[blackbart]

I hope a few VA locals can provide some insight on the top trails to ride outside of Harrisonburg in the Reddish knob area for a trip in the next week or two.

So far, the only ones on my list are:

Deathstar, Bother ridge, Timber ridge to wolf ridge.

I'm considering slate springs, a full wolf ridge run, buck mountain, and High Knob trail (but not excited about climbing up route 33 on my bike)

Any insight on the planned or considered trails would be awesome. And if there are any others I should throw in the mix, please let me know.

 

[Cotharyus]

Lookout, Tillman West, Festival, Hanky.

 

[blackbart]

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like some potential with serious saddle time for Lookout and Hanky. Tillman west sounds like a perfect late day ride.

 

[bloodninja]

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like some potential with serious saddle time for Lookout and Hanky. Tillman west sounds like a perfect late day ride.

Tillman West is a perfect late day / quick ride. And you can either go up Dog Cemetery then Tower trail to get there or just go right up the Tillman singletrack.

I don't know what kind of riding you're into, but I prefer going up Lynn then down Wolf rather than riding all the way up to Reddish and then Timber to Wolf.

EDIT: Dowell's Draft and Magic Moss are worth looking into as well. If you look up the YouTube channel FoCo FlowShow he has some good videos and descriptions of the trails in the area.

 

[blackbart]

Tillman West is a perfect late day / quick ride. And you can either go up Dog Cemetery then Tower trail to get there or just go right up the Tillman singletrack.

I don't know what kind of riding you're into, but I prefer going up Lynn then down Wolf rather than riding all the way up to Reddish and then Timber to Wolf.

EDIT: Dowell's Draft and Magic Moss are worth looking into as well. If you look up the YouTube channel FoCo FlowShow he has some good videos and descriptions of the trails in the area.

Thanks for the info - I'm curious about your recommendation regarding Timber ridge. As for the type of riding I prefer - challenging backcountry riding with a focus on descending is what I have in mind for this trip.

 

[bloodninja]

Thanks for the info - I'm curious about your recommendation regarding Timber ridge. As for the type of riding I prefer - challenging backcountry riding with a focus on descending is what I have in mind for this trip.

Sorry, I'm not recommending you skip Timber Ridge but IMO it's a slog up the road to Reddish and most of the fun stuff is on Wolf anyway. If you only have one chance and won't be able to get back to the area for a long time you might as well go all the way up.

 

[Fajita Dave]

I think it's worth the ride up to Reddish Knob and ride Tillman to Wolf if you have the time. It is a long slog climbing 9 1/2 miles of pavement but the view from Reddish is pretty good and it's a nice time to take a break.

The beginning of Timber Ridge has a really cool rock garden but otherwise it's straight steep downhill littered with loose rocks and a few short steep climbs thrown in. Unless your fitness is up to par for Enduro racing your arms will probably be pretty wiped out by the time you get to Wolf Ridge.

 

[EastFallsShredSquad]

I'd try to stick with the Reddish/Timber Ridge/Wolf Ridge route or Tilghman West over in that part of the forest. High Knob is cool but the climb up 33 sucks. Don't try Buck, from what I understand its been impassable for a long time.

For another fun area of the forest, combine Lookout/Trimble/Grindstone. The entire Chestnut Ridge is cool, but its a long climb up to the top.

Another sub area would be to start at Brailey's Pond and do Brailey's/Bridge Hollow, Magic Moss/Dowells Draft, or Road Hollow. A fun route would be to take 250 up to the breastworks, do Road Hollow to Bridge Hollow/Brailey's, hit a refuel where you are parked, then do a Magic Moss to Dowell's (depending on which you wanna descend).

Take a look at the Shenandoah 100, those are probably the trails in best shape right now, or see if they started the six pack races yet and see which ones they have run, those usually get tuned up before they run.

 

[blackbart]

What a great place. I really loved the wild and wooly backcountry trails. Not terribly technical, but the distances and climbing sure tuckered me out. I think the the best was wild oak down to Tillman road from little bald knob, but deathstar, bother ridge, and the trails off of flagpole knob definitely felt the most backcountry. Can't wait to hit them again - but I won't be climbing the Big Hollow Trail again unless the trail sees a few horse teams to trample down the thorns.

 

[bloodninja]

Glad you had a good trip!