Roanoke Weekend
Revisiting One of My Favorite Southwestern Virginia Destinations
Shortly after recovering from surgery in 2025, the first place I visited to begin getting my cycling legs back was Roanoke. Good friends had relocated to this Appalachian destination and offered to host me for my first real mountain bike ride after a life-altering procedure. Back then, we kept things intentionally simple with a short loop along the lower trails at Carvins Cove, a destination I documented in Mountain Biking Virginia.
The ride was deliberately easy. My friends controlled the pace and even shuttled me to the trailhead so I could avoid unnecessary road miles. They understood where I was physically and made sure the day stayed well within those limits.
Nearly a year has passed since that first visit. Over the last twelve months I've slowly regained both my confidence and enough fitness to tackle some of the more demanding rides around Carvins Cove and the Roanoke area. With that in mind, we planned another visit over the Fourth of July holiday weekend with four days of riding on the agenda.
The dangerous heat and humidity forced us to adjust our plans, but it didn't dampen our enthusiasm. Instead of long afternoon rides, we opted for one late-evening outing and three early morning rides when the temperatures were at least somewhat manageable.
Our itinerary included two rides at Carvins Cove along the mid-elevation trails of Brushy Mountain, including a visit to the brand-new Laurel Canyon Trail; a trip to neighboring Blacksburg to sample some of the newer trails opposite Pandapas Pond, another destination featured in Mountain Biking Virginia; and a stop at Explore Park to ride the course for the upcoming USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships.
Our first ride featured a classic Carvins Cove loop that linked together Four Gorge Extension, Four Gorge, and Midway Cruise, along with portions of Upper Comet and Buck. It was the perfect way to kick off the weekend, showcasing the rolling ridgeline terrain and recent trail work that have made this part of the Cove such a favorite.
Day two took us to Explore Park to sample the National Championship XCO course. Despite the relatively short loop, this proved to be our toughest day. Temperatures hovered near 100 degrees with oppressive humidity, and Explore Park's relentless punchy climbs quickly drained what energy we had. This was the one day I wished I had brought my e-bike. The extra assistance would have been welcome, although I'm not sure even that could have overcome the heat.
Negotiating a short rock garden along the Mountain XCO Course.
On day three we made the short drive to Blacksburg to ride Stonecutters Hollow. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety packed into the loop. We began with a mellow climb along Chimney before dropping into the rowdy descents of Wavelength and Mineral Way. Along the way we made a short detour onto the technical trails around Snyder's Knob before finishing the ride with a screaming descent down Yard Sale.
My friends saved the best for last.
We returned to Carvins Cove, this time starting from the Timberview trailhead. The ride began with a steady climb up Trough, including its relatively new alignment to the top of Brushy Mountain. The reroute offers a smoother, more forgiving climb than the original trail while setting up an outstanding descent later in the ride.
From the summit we descended briefly along Brushy Mountain before turning onto the brand-new Laurel Canyon Trail. Stretching approximately 3.5 miles, Laurel Canyon is an exceptional ribbon of hand-built singletrack that flows effortlessly across the mountainside. The trail's thoughtful design, natural contours, and impeccable craftsmanship make it one of the standout rides at Carvins Cove.
Laurel Canyon was built over nearly five years by a dedicated group of volunteers known as the Pathfinders. Working from opposite ends of the mountain, the crews finally connected the trail in late May 2026. To celebrate the milestone, they held a small ribbon-cutting ceremony and placed a symbolic "golden spike" at the exact point where the two teams met.
Laurel Canyon eventually rejoins Brushy Mountain, where we turned right and climbed approximately two miles along the gravel road back toward Trough. We wrapped up the ride with a fast, flowing descent back to the Timberview parking area.
I'm already thinking about another trip back when the temperatures are a little more forgiving so we can devote an entire day to exploring even more of Carvins Cove. The brutal heat and humidity may have shortened our rides, but they certainly didn't diminish our spirits or enthusiasm.
I've also updated my Destination: Roanoke guide with these two new routes, expanding the collection of rides featured in one of my favorite mountain biking destinations in Virginia.
