Burkes Garden
"A day in this lush, remote valley will restore the spirit and rejuvenate the soul"..."a geographic and aesthetic gem to behold"..."like nothing I've ever seen"
*Comments from travelers to Burkes Garden

Other Bike Tours: New River/Creeper Trail Weekend Tour- July 16&17th, 2005
 

Burke's Garden Bike Tour 

Dates: August 13, 2005

Cost: $40 includes all ground transportation from Damascus or Abingdon, map of the roads, tour guide and full van support. Bike & helmet rentals can be arranged at a special rate of $20 per person for the entire day.

Total mileage: About 17 miles. (Mileage may vary depending on the routes you take.)

Ability Rating: Easy

Comments: If you’ve never been to Burkes Garden, you owe yourself a visit to this most special place. If you’ve been, you know how lovely it is and that you want to go back and ride some more! Group size limited to 10 participants.

Background Information on Burkes Garden

How was this beautiful place formed? There are many theories as to how the bowl that forms Burke's Garden was created, but they are just that, theories, guesses, and speculation. But that's what makes it so fun! Anybody can guess and argue about why their theory is the most probable reason for how this fertile land between the mountains was created. Often times referred to as “Gods thumbprint”, some of the most popular reasons include: 

§         It's a giant sinkhole. The entire valley used to be a big mountain or dome, it collapsed over time due to erosion by water, until you see what is there today. Many sinkholes still occur, as this land is part of the broad ranging Karst geography of the region. (Karst areas are areas made up of sinkholes, caves and underground rivers that eat away the limestone and dolomite causing caverns to form and the earth to collapse).

§         There once existed a massive volcano that blew it's top, spewing the fertile ash and debris into the air and settling on the valley floor explaining the unusual fertility that Burke's Garden is known for.

§         Some people think this bowl used to be a lake. The water drained out and left the empty bowl as we see it today. (God's soup bowl?) 

However it happened, Burke's Garden is one of the most unusual geologic and geographic anomalies in the Eastern US. Our bike ride will take us on a loop within the valley, meandering on sparsely traveled, paved country roads. Take the time to look around and enjoy the pristine farmland, old growth oak trees, abundant bird life and quaint country charm. We’ll also be on the lookout for Golden Eagles as the west ridge of Garden Mountain is host to a Golden Eagle sanctuary.  

Adventure Damascus Tours will provide a map of the valley road system so if you would like to strike out on your own, you may. We’ll also lead a group ride if you’d rather stay together and enjoy the company of other cyclists. Either way, it’s hard to get lost and we’ll have the van ready to assist those who may need it. This is easy riding with some short rolling hills, plenty of level pavement and very little traffic. There is even an optional hill climb up a dirt road to the top of Garden Mountain for those who want a more challenging route and a beautiful view down into “The Garden”. We’ll all meet back at the General Store at a pre-arranged time for the shuttle back to Abingdon and Damascus. 

Pack your lunch or plan to eat at the Burkes Garden General Store. These fine folks provide sandwiches, hot foods, trail mix, assorted drinks and other snacks. Everybody is responsible for providing his or her own lunch today. 

Geographic Features:

Surrounded by Garden Mountain on the North, East and South sides and Beartown Mountain to the West. The optional bike route is ascending Garden Mountain on the south side of Burke's Garden on State Route (SR) 623. The highest elevation of this crossing is 3950 feet at the intersection with the Appalachian Trail, which promises to be a good view! Average grade of the optional route from the floor of the valley to the top of the mountain is 4%. Other grades within the valley vary but are relatively mild and should not exceed 2%. 

Population: 280 people
Area: 10 miles long by 5 miles wide
Business: Agriculture

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