Once you turn into the trail it is all a network of intercrossing and connecting trails. It was explained to me as one big clover leaf, thats why I named it Clover Leaf, but it is anything but. It looks nothing like a clover leaf...ironic. I was told to always take the straight path and it will all connect back onto itself. At every intersection I did just that and I just kept riding and riding. It did double back over itself a few times but It seemed like an endless trail. It was my first time, it was raining and it was getting dark fast. We rode for just over an hour and never let up. the trail system is amazing and fast with an awesome flow. I imagine it is a local secret, so I apologize for letting the cat out of the bag, but this trail is too nice to be a secret. The Bike Beat is a local bike shop less than a mile from this trail and a must visit store, amazing service and a great staff. I am from out of town, they fixed my bike and showed me the way to this amazing trail. If the sun didn't set, we would have ridden this trail for at least another hour or more. Very fast, the perfect ratio of climbs and descents, a few jumps and obsticles well placed along the trail. I think it eventually connects with a series of walking paths from some of the nearby housing areas because we came across some benches and ended up poking out of the woods at some houses before ducking back in. This will be on my list of trails to visit again when I return to the area. Very similar ride to New Quarter Park as far as the flow. Missed Freedom due to the rain, that is close by as well. So if you are like me, this trail can be ridden with a visit to an amazing shop for some rest and replenishment before heading down the road to hit another great trail. Probably can get more than 8 miles out of it, but that is how far we rode that night.
College Woods is OK; not great, but OK. I live nearby so I ride it every few months. I'd rate it below the other Williamsburg trails at Freedom Park, York River, and New Quarter. But still worth a visit to ride. The area described in these reviews is on the North side of Monticello Ave and is about 6 miles long. There are about 10 more miles on the South side. Changes made to the central section of the North side singletrack trails in the Fall 0f 2017 are OK but were hardly necessary as the original trail was decent enough.Cheap foam board and duct tape trail signage added at that time looked trashy, quickly fell apart, and were unnecessary. It's tough to get lost here when you can hear the cars on Monticello from nearly the entire trail and the riding is easy enough that written explanations of the difficulties on signboards are pretty lame. The place is pretty flat and there's not much technical terrain so the difficulty rating is about 1.5 or 2 max on a scale of 5 even though I've rated it 3 per the IMBA scale because there are a few 2' wide bridges and some log rollovers. It's an enjoyable ride but it would be better without the trash signage and eyesore generated by the Boy Scout trail crew. As of early 2019 most of the junk signage is gone and someone has added simple junction marker stakes for those new to the trail. Occasional maintenance is all this trail needs.
| ThankKing's Mill?
| ThankYou must be truly lost!
No where near King's Mill.
Park at/near Panera Bread and cross the street into the woods. Enter just off 321, between two shopping centers and an assisted living center. I don't see a gated community or private property signs.
| ThankTrailmaster mike must be a south pole angry elf. So much greed and anger. I travel a lot and look for diamonds in the rough. Local word of mouth is a great way to find great trails. If you want to keep your trail a secret then post signs and never tell anyone and have fun all by yourself. It is named exactly what a local MTB rider told me. I would rename it "AngryMikesTrail" if I could, read the original post if you can make it that far through your fits of rage and loneliness. I maintain about 20 miles of trail in my local area as well, and it is a bummer when 1. it gets a poor review because some outsider does not like the style or 2. when you talk to other mountain bikers and no one has ever heard of the trail, and 3. if none of your locals come to help you maintain it but are always there on Saturday talking about how something needs to be fixed. But, it is what it is, and that is part of the community, and I would rather there be a lot of traffic on a trail and ideas cast in my direction than none. I feel very sad for you, find something that brings joy to your life, like riding new trails as many times as you can. Remember, every other trail you ride is hours of hard work other people put in, then put word out that there was a new place to ride (so you could enjoy it as well)! Without that, we wouldn't have this forum to share great riding locations. So either guard your spec of dirt like the troll you seem to be, or strap on your riding clothes and grab your bike and head out to find new trails and new riders, make some friends and I dare say, tell others about your personal trail and maybe you will find a lot more helping hands on those lonesome work days you spend all alone with your pick axe and rake.
Fast and flowy non-technical few man made obstacles great fun awesome place to kill an hour or two when in Williamsburg
| ThankGood luck trying to get directions to trailhead I'm keeping it a secret too
Thanks for sharing--or are you. If this is and exclusive area, not so great for the bike shops business. Or maybe they do not advertise it if it is actually private property developed on the sly. So what are the property taxes running you on all that land you maintain. In any case, it sounds like a great trail network. And if you asked, you might get some help, and make friends, vice warding off people that like the same things as you do. I'm heading to Williamsburg this weekend, and may get to sample your work. What are you thinking to re-name it?
| ThankOne of my favorites and a must return when I am in the area. I will also make it a point to visit the local bike shop just down the road from this wonderful hidden trail!
| Thank