10 Trails I Like More Than You – 2017 Edition

Kennedy Peak, Edinburg, VA Most people don’t realize that Virginia has a wealth of high quality mountain bike trails. Venues like Carvin’s Cove, Angler’s Ridge, or Douthat State Park can stand up favorably alongside the best in the east. So why mention Kennedy Peak?  Is it everything its more well known neighbors are? Not really. …

Kennedy Peak, Edinburg, VA

An off season climb on Virginia's Kennedy Peak with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background (photo: Konnect1)
An off season climb on Virginia’s Kennedy Peak with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background (photo: Konnect1)

Most people don’t realize that Virginia has a wealth of high quality mountain bike trails. Venues like Carvin’s Cove, Angler’s Ridge, or Douthat State Park can stand up favorably alongside the best in the east. So why mention Kennedy Peak?  Is it everything its more well known neighbors are? Not really. What it is, though, is almost as good,but so much more accessible for the large population that resides in the north part of the state.

While far from the biggest state in the union, travel from the north, where all the people live, to the south and west where the best trails are, is a real time-consuming chore.  Meanwhile Kennedy Peak sits at the north end of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, scarcely an hour from DC, offering up 80% of the fun with 20% of the drive. That’s a pretty darn good tradeoff and I don’t know why  more folks don’t take advantage of it.  The few who do venture into this area generally head for Elizabeth Furnace, while Kennedy Peak provides a very similar experience without the mandatory hike-a-bike. Its fun bang for the effort buck is unrivaled in northern Virginia.

Your turn: What trails do you love far beyond your buddies or the mountain bike community at large?  Tell us in the comments section below: