Almost Heaven,
Mountain Biking W.V.
By Steven B. Leyh
With
its thousands of acres of public lands, beautiful vistas, and towering
forests, West Virginia has long been an enticing destination for visitors.
They come to capitalize on its natural beauty and its variety of outdoor
recreation.
Davis,
a small logging town turned tourist hub, is one such location. It sees the
benefits from tourism year round. Its’ main street, Williams Ave. (WV
32), is dotted with quaint gift shops, restaurants, and lodging that is
always busy. Besides boasting itself as the highest incorporated town in
the state, it is also the home of two state parks, including Blackwater
Falls and Canaan Valley, a wildlife refuge, and is surrounded by the
800,000 acre Monongahela National Forest.
Davis
sees its share of visitors, especially the second weekend in June Then,
18,000 spectators converge on Timberline Four
Seasons Resort to see 400 teams compete in the 24 Hours of Canaan Mountain
Bike Race.
Teams
come from all over the country to compete on the wild West Virginia
terrain. The race has introduced thousands of riders to the region. Many
mountain bikers feel West Virginia is quickly becoming the Colorado of the
East.
Davis
and Canaan Valley are renowned for the spectacular scenery that
surrounds the area. “The riding is very unique. There are so many rides
for every different ability,” stated Ben Quarrels, a mechanic at
Blackwater Bikes located on Main Street.
The
spectacular scenery combined with the state’s open policy on mountain
biking - allowing bikes on trails unless otherwise posted - has spurred
remarkable growth for mountain biking industry in West Virginia.
Virtually
any direction that you ride from town there are interesting sights and
trails. From fast single-tracks to
winding Forest Service roads.
A
popular ride with beginners is the Blackwater Canyon Railroad Grade. This
soon-to-be-converted railroad bed to trail is a ten mile ride from
the town of Thomas to Hendricks.
Another
scenic ride is the Canaan Loop Road (Forest Service Rd. 13) around
Blackwater Falls State Park. This 25 mile tour requires riders to have a
lot of endurance. The road takes them through beautiful scenery in a
roller-coaster fashion. It passes through dense forest and there are many
opportunities for fantastic views on side trails.
Finally,
if something a little easier is what you enjoy, ride the Camp
70 Rd. to the Canaan Valley overlook. This is also an excellent ride
for beginners as it is nearly flat. It is 9.5 miles out and back with many
unique sights along the way. Have a great
time no matter where you decide to ride.
What You Should Know Before You Go: Be prepared for
any weather and pick up maps of these rides and more at Blackwater Bikes
(304) 259-5286 in Davis.
How To Get There: Most of the rides originate in the
town of Davis, located on Rt. 32 in Tucker County, WV.
For
More Information Write or Call:
Blackwater Falls State Park
WV Division of Tourism
1 (800) CALL-WVA
or
U.S. Forest Service
Cheat Ranger District
Parsons, WV. 26287
(304) 478-3183
