# The Virginia Creeper Trail, Damascus, Va



## ZHB (Mar 17, 2009)

I'll be taking off Friday with the wife and daughters for the mountains of Virginia! The VA Creeper Trail is an old coal railway line that has been turned into a hiking/biking trail. It goes thru Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, and passes thru the town of Damascus, VA. We'll be staying at Beartree Campground in the National Park. We're going in a group of 9 Girl Scout families, a 'mixed' group - 7 families in tents and 2 of us in travel trailers.

I took my eldest daughter on this trip last year in our tent (my wife used to camp before we had kids.....once we had kids, she refused to camp in the tent anymore.) On Saturday, unexpectedly we had a pop-up thunderstorm that washed out the tents. My friends in the TT asked us to spend the night with them (as opposed to use heading home.) We ended up having a wonderful weekend! This year, we have the new OB, and all 4 of us are going. We'll be dry-camping, and putting the OB thru its paces....and we should have some fantastic biking on Saturday, 17 miles downhill thru pristine VA mountain country!

Wish us luck!


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sounds like a great trip..enjoy.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures when you get back.


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## Tyvekcat (Aug 28, 2007)

Great ride. To bad they didn't save any of the trackage in North Carolina. 
There are many businesses in Damascus that cater to carrying bikes and riders up to Green Cove, and let you ride downhill. That might save you since you are staying at Beartree, opposite end from Damascus. Route 58 is one crooked road through there. 
We took our IS-350 through there from Abingdon to Damascus and on up to Green cove and Beartree last year. Since you have stayed at Beartree before, you probably know about the many kiss your, (you know what), curves there. Tractor trailers are restricted on 58 from Damascus East. We were checking out Beartree, Raccoon Branch and Greyson Highlands. It was a good (road-ride) too, in the IS.
Don't know about pulling a trailer through there.
They must have put the snake on the ground and marked the route with chalk, to make the road through there!

We stayed over at Grayson-Highlands State Park.Grayson-Highlands 
I don't tell very many people about Grayson-Highlands, cause its so nice, I like to keep it a secret. (so don't tell anyone)









It borders sort of on the East end of the National recreational/wilderness area, opposite side of Mt. Rogers from Damascus & Beartree. Grayson Highlands is on 58, and relatively easy to get too, off of Interstate 81 at Marion Va. Just take route 16 south for about 17 or 18 miles to Volney Va. and intersection with 58. Then right on 58 west and Greyson Highlands is about 6 or 7 miles. Might be a easier way to get to Beartree if you pulling something with length.

Its a hike to Mt Rogers, via (Appalachian trail), from the park, its real wilderness back there. There are two herds of wild Ponies up there in Grayson-Highlands. You see them when you hike around back there. Those trails are all inter-connected.
Obviously you know about the pop-up Thunderstorms. Outback makes those easier to take too







.

I digress, that is a great ride on the old N&W railway grade, O. Winston Link took many Photos of operations on the branch in the 1950's, just search for Green cove and 'Old Maude' the horse. I can't remember the name of the book, with the collection, but I have it upstairs.
I'll dig it out. They pulled the tracks in 1985-86 I think.
Don't forget to stop by the Abingdon winery, its off 58 between Damascus and Abingdon in Alvarado, along the bike trail. Great area.

And there is always the Barter theater in Abingdon. Love that area.
Enjoy !!


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Good luck and enjoy !!


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## ZHB (Mar 17, 2009)

Tyvekcat said:


> We took our IS-350 through there from Abingdon to Damascus and on up to Green cove and Beartree last year. Since you have stayed at Beartree before, you probably know about the many kiss your, (you know what), curves there. Tractor trailers are restricted on 58 from Damascus East.
> Don't know about pulling a trailer through there.
> They must have put the snake on the ground and marked the route with chalk, to make the road through there!


LOL~ oh yeah, I remember it, and I'm quite nervous. I drove it last year in my truck and thought how twisty and windy it was. On the way home, I followed my friend, who was towing a 27' Prowler. He made it just fine, but he was rocketing thru the corners at speeds in excess of R17. I think if I take it slooooow I should be OK (I'm towing the 300BH with a 2500 Suburban.)

I was looking at taking highway 421 thru NC, but several portions of it were damaged by the heavy rains over the last few weeks. That leaves 2 basic routes: I77 to NC 21 to VA 58, or I77 to I81 to VA 58 (going north, then west around the mountains). The second route adds a minimum of an hour to the trip...... if not much more. Both of the last years on this trip, the folks who too 77>81 ran into traffic/construction issues that delayed them up to 3 hours.


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## MtnBikrTN (Mar 23, 2009)

Has anyone stayed at the Backbone Rock campground in the Cherokee National Forest in TN? It is just a few miles up the road from Damascus. It is real close to the creeper and close to family in extreme Northeast TN.


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## Tyvekcat (Aug 28, 2007)

"Has anyone stayed at the Backbone Rock campground in the Cherokee National Forest in TN?"

Naw, can't say that I have. Sounds like a good location though.

ZHB: If you friend was pulling a 27ft Prowler through there with no issues, you 'll be fine towing the 30'BH with a 2500 Suburban. Yeah, now that you mention it, there were some fivers up there ar Beartree. 
I wholeheartedly agree on the slow part. Things can get out of control in those tight places real quick.

Have you been on RT 21 South of Sparta NC? From Sparta to Independence, Virginia it isn't too bad. I have been through there a long time ago. Looks like the twisties are around Stone mountain between Elkin and Sparta. I havn't been through there.

I was in Charlotte last week, and 77 is getting better. They finally finished rebuilding that part south of Elkin near where 421 crosses 77.
Its good there, but still pretty rough just north of Statesville. No construction delays on 77. But you may already know that.

You're right about I-81. Several bridge projects in the Marion/Atkins area. I was in Abingdon last week too, and there were delays. We got off 81 at Grosclose, and took Rt 11 south and got back on in Marion. Passed a lot of traffic on the southbound side.

You could go up to Rt 58 the Galax/Hillsville exit and take 58 west. Four lanes to Galax and not bad to Independence. You will go by a China-mart in Galax if you need to pick anything up that you remember you left at home. Not much industry left in Galax anymore, so you should get through there pretty quick. They use to be the mirror capital of the U.S. 
I would guess an hour from Independence. Now, the way the crow flies, I would say 15 minutes









I like the more direct route most of the time, but those really curvy, up & down roads wear me out. Or more specifically wear the DW and cat out. Then that wears me out !

I sure wish I was going somewhere this weekend. I notice you say you are going to Deer Creek in Galax. I looked at their website and all it showed was motorhomes in the pics and thats all they talked about. Is towables allowed there?


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