Ride Guide
Connect Charlottesville’s Amtrak station to the Mon Forest via a route that loosely traces the historic Parkersburg Turnpike. After navigating a few city miles around UVA, use caution along busy Rt. 250 before transitioning onto quieter country roads through horse farms and Virginia wine country en route to the Blue Ridge Tunnel bike path beneath Afton Mountain. Here, Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive meets the Blue Ridge Parkway. A future Three-Notched Trail multi-use path will eventually link Charlottesville to the tunnel entirely car-free.
Descend from the Blue Ridge into the Shenandoah Valley and Waynesboro, which offers full services, lodging, and an Appalachian Trail hostel. Continue across the valley to Staunton (again with full services), then head west into open countryside to follow sections of the historic Parkersburg Turnpike over Buffalo Gap and into West Augusta. The Mountain View General Store makes an excellent resupply stop—don’t miss the hot meals and Mountain Dew cake. Primitive camping is available nearby at Braley Pond in the George Washington National Forest.
From there, it’s one more steady gravel climb over Shenandoah Mountain into West Virginia to reach Sweetwater Farm Trail Center. Access the property via a back entrance along Sally Hiner Road. Sweetwater is part of the Experience Learning network based around Spruce Knob and supports youth mountain biking in Pendleton County.
Continue onward via Route 7 toward Durbin or the Spruce Knob area, or connect to Franklin’s routes and the northern Mon network. The heaviest traffic on the entire route is the 2.5-mile stretch along Rt. 250 leaving Charlottesville—stay alert there. It improves significantly once you reach the countryside.
Contributed by David Landis with input from Al, & Eric, Chris (CACVB)
