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MTB TRAIL STATS

Avg Rating:	12 trail reviews
Status: Open updated 6/20/09 by aabiking Closed Open Wet / Sketchy	Difficulty: Intermediate
Length: 30 miles	Global Rank: 373
Tread: Singletrack	Configuration: Network
Ridden: 43	Wishlist: 54
Avg. Speed: 4.95 mph	Avg. Time: 1hr 23min
Elevation Gain/Loss: +490/-485 ft

 

Angler's Ridge in Danville

 

Explore Park in Roanoke

 

  
reviewed by aabiking on June 20, 2009

This trail system has just about everything. From beginner to expert. Tough climbs screaming downhills to a gentle pedal through the Enchanted Forest Trail.

  
reviewed by xcguitarman on May 22, 2009

great overall area for riding. I learned to ride here and plan on coming here very often for it's wide variety of beginner, intermediate and expert trails. If you love mountain biking you'll have a lot of fun here.

  
reviewed by ScubaSchaef on December 26, 2008

Epic ride, great place to train because it has all sorts of different style. The Thousand Foot Climb takes a toll, but your rewarded with some sweet trails on the way down

  
reviewed by wiretapstudios on June 12, 2008

Different trails for all levels of riding. Main trail is wide fire road, but there are singletracks in various other sections. This is like a huge playground for mountain biking. I have seen it called 'a mountain bikers Disneyland.' I will be back multiple times. Seeing the lake while hauling down a nice hill is a good touch. Very scenic. Excellent maps available at the main office.

Similar Trail: Explore park

  
reviewed by wooddh on February 3, 2008

Took my girlfriend here for her first "real" trail ride on her new Cannondale. We bought passes at Just The Right Gear and parked in the Bennett Springs lot. Rode down Carvin's Cove Rd to the fireroad and went up the left fork. Hit Songbird, Little Bell, Schoolhouse, Enchanted Forest (sweet stream crossing and some gnarly obstacles for the taking), and a few others. Walked up the fireroad on the right fork (brutal climb) and took the Four (more like 10) Gorges trail back to the parking lot. There was an awesome place for lunch on the northwest side of the reservoir with a picnic table overlooking the water. Four Gorges will work you after 5 hours of riding. We were both covered in mud at the end. Awesome trail system.

  
reviewed by aabiking on August 24, 2007

My route for a great workout is to start going up Hi De Ho. Once at the top take a left on the fire road until you get to The Gauntlet its a fast downhill with a few drops that you can hit a speed. Once at the bottom take a right and follow trail until you see the sign for the Trough. Now you head back up the mountain. At the top take a left on the fire road and take a right onto Bucks. Bucks is fun going down but watch the first switchback it comes up quick. It does have a straight shoot to stop on when you forget about the switchback which will save you. Take this trail to hotel then go right and follow back to the parking area. Man what a workout.

  
reviewed by stephgus on August 5, 2007

This is a fantastic trail. If you are looking for a long, heart-in-your mouth ride, take the Ho (or hotel, depending on the map) up to buck's rutt. Bucks will take you to the top of the mountain. Follow the fireroad (left off trail) and shoot down clowns head. Has to be the best trail in the system. Brakes are useless at one point, you'll be in a free slide - hold on, it's manageable, but you'll have to swallow your heart back down when you get to the bottom. It's a long ride, and don't go without a printed map the first time!

Similar Trail: Pandapas Pond - Blacksburg (Jacob's ladder and the snake)

  
reviewed by AntmanNC on June 2, 2007

Rode Skillet a while back and loved it as a begginer. Have not been back to visit tougher trails. But this is a must ride for new bikers in the area.

  
reviewed by ockham on August 21, 2005

Great to be able to jump in the lake if you get too sweaty. Of course, since it is a water source for Roanoke, they don't like you to jump in in sight of the ranger station. Go about 5 miles on the weenie fire trail and there is the Tinker Creek inflow into the reservoir. I asked and they said "just don't tell anybody we gave you permission!" Great trails, a lot of fun. Not marked very well, but they give you maps at the ranger stations.

Similar Trail: Explore park has good switchbacks if you're looking for heart rate elevation exercises. Damn near killed me and I'm in good shape.

  
reviewed by getonthetrail on August 7, 2005

I stopped at Just the Right Gear bike shop on Hwy 311 to purchase a permit and a free map (the shop opens @ 9AM on Sat.). I started at the parking lot where the Hoe Trail and Hi-Dee-Hoe Trail heads begin. I decided to climb the Hi-Dee-Hoe Trail, about 2 miles. The climb begins simple enough but as you climb the trail becomes steep, narrow and technical. Once you reach the top of the mountain you're on dirt jeep trails until you reach the gravel fire road. I tried to find the Clown Head and Stickman trails that would lead me to the Comet trail but could never find them. The trails are not marked at all once you leave the parking lot. After spending a good hour bombing downhillís and climbing back up them I gave up and concluded my ride by bombing down the fire road most people climb. It was fun but next time I'd like to hit the other singletrack I hear is soooo sweet! Maybe next time the trails will be marked. Overall good technical climbs with fast technical downhill in spots.

  
reviewed by trek7k on June 20, 2005

Had a hard time finding the trails using the directions above. We hit the dam area (#1) to purchase a permit but didn't realize that this isn't the best trailhead to start from for biking (you can start here but you'll be riding fire roads for miles before you hit the singletrack, plus they don't have any maps). Your best bet is to use #2 in the directions above, but first stop off at Just the Right Gear bike shop on Hwy 311 to buy a permit and pick up a free map. Tons of trails out here, although we ran into a fair number of downed trees along Clown Head and Comet trails. Only saw one other group on the trails on a Saturday, weird...

Similar Trail: Similar to some of the Pisgah trails but also similar to trails in Colorado.

  
reviewed by mudhunny on June 20, 2005

The fireroad climb was more fun than the downhill... sick, I know, but it was fun to climb more than 100 ft at a time like I've been doing for months in the flatlands of north carolina. The climb was pretty easy on a gentle grade, but I'll be back with a FS which I'm sure will make the downhill more enjoyable. Scenery and wildlife was great, too, everything about the trails were characteristic of real "mountain" biking in the mountains.

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