Want a great, relaxing weekend outdoors?   And for out-of-towners, want camping with all of amenities of home—hot showers, and camp store/restaurant/snack bar, plus electricity and water at each campsite?  Campground has great views of the surrounding hills and you are in the middle of a Christmas Tree Farm.  All topped by one of the most beautiful, easiest rides around. 

Both the campground and trailhead is about 75’ from the intersection Dolinger Rd and Whitetop Gap Rd, Whitetop, VA, 24292. (See Satellite Picture of campground, intersection and Trailhead)

I’ll be camping at the Creeper Campground campsite on the ridge.  Look for my truck, a Gray 2007 F-150 FX4.  I’ll hang up my Scottish Flag if my truck isn’t there.  I’ll try to get campsite #2 (not the section for tents but for campers.)

No Bike?  I have an extra one.  No tent?  I have an extra one, too.  Bring some blankets and cold weather clothes because the campsite and area, due to elevation, is 15 degrees cooler at night!

Handy Links:

http://www.vacreepertrail.com/ Maps, Info, & Advisories on the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail.

http://www.creepertrailcampground.com/creepertrail.html info on where we’ll camp

NOTE:  There is no cell service at the trailhead nor the campsite, but there is some cell service at a Quick Stop a few miles away.  PLEASE plan ahead and give yourself PLENTY of time to get to the campsite and/or trailhead.  I’ll be wearing a bright red shirt on a tan Cannondale.

SATURDAY:  Meet at the trailhead at 10 a.m.   A relaxing but beautiful ride from the VA Creeper Campground , which is short ¼ mi from the White Top Station to Damascus VA on the VA Creeper Trail, a converted Rail Trail crisscrossing a mountain river about 20 times on sturdy wooden bridges and one trestle bridge.  We’ll stop half-way for lunch on the banks of the river.  Bring your lunch or buy it at the Creeper Café with a deck overlooking the river.  Ride takes 2-3 hours, depending on how fast you like to ride.  We’ll take bus or my truck and trailer back to the campsite.

SUNDAY:  .  We’ll meet at 10 a.m. on South Shady Avenue, Damascus, Virginia, just off Rt. 58.  I’ll have my truck and trailer parked as close to this area as I can.  It is a Gray 2007 F-150 FX4.  For those camping with me, we’ll leave at 9 a.m. and drive to Damascus, VA.

We will ride west from Damascus towards Alvarado Station and have lunch at the train station.  This ride is more bucolic passing farms, but still along the river with a few bridges.  Bring your lunch or buy one from the small Café 100’ from the station. Ride should only take about 60 minutes since, due to the tornado this Spring, the trail is broken a few miles west of Alvarado Station.