One of my greatest thrills in mountain biking is the escape from the city into the woods. From north to south and along the river between, Richmond, Virginia offers three great biking trails where your bicycle won’t feel intimidated by engines and you’ll get away from the fumes and dangers of traffic.
An area rich in hills and appropriate obstacles is Poor Farm Park in Ashland, north of Richmond. The 254-acre park is single track with s-turns and loops, roots, rocks, and a creek. The criss-cross wooded trail is shared with pedestrians, and part of the park is shared with ball fields. The trail poses challenges for beginners and opportunities for intermediate and expert riders to have fun and work technique.
In the city lie the trails of the James River Park System, over 550 acres of shoreline, woods, and islands. The XTerra East Championship is held here every June, a tribute to the challenge and quality of the trails. Three sections of trail are popular with mountain bikers: North Bank, Belle Isle, and Buttermilk.
North Bank is a fast single track with steeps climbs and descents-and great views of the James. Towards the eastern edge of the park is Belle Isle. The flat pedestrian path around the island’s perimeter belies the trails that navigate a surprisingly hilly wooded interior. These interior trails present tight single track marked with roots and turns. Also on the island are the flatter “Lost Trail” and the “Lost Garden” rock garden.
South-bank Buttermilk, the most challenging of the trails, combines steep climbs and descents with tight turns, rocks and roots, creek crossings, bridges, and rock gardens. It’s a beloved Richmond classic. With Buttermilk’s steep sides and numerous rocks, it’s a trail to avoid when wet and one that begs for a helmet.
South of Richmond is Pocahontas State Park, a short drive from Chesterfield Courthouse. The 7,950-acre park has over 50 miles of trails. Nearly 20 miles is designated as bike only, with three loops varying from beginner to expert, with logs, creeks, dips, and abundant natural scenery. Pocahontas is a great place for beginners to build skills and for the more advanced to have fun. Trails include single track as well as some doublewide trails for family fun, especially Old Mill Road.
Locals who are interested in joining with others for recreation and trail volunteer work can contact Richmond Mid Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE).
You don’t need to travel long distances from Richmond, Virginia to enjoy fun, challenging, and scenic off-road biking trails.