Trail Length

34.3 miles

Trail Start and End Details

This trail runs from Abingdon, Virginia, to Whitetop, Virginia. The midpoint of the trail is Damascus, Virginia, and this is where most people start or finish their ride. Town Park is another great place to start. There are various other trailheads available.

Description and Tips

The Virginia Creeper Trail is one of the finest rail-to-trail conversions in the country. The majority of the trail goes through scenic national forest land and rural areas. The trail was originally a logging railroad, and many of the original wooden trestle bridges survive along the trail route. The trail parallels rivers as it traverses some of the most beautiful mountains in the area. Spring and summer are popular times to ride the trail, thanks to the canopy of trees providing shade, and fall is also popular when the leaves are changing. If you choose, a shuttle service from Damascus can take you up to Whitetop Station, and from there it is a 17-mile downhill ride back to Damascus. Damascus, the mid-point of the Creeper Trail, is known for being a “trail town” on the Appalachian Trail and is the location for Trail Days, an annual celebration devoted to the Appalachian Trail. (A short section of the Creeper Trail intersects with the Appalachian Trail.) There are various places to eat and snack along the trail – try the Creeper Trail Cafe for their world-famous chocolate cake. Abingdon is another great town to visit, with the Barter Theatre for more entertainment. In Meadowview, about ten minutes north of Abingdon by car, have a meal at the farm-to-table Harvest Table restaurant. Find good camping in the Mount Rogers area east of Damascus, at Grayson Highlands State Park, or in a nice city park called Sugar Hollow, south of Abingdon.

Submitted By

Joel Bourquin, Tom Cheney, Jim Emelander, Steve Lafon, Tom McAllister, Barb McCampbell, Jeff Clay

Photo Source

Jim Emelander