Cycling Around Blacksburg, VA

Favorite Rides

• Blacksburg/Catawba Road (Rte 785) and Mt. Tabor Road (Rte 624)- a fine out-and-back, or cut across at Gravel Hill (Rte 630, the shortest way), Sandy Ridge (Rte 697), or go all the way to route 311 in Catawaba. (Note that Mt. Tabor Road is called Newport Road when it intersects 311.) Crossing between Blacksburg and Mt. Tabor at Dry Run Road (Rte 628) is discouraged for road bikes, since the vast majority of that road is very rough gravel.
  
  • Climbing: Light (basically a valley ride) beyond coming back into Blacksburg (on either road) and going up Gravel Hill or Sandy Ridge if going toward Mt. Tabor Road.
  • Road: Standard narrow country road. One lane each way. No bike lines or rideable shoulders. The winter of 2003 was tough on the road surface, creating some pot holes and rough spots, but they are easy to see and avoid.
  • Traffic: Light to moderate.
  • Scenry: Pastoral. There is one country convenience store out on 311, past where one turns for Mt. Tabor road -- rumored to be unfriendly to cyclists.
• Big Stony Creek (Rt 635) - leave from the park-and-ride on 460 (sign for White Rocks campground), a nice out-and-back. You can go out to the West Virginia border and back for about 50 miles, or all the way out to Paint Bank and back for about 70-some.
  
  • Climbing: Light to moderate. Some rollers, but mostly a creek valley ride.
  • Road: Standard narrow country road. One lane each way. No bike lanes or rideable shoulders.
  • Traffic: Very light.
  • Scenery: Beautiful. Houses, but sparse civilization. The road follows Big Stony Creek for a long way. No stores.

Best Climbs

• Mountain Lake, Back Side (Rte 613) - included at the very end of the Mountains Of Misery century
• Mountain Lake, Front Side (Rte 700) - longer and more scenic, but with much more traffic
• Preston Forest Dr. (Rte 806) - short and sweet, and then you get to come down Peariman Road (how good are your brakes?)
• Peariman Rd. (Rte 810) - so steep that I've never even tried to go up it
• Harding Ave. (Rte 785), into Blacksburg - 2 miles of moderate grade, with the peak overlooking most of Blacksburg
• Cedar Run (Ellet Valley Rd., Rte 603), into Blacksburg - 1.5 miles of moderate grade
• Norris Run (Rte 708), from the river - a slight grade, about 6 miles long. Easy but fun. Hard-packed gravel for the first half-mile or so. Very light traffic. You get to come down Lick Run (Rte 781) when you're done.
• Centennial Rd. (Rte 625), either direction - a rarely-used parallel to McCoy Rd (Rte 652), with steeper climbs. Not very long, but fun.