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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 2 mi (3.2 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Out & Back
Elevation: +546/ -556 ft
Total: 160 riders
Mountain Biking Northbank Trail
#31 of 300 mountain bike trails in Virginia
New Trail as oF Spring of 2005. Used in Xterra Eat Championship race. Nice singeltrack, some difficult climbs and technical turns, a few roots and rocks, generally very fast. Lots of great views of the river, interesting artifacts found in woods along trail. Trail ends (or begins) in the parking lot for the North Bank section of the James River Park System. Stay tuned for this trail to be elongated to hook up with the Nickle bridge, creating an effective loop using consisting of Buttermilk, forest Hill, Belle Isle and Northbank.
First added by bblizard on Nov 21, 2005. Last updated Apr 30, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Interstate 64 E/95 S get off on exit 75, bear to right, follow thrid st about eleven blocks to Byrd St, left on Byrd to 5th, right on 5th, right on tredegar at bottom of hill, go to parking lot for Belle Isle (other trails there!!). Park and ride up gravel road on other side of chain-link fence from parking lot, cross wooden bridge and turn left. go about two hundred yards to chain link fence- trail on other side of fence, you can go around fence.
Short but sweet.If you add in the rest of the James River trails and Buttermilk then it is great.
| ThankNice beginner trail, plus trail is close proximity to the city.
| ThankThis is a great urban trail. It connects with Buttermilk and Dogwood Dell to make a longer ride. This trail is easier to ride west to east.
| ThankUrban trail with smooth flowy sections interspersed with technical areas. Great way to travel in town without using the road. Connects to Belle Isle access bridge.
| ThankTough trail lots of rock gardens and roots, easiest to ride from west to east
| ThankGreat ride long enough and challenging perfecto
| ThankGood flow and nice use of limited space.Great views of James River and Richmond
| ThankStrong intermediate trail on the north side of the river. ( short pavement section) A excellent ride in itself, it showcases what can be done on largely un-useable land on a river bank. Best combined with Belle Island, and Buttermilk, for a longer ride.
| ThankBeautiful scenery. Kind of narrow at the beginning grown up greenery will eat your legs up the first half mile. Rocky downhill will challenge even the best riders. There is a few long climbs that will burn your legs. This is a challenging trail. The trail has a lot of uphill switchbacks midway through. The trail spills out into a parking lot and then you have ride through a neighborhood to reconnect with the final leg of the trail but it is marked with signs. The last leg is a bone braking rock downhill, brakes are useless you will probably have to walk the bike down. This is a fun challenging trail and is not for beginners.
| ThankI just rode this today (in combination with Buttermilk & Belle Isle), 7/28/12. This is a real tight, narrow, single track and has a lot to offer: Switchbacks... Climbs... Rock gardens... everything you could ask for. Like others have said, it is best combine this with Belle Isle and Buttermilk (and of course, go over the Boulevard Bridge/Nickel Bridge) to complete the loop.
| ThankFreaking awesome singletrack trail that is, for the most part, pretty tight and pretty technical. Prepare to be challenged on this trail. This is urban mountain biking at its finest!
| ThankGreat trail. Easy, smooth, flowing, but there are no real hills. It is a little short but that is remedied by combining it with Buttermilk and Belle Isle which makes for a great ride.
| ThankGreat trail. Start off on the suspended bridge, hit Belle Isle, then Buttermilk, cross back over the JR and pick up Northbank. Even throw Forest Hill in there for a good time. Highly recommend. Then grab some local brews off Cary St. post ride!
| ThankAwesome trail. It stretches from Tredegar Ironworks to the other side of Maymont and gives a great mix of technical single track and views of the city and Hollywood Rapids. It has a significant grade in parts and is a good challenge. There is an awesome ramp at the Southeast corner of Maymont that is fun to ride down/up.
| ThankNice singletrack trail, well maintained. This can be a nice ride if you ride this and buttermilk.
| ThankI ride this trail in conjuction with Buttermilk trail on the other side of the river. As mentioned before, be careful due to the steep hills & somewhat tight trail sections. I have seen buddies ride too low on the trail & slide down the hill into the briars & this is not fun. They have made some improvements near the train tracks where there was a lot of ruts & washout. Now they have put up some "bridges" & it is very nice & a much better climb(or descent) depending on which way you ride it. Overall, a great trail & a good workout.
| ThankOriginally didn't like it, went out with two guys who have ridden it a good amount before, caused me to be left in the dust. About a 5 min ride from my house, so I went out by myself and got comfortable with the trail. Definitely a technical trail. Steep narrow hills that lye on a hill so don't go off trail (Hill/steep wall to one side & hill/steep fall to the other).
| ThankAwesome ride with great veiws. This is my favorite section of the James River park loop. It has also been lengthened and is now 3.2 miles * Review edited 8/30/2008
| Thankawesome trail, i think riding nickle bridge to belle isle is the better way to go. fast sections not bad. they are working on the trail right now, the improvements look like they are going to be pretty sweet* Review edited 4/20/2007
| Thanki just found this trail the other day and have riden it twice... they are working on the trail and checnged between the 2 days that i rode... makes and excellent loop when you hook back up to buttermilk via some roads and the nicle bridge
| Thank