WVA loop....needs tweaking

[glenndandy]

 http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10837531

  Did a rewarding 5 day loop in this area two years ago...this new loop linked above is a bit bigger and outside my knowledge scope. Beginning in Thomas there is mostly guesswork once I hit Tea Creek. Really at that point I have no idea till Smokehole. I'll likely be loading a Pugsley and riding 50-60 a day preferring dirt and gravel. Would really really dig any suggestions on tweaking my route. Bikes rule.

[glenndandy]

Modified it a little. Looking for advice particularly from Tea Creek until I reach the Greenbrier River Trail  and then a bit more from Clifton Forge toward Smokehole. Considering a route that goes more through Seneca to return to the Canaan area.
 http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10837531

[munky]

Hey Glenndandy,

I know most of your loop well having done a few trips myself using a lot of those roads. Unless you are heading to Richwood for a mandatory restock, I would suggest cutting through the Cranberry Wilderness via trails/Forest roads and making your way over to the Visitor Center and then over to Watoga State Park. It's more direct and much more scenic. I have ridden most of the trails/FR out there and the best ones to use would be Dogway, Kennison, Pocahontas, Cow Pasture, and the Cranberry River Access road (i can't remember the FR # right now).

Also, I'm not sure if you are pedaling a trail worthy bike or a crossbike but if you have a bike that can handle trails, I would suggest using the North Fork Mountain Trail and incorporating the Spruce Knob Wilderness into the loop. You might even want to venture a bit further and go explore the New River Gorge park also.

I hope some of this helps.

Munky

[glenndandy]

 Thanks a bunch for insight Munky. I was planning on passing through Tea Creek single track and heading toward TriRrivers rail trail. I really don't need Richwood but it is where the rail trail ends. I can easily skip it and head south out of tea creek more directly into cranberry instead. I'll look into best route out of tea creek to watoga.
New modified route thanks to Munky.
   http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10955901

My return loop has me headed down through the Covington area and back up through Douthat. I am open to suggestions for this area. Considering  linking  north towards Seneca/Spruce Pine instead of currently routed Smokehole.

[munky]

Looks like a killer tour! When do you plan on going? Let me know how it goes. I'm heading out tomorrow night to make my way back towards Northern VA for Thanksgiving. It's gonna be cold!!! I plan on doing a lot of night riding because of the temps. This will be my first time using a camping headlamp (200 lumens max setting) as my primary night light. I pulled the strap off of it and electric taped it to my helmet. Looks pretty good and professional. I'll carry spare batteries also.

Here is my route home. Psyched!!!
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/11077082?privacy_code=s64qgTHCfz9Q1fZo

[glenndandy]

Munky, Curious how this went!

[munky]

Hi Glendaddy,

Unfortunately I had to bail on that one. The weather got extremely cold over the 5 days I had planned to go. Even though I don't usually shy away from the cold, highs in the low 20s and lows in the single digits was going to make this trip a lot more brutal than I had planned. I'm planning on doing it this Spring. I've done the first 150 miles from Fayetteville to Snowshoe before and that is amazing. I can't wait to go explore the northern and eastern sections. One good thing about waiting is that I can throw in more singletrack, especially the North Fork Trail, a section in the Dolly Sods, and the Middle Traverse. It was hunting week throughout WV and VA that week and because of it I planned on sticking to all road and gravel which I wasn't thrilled about. Can't wait to get out there this Spring.

Have you checked out that section of the Cranberries I was telling you about?

[glenndandy]

Yes I looked into the better route through Cranberry and my route will be modded to include it. What is this middle traverse . I'm seeking a best way from white sulpher springs towards stauntonish.

[munky]

I think you should definitely head through Douthat State park and use the backcountry trails to get towards Staunton.

The Middle traverse is actually called the Northern Traverse Mountain trail. I've always called it the Middle Traverse because starting from the NFMT in Seneca you can basically run 3 ridge trails east. At least that's what I've been told. Here's a link to the Northern Traverse.

http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7000106/northern-traverse

[munky]

Disregard the Douthat comment. I see that you are using that already.

[bakerjw]

Do you have any GPS tracks from your loop? Those are the kinds of trails I'm looking to integrate them into my appalachianbiketrails.org maps. I also like to add in descriptive markers of intersections or resource availability. Some of our mountains have potable springs on them. Always good to know those.