Ride Guide
This ambitious backcountry loop begins in the quiet mountain valley at the Green Bank Observatory, one of the most unusual science destinations in the world. The observatory sits within the National Radio Quiet Zone, where radio transmissions are restricted to protect the enormous telescopes searching the universe for faint signals from distant galaxies and pulsars. Riders pass through the observatory grounds early in the route, where visitors are required to silence electronics as they pedal beneath the massive white dishes that define the landscape.
Exiting Green Bank’s trails across the Hosterman Swinging Bridge, the route begins a long climb toward the high plateau of Back Allegheny Mountain, gaining elevation on a mix of smooth gravel and steeper, rockier 4WD roads. The terrain grows wilder and more remote as the road winds upward through spruce and hardwood forests toward the high ridges surrounding Snowshoe Mountain Resort.
Along the way riders can detour to Bald Knob, the third-highest point in West Virginia (4,843’) and one of the region’s most dramatic viewpoints. The Bald Knob Observation Deck marks the end of the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad’s scenic excursion line, where historic trains climb the mountain before turning around beneath sweeping views of the surrounding highlands. The final road segment to the observation deck can sometimes be overgrown; some riders instead follow the railroad right-of-way, though extreme caution is required as it remains an active rail line.
Nearby, the recently renovated Bald Knob Lookout Tower is open to the public and climbable for even wider views — the first flight of stairs is steep but equipped with sturdy handrails. Snowshoe Fire Tower also stands further south on the route, offering excellent views and one of the rare spots of cell reception along the route.
The high plateau surrounding Snowshoe rises to Thorny Flat, the second-highest point in West Virginia (4,850’), where dense red spruce forests cloak the upper slopes of Cheat Mountain. Snowshoe Mountain Resort sits at the center of one of the state’s most vibrant outdoor recreation hubs — hosting events like the West Virginia Trail Festival and supporting an IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center mountain biking network. Long recognized as one of the premier lift-served downhill destinations in the eastern United States, Snowshoe reached the global stage when it hosted the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Finals, drawing elite riders from around the world to its rugged Appalachian terrain.
From these lofty ridges the route drops dramatically to the Greenbrier River valley, reaching Clover Lick before transitioning into the lush river corridors and forested mountains of Seneca State Forest for the return toward Green Bank. From the valley floor the road climbs again over Thorny Creek Mountain and Thomas Mountain, tracing the quiet interior roads of one of West Virginia’s oldest state forests. Along the way riders pass near the Thorny Mountain Fire Tower, one of the few remaining rentable fire towers in the region where visitors can spend the night perched above the forest canopy. Follow smooth singletrack sections of the Allegheny Trail, a 330-mile trail that runs the length of West Virginia.
After cresting the final forested hills, the route gradually descends onto quieter valley roads that wind past farms and open meadows toward Dunmore, where lucky riders will find the Mountain State Cakes Bakery open (limited days) before the final miles back to Green Bank.
The community of Green Bank embraces the blend of science and mountain culture with the quirky Space Race Rumpus, an annual festival celebrating astronomy, exploration, and the region’s connection to the space age. The event reflects how the small mountain community has grown around both the observatory and the surrounding public lands, where locals and visitors alike gather to enjoy hiking, cycling, fishing, and stargazing beneath some of the darkest skies in the eastern United States.
This route includes sections of singletrack and steep, rocky 4WD roads, so mountain bike tires and gearing are strongly recommended. The high plateau sections offer excellent dispersed camping opportunities, making this a natural bikepacking route beneath some of the darkest skies in the Mid-Atlantic. Green Bank is easily accessible from both Durbin and Marlinton, making this a flexible option for either a long day ride or an overnight adventure.
