[33red]

For summer 2021 i would spend a month in your area.
I enjoy water salted or not.
I am intermediate, riding mostly XC i enjoy climbing, some technical and some flow.
I would be living in my van.
Happy trails

 

[steveinmd]

Patapsco, little gunpowder in Md. White clay in De. Plenty to choose from in Pa within a few hours drive

 

[TwoTone]

Try looking at Trailforks, all kinds of places to go around here.

Also you should be more specific, VA,MD, DC and DE covers a large area.

 

[33red]

Try looking at Trailforks, all kinds of places to go around here.

Also you should be more specific, VA,MD, DC and DE covers a large area.

I am low tech. No cell, i just looked at trailforks for the first time and i am sure locals have way more knowledge to offer. Any of these states will be nice with water and many trails like i described without lots of distance to get to the trails.

 

[Cotharyus]

Harrisonburg, VA. Rivers (good fishing) and plenty of trail. The 'burg is also a relatively bike friendly place, so if you want to break out the bar bike and check out some night life, there's a good chance you can find a way to do that without getting run over.

 

[notso]

I agree with what Cotharyus said, but with a month to kill and a mobile base of operations, I'd start at one end of Va and work my way to the other along the I-81 corridor. There's great riding all along there and several rivers to choose from. You could easily spend a week + around Stokesville and not ride it all. The GWNF has abundant car camping opportunities.

 

[33red]

I agree with what Cotharyus said, but with a month to kill and a mobile base of operations, I'd start at one end of Va and work my way to the other along the I-81 corridor. There's great riding all along there and several rivers to choose from. You could easily spend a week + around Stokesville and not ride it all. The GWNF has abundant car camping opportunities.

I get this. Highways are in the valleys and mountains are often on both sides. That is why our regular wind is south/west. Just having a few names will allow me to hit the good spots instead of searching for them. When our fat season ends we wait a month for the trails to dry so i can drive south and ride.
Thanks to all.

 

[notso]

I haven't done much riding in the northern part of the state but folks rave about Elizabeth furnace and other trails in the Front Royal area but most are known for being extremely technical. There are some easier trails in Shenandoah st park just south of front Royal. Just a little farther down 81 you get to Bryce resort bike park which is known for flowy stuff that can be enjoyed on XC bikes.
A little farther still & you hit Harrisonburg. 20ish min southwest is Stokesville there you have it all. Literally hundreds of miles of trails from flowy (narrow back MTN & Tillman west trail) to extremely chunky but very rideable (Lookout mountain). There are far too many to list & most/all are xc bike appropriate. Just a little south from stokesville is the southern traverse which is a big ride, but not to be missed.
East of there (across I-81 via I-64) is Sherando lake/campground which has access to more great riding.
Southwest off I-64 I'd Douthat St park. There's at least 3 days worth of rides in the park with a few more just outside. Douthat also has a beautiful mountain lake with trout in it.
Farther south on I-81 is Roanoke there you'll find Carvins cove park which a veritable mtb playground with all types of trails from super flowy to super tech (over 40 miles of trail) with great maps & signage. There's lots of stuff between what I've listed to keep you busy. If you burn through all that with time to spare, from Roanoke, you're only 3-4 hours from Pisgah national Forest...

 

[mtnbiker64]

I'll toss in my vote for Harrisonburg/Stokesville. Plenty od riding in George Washington Nat'l Forest and the Stokesville area. A month to ride in that area would be Heaven.

 

[Pisgah]

Also you should be more specific, VA,MD, DC and DE covers a large area.

You're right, there is no mountain biking in West Virgnia.

 

[oldstumpy]

Nice mellow XC riding at Bacon Ridge and Waterworks in the Annapolis/Crownsville MD area.

 

[Bacon Fat]

You would probably like Fountain head near fairfax station in VA.
Massanutten is fun, but you need to pay to ride there.
Harrisonburg is good too and a fun place to stop of food etc

 

[digitaldenizen]

Bit late to the party but for some choice networks I'd recommend checking out the impressive network off of 460 in the Jefferson National Forest near Blacksburg. Lots of vertical covering a multitude of difficulties. Could easily keep you busy for the better part of a week.

On the other side of VA my favorite spot is Pocahontas State Park off of 95. Massive 55+ mile network of primarily single use directional trail. Obviously not the same vertical as further west but still a lot of great features and diversity to be had. Could easily spend another week here as well.

If you're in the area for Pocahontas State Park downtown Richmond has a fairly technical ~15+ mile loop that runs along the banks of the James River which is certainly worth checking out. (Belle Isle / Buttermilk / Forest Hill Park / Maymont Park / Northbank)

Be sure to drop a line after your trip and let us know your favorite finds! Hoping you stumble across some previously unknown gems.