The Virginia Creeper Trail Abingdon to Damascus

As an alternative to riding the Whitetop to Damascus section, why not try "the other half" from Abingdon to Damascus. It's flat, beautiful and a nice change. We'll make it easy for you! Here are the details and shuttle options.

We'll shuttle you from Damascus to Abingdon for a fun filled 15 mile ride on the Virginia Creeper Trail. This portion of

the trail meanders through the "ridge and valley" section of Virginia typified by wide valleys separated by sandstone mountain ridges. It was therefore, the logical place where most of the first settlers began to establish farms.

Today, you can still experience those pastoral farmlands as you make your way past the river knobs, then across the "big trestle" (left) at the confluence of the middle fork and south fork of the Holston River which forms the headwaters of South Holston Lake and is a tributary of the Tennessee River. Follow the South Fork gradually upstream as you proceed through the former "bull lot" that has now undergone a riparian restoration project that seeks to protect and restore these riverside lands through the planting of hardwoods and fencing out the cattle who were causing the stream bank to erode. (Photos by Mike Pierry)

The ride from Abingdon to Damascus is relatively flat compared to the upper half. The elevation in Abingdon is about 2000' and you drop to 1770' at the trestle at the confluence of the Holston forks at mile 7.8 from Abingdon. Then it's a very gradual gain as you come into the Damascus park, elevation 1910' at mile 15.5. Overall, this ride will take between 2 and 2.5 hours at a steady pace, but you can make it longer if you really take the time to stop and enjoy the scenery.

There is a picnic shelter on the Damascus side of the confluence trestle. You can stop here and enjoy your lunch or a snack that you've packed in, just remember to pack out your trash. There is a general store in Alvarado that serves sandwiches, daily plate lunch specials and sells drinks and snacks. The Alvarado Store makes a nice half-way stopping point. Remember, this section is mostly on private land so respect the property owners by staying on the trail and closing all gates.