Ride Guide
This advanced route near Petersburg features extremely challenging but rewarding terrain for riders who enjoy big climbs, sweeping mountain views, and long descents over loose, rocky, and often very steep roads. Mountain bike gearing is strongly recommended for the sustained grades and rugged surfaces, particularly on the higher ridge sections.
The ride begins near the Spring Run Trout Hatchery, where cold mountain springs feed one of West Virginia’s long-running fish propagation facilities supplying trout to streams across the state. From there, the route starts with an out-and-back climb to the shoulder of Cedar Knob, offering sweeping views over the headwaters of the South Branch Potomac River. These waters ultimately join the Potomac River, flowing onward to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean — a drop of rain here could theoretically travel all the way to the sea.
After retracing the descent, the route heads south through Rough Run before tackling a steep climb over Buck Ridge on South Fork Mountain, crossing from Grant County into Hardy County. Along the way, riders pass the offbeat landmark known as the “Smiley Face Rocks,” where a bright yellow face has been painted on an exposed rock, a small local mystery that has become a recognizable waypoint for travelers in the mountains.
Use caution descending the steep, loose switchbacks toward Milam in the valley. From there, follow South Fork Road north past Peru and its small general store (hours are limited but typically open weekends from late morning to mid-afternoon; the friendly owners live nearby and may open if they’re home). One final gradual climb up Dumpling Run carries riders back over South Fork Mountain before a very steep descent returns to the trout hatchery to complete the loop.
