Itinerary - 2023-2024

Day 1:  Drive to the main state park headquarters trailhead early Saturday morning - see map below for starting location (the red marker).

1. • Drive time is ~3 hours from Raleigh, NC, or ~4.5 hours from the DC area.  Please map it if you're coming from another location.

   • The New River Trail State Park headquarters address is:  116 Orphanage Dr, Max Meadows, VA 24360

   • This address will get you to the main park office.  Keep driving just a bit farther down the road to the park entrance booth.  There is a $7 fee for parking here.  

   • Park in the lot near the Foster Falls Railroad Depot (no longer a functioning railroad station) - no address, but map plus code is:   V4MV+QG Galena, Virginia  (Paste this into the search bar in Google Maps.)  See map below for pin drop location.

Start Riding at 11:00am.  Ride 40-50 miles (gravel) toward the Pulaski, VA end of the trail, starting from the parking lot described above, leaving at 11:00am so people can drive to the starting location from home in the morning.  You may also decide to come to the area the night before if your drive is too long to get there in the morning.

1. • Stop in Draper near the end of the trail for lunch at the Draper Mercantile and Trading Company:  https://goo.gl/maps/zrRGJBqbMZjjku3Z6

   • Continue on the trail toward Pulaski, and/or exit onto the Dora trail just before the end of the New River Trail to go all the way into Pulaski.

   • Ride back the way we came to the parking lot.

Stay overnight in a nearby hotel or camp site:

1. • Hotel Recommendations:  Make your own reservations.  Coordinate with others that RSVP via event chat on WhatsApp if you'd like to share a room.  

     1. Hampton Inn Hillsville, VA:  https://goo.gl/maps/G1NSXaev6Qyp2Kru7

     2. Holiday Inn Express Hillsville, VA:  https://goo.gl/maps/1CBTZ5XQwW9Ag5Ai9

     3. There are several other hotels in this location.  

   • Campground Recommendation:  Make your own reservation.  Coordinate with others that RSVP via event chat on Meetup if you'd like to share a campsite.  

     1. Foster Falls Camp - called Millrace Sites in Foster Falls on VA state parks reservation system, found under New River Trail State Park.    https://reservevaparks.com/Web/Default.aspx#!park/23/114

Day 2:  Meet at the same starting location again (#1. above) on Sunday morning at 8:00-9:00am  (start time designated by group the previous day).

1. • Ride 40-50+ miles toward Galax and Fries, VA.

   • Lunch at the turn-around point in Fries at Windy River Cafe:  https://goo.gl/maps/SPh2aY1aTwP3tLvZ6

   • Maybe get some ice cream after lunch at the Frosty Monkey Express?  (only in summer)

   • Ride back to parking lot.

Return home Sunday evening after completing the ride, or enjoy other activities in the area!

Pictures

See the YouTube picture reel below for pictures from the New River Trail bike tour events.  

See our YouTube channel with more videos from this and other  Mid Atlantic Touring events!  @midatlantictouring