The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 34-mile rail-trail that is considered one of the best bike trails in the nation. From Abingdon to Alvarado the trail crosses rolling farmland, and then slowly changes to a high mountain trail between Damascus, VA and Whitetop Station, inside Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.
The most popular activity on the trail is a pleasant, 17-mile bike ride from Whitetop Station to Damascus. With a 5% downhill grade most of the way, the ride is easy for beginners and families. Hikers and horseback riders also frequent the trail.
Numerous outfitters in Damascus and Abingdon offer bike rentals and shuttle service to Whitetop Station. The towns also offer plenty of dining, lodging and entertainment for trail riders. For more information, visit the town websites linked above.
The trail got its unusual name from the early steam locomotives as they struggled slowly up steep grades, carrying lumber. Having failed to turn a profit since the Great Depression, the Creeper ran its last train on March 31, 1977. The trail gained new life in 1984, when it was designated a National Recreation Trail.
Over 150,000 people use the trail annually, and in 2014 it was inducted in to the national Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.
