 7 miles. Flowing in parts, some small climbs, rock gardens galore, a few streams and bridges to cross...it was fun but really difficult in parts. I give it a 5 because it was the nicest and best maintained singletrack I have ridden in VA and if my skills were more advanced, it would have been fun.

Review: Great trail. I ride it about once a week. It has some challenging areas but is overall not very difficult.

Similar Trail: Pocahontas

Review: Great single track trail. Wear a helmet or may wish you did. Take it slow the first time and get to know the trail. Best single track trail that I have ridden in the Richmond Area. A hidden treasure to bikers.

Similar Trail: Forest Hill

Review: Great Ride has some nice technical parts to the trail. Very slippery when wet.

Review: This trail has everything head out last saturday with the old man....at 51 he did the entire trail starting from Belle Island going through Buttermilk and Northbank. Very tough climbs and technical downhills. Overall a GREAT flow!! BRING WATER. the only water fountain along the loop does not work :(

Similar Trail: Northbank also in richmond

Review: It was exhausting although it had a pretty view of the Richmond City Skyline. And there were a lot of sketchy cliffsides :) just my favorite.

Similar Trail: NorthBank Trail

Review: I've been riding since I was in collage 20 years ago when mountian biking was just getting started and Buttermilk is some of the best singletrack I've been on. Great ride and very technical in many places.

Review: Well-conceived, continually challenging trail. Great job by those who built it and keep adding to it.

Review: This trail can be initimidating to the beginning moutain biker--I speak from experience!! The first time I rode it about a year ago, I was terrified for 2 reasons, one was because I was not accustomed to riding a more technical trail & secondly because I was riding with clipless pedals. I would recommend doing neither unless you are very quick at getting out of the pedals BUT I will say that now I absolutely LOVE this trail. This is my favorite pick as far as trails go in Richmond. It has something for everyone including rolling singletrack, climbs, roots, rock gardens, rock faces & even some stream crossings. I saw the posting from someone who lost their brother on this trail & that is tragic but as she said, WEAR YOUR HELMET...To ride without a helmet is like walking down the center line of the highway& hoping you don't get hit. My brother & I ride this trail about once a week & we start on what we call Upper Buttermilk which eventually feeds down into the Reedy Creek parking lot. From there, we take the path over to Belle Isle & the walking bridge over to North Bank trail. This follows along the river & eventually along Maymont Park before coming up onto the Nickel Bridge. Ride across the bridge & cross back onto Buttermilk. The last time we rode, they had made some new improvements in some tighter sections and made it really fun to ride. Have fun & ride to live.

Similar Trail: Pocahontas--Little West VA section

Review: This trail has several faces on it - it just depends on the weather. I have ridden this for a couple of years, some days not a problem, but it it's even somewhat wet - god help you! Definitely wear a helmet, and watch out -it's crowded with other bikers.

Similar Trail: Pocohontas; Powhite

Review: This trail gives a great workout, starting from the original buutermilk trail across from belle Isle, and going to the progressively harder Buttermilk west and Buttermilk heights. There are some tricky sections and some ride fast sections and there are options for those who don't want to take all the obstacles. Overall, a fantastic trail that takes a few rides before you can clear it

Similar Trail: Northbank Trail

Review: I ride this trail 2 or 3 times a week and I think about Sean every time. I didn\'t know him, but I would bet he was a good guy, most mountain bikers are. You have to be careful out there always. I love this trail. I can ride from my office and can be on it in about 10 minutes. It\'s a beautiful ride. I still find challenges every ride. Love it. We\'re so lucky to have it.

Review: I started mountain biking 3 years ago riding this trail as a beginner and have enjoyed it immensely ever since. Lots of work has been done over the past few years to make the trail longer and safer. One of the many hidden gems in this city on the river! Beautiful views of the city skyline and river walk. Very well maintained.

Similar Trail: Pocahontas State Park

Review: While it is unfortunate that these types of incidents do occur, this should also serve us all as reminder that cycling, whether it be on skinny tires, or knobby tires, is an inherently dangerous sport, and all riders should treat it as such. May everyone have the common sense to wear sufficient safety gear (helmets are cool, and yes, all your friends are wearing them!), know their limits, and live to ride another day (the first commandment of mountain biking).

Similar Trail: Poor Farms

Review: Anyone who is interested in biking this trail. . .I think that you should know that my 29 year old. . extremely experienced mountain biking brother . .Sean Lough DIED on July 25, 2001 ON THIS TRAIL! (please research it!)Please think of those who love you before you engage in dangerous trail biking! Once you are gone . . you never have the chance to grow old, have kids or share in the life of people who will always miss you. I'll never see him again. Love, Steph

Review: A great trail in the city, can be very challenging at times but all very fun. The trail is broke up into three sections, buttermilk, buttermilk heights and buttermilk west. Buttermilk is a nice warm up (fairly flat and a few techinical sections) Buttermilk Heights has more climbs (although not to long, steep and techinical at times) a good set of switchbacks and a few log crossings. Buttermilk West (across westover hills blvd.) is a little slower paced but has many techinical sections and few nice switchbacks at the end. Altogether it is about 4-5 miles one way but turn around at the end and ride the other way and it gives the trail a different look.

Similar Trail: Pocahontas State Park