Douthat Bike Trails: Bath County, VA

I had the chance to visit Douthat State Park before the January snow melted and found the park completely empty with the exception of the park rangers and a few folks meandering by the lake.

The lake, along with the surrounding streams, was frozen over with a coating of fresh snow on top. The trails were also covered with a few inches of snow, adding an extra challenge to biking in the park.

The park is best experienced by bike and is, in fact, an IMBA Epic Ride.  The system of trails amounts to over forty miles of terrain to suit any rider or ability.  I traveled on the intermediate trails, which were almost unclimbable for me because of the added resistance of pushing through the snow.

All those steep climbs allow you to gain the tops of ridges pretty often, offering views of the surrounding landscape.

The trails are all blazed with metal strips; in addition there are guide posts placed at regular intervals along the trails.  I'm planning on visiting again and doing some greater distances once the trails are clear and the temperatures are warmer. 

There are several campgrounds along the main road that offer access to the trail heads.  The park is fairly developed, with a restaurant, store, visitor center, etc.  However, once you get away from the campgrounds, the wilderness areas are remarkable.  The snow made animal tracks clearly visible, evidence of the rich and varied wildlife in this isolated part of the state. 

Glenwood Horse Trail: Rockbridge County, Va.

The Elk Creek crossings are challenging after heavy rainfall.

  

The pond at Locher Tract spills over
 into the adjacent fields.

Locher Tract is an excellent starting point for all sorts of trail adventures.  The area is convenient to the northern end of the horse trail system in the area.  The area includes a spring and pond, and several wildlife viewing areas.

Today I set out on a mountain bike ride from the parking area that included Hellgate Horse Trail, Glenwood Horse Trail, and Petites Gap Road.  Both Hellgate and Glenwood Trails are blazed in orange.

Hellgate Horse Trail is a wide, well-kept path with a total length of about two miles. Glenwood Horse Trail picks up where Hellgate ends and continues for over 65 miles.


There are several climbs where sandy surfaces combine with steep grades to provide some truly challenging hills.  There are several shallow streams which cross the trail that are fun to ride through.


GHT crosses Elk Creek, which was about three feet deep today,  I crossed it without trouble, but there is a bridge over the creek on Belfast Trail, which isn't far from the GHT.



The GHT gets progressively narrower and rougher further south.  By the time it intersects the Belfast Trail, it's rocky singletrack, and it remains that way until it intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The view from Petites Gap towards Arnold's Valley.

While it's possible to hike up to the parkway on the GHT, regulations prohibit the use of bicycles in designated wilderness areas.  The trail goes through the Thunder Ridge Wilderness area as it approaches the parkway.  The border is well marked, and Petites Gap Road is close by.  It is also, however, on the other side of Elk Creek, so you'll have a second chance to ford through.

Petites Gap Road is narrow and somewhat rocky.  It's manageable on a road bike, but a mountain bike handles the rocks a little better.

The ride back is quick, almost all downhill, with only a few short climbs approaching Locher Tract.  The well-known Devil's Marbleyard is close by and accessible via Belfast Trail.

The GHT exits the Thunder Ridge Wilderness Area at the Blue Ridge Parkway, so I plan to explore that segment of the trail next.

This article provides some more information on the GHT, its history and planned improvements.