Ride Guide
This route links Harrisonburg, Virginia to Durbin, West Virginia—your portal into the Central Mon’s best riding—through scenery that rivals anything in the region. Along the way, it passes two standout mountain bike campground hubs with trail systems: Stokesville (VA) and Sweetwater Farm, tucked in the WV borderlands south of Reddish Knob in George Washington National Forest.
Expect a building progression from Virginia Mennonite farmland into big mountains: long gravel climbs through deep forest, ridge-to-ridge traverses, and a steady dose of public-land adventure in the George Washington and Monongahela National Forests. Highlights include Todd Lake, Lake Buffalo, and Island Campground.
Sweetwater Farm’s trail center is accessible on-route via a back entrance from Sally Hiner Road. It’s also part of the Experience Learning network based around Spruce Knob, with camping and lodging available. Don’t miss the country-store stops at Stokesville Market and Bluegrass Mercantile. More services—including food and lodging—are available in Monterey, the heart of Highland County, which hosts a region-wide Maple Festival each March.
Take your time on this one—every mile is worth it.
Contributed by David Landis
