Ride Guide
Based out of Sweetwater Farm Trail Center on the southeastern corner of Pendleton County, this double-lollipop route delivers one of the most epic rides in the region, climbing deep into the high ridges of the George Washington National Forest. The centerpiece is the ascent of Reddish Knob via the famous gravel “death climb,” followed by a screaming descent and sweeping return along Forest Road 61 tracing the wooded western slopes of Shenandoah Mountain. A second loop option adds a new way back to the farm via Brushy Fork and Simmons Mountain.
Sweetwater Farm has become a unique hub for cycling and outdoor learning in the Potomac Highlands. Operated by the Spruce Knob–based nonprofit Experience Learning, the trail center supports youth leadership programs, outdoor education, and a mountain bike trail network integrating into their surrounding forestlands. Riders are welcome to stop at the community center for water, flush toilets, and occasional refreshments. With camping and lodging available, the farm serves as a natural basecamp for exploring the high ridge roads of the WV–VA borderlands — and even for linking a hut-to-hut style ride over the state line with nearby Stokesville, Virginia’s well-known mountain bike campground and lodge. Long term caretakers Mel and Jason help maintain the trails and warmly welcome visitors, helping make Sweetwater a gathering place for riders and outdoor travelers alike.
From the farm, the route climbs steadily toward the state line along the 7-mile, 1,400-foot “death climb,” a segment famously featured in the Shenandoah Mountain 100 race out of Stokesville. A short paved spur leads to the summit of Reddish Knob at 4,397 feet, where panoramic views stretch across the Shenandoah Valley to the east and the forested highlands of West Virginia to the west. From the summit, the narrow road drops 2.7 miles to the saddle before plunging toward Forest Road 61 (watch for an old spring on the left near the top). The ride along FR 61 is unforgettable: long curves threading through quiet forest along Shenandoah Mountain’s broad western shoulder.
After completing the Reddish Knob loop and returning to Shenandoah Mountain Road, riders will encounter new terrain to the north along Brushy Fork to connect with Crummetts Run and Simmons Mountain roads. A final potentially wet crossing of Whitethorn Creek awaits before reaching Doe Hill Road for the return to Sweetwater Farm.
Note that the southern half of this route is identical to the longer Sweet Reddish Knob loop that begins in Franklin.
