Biking

With convenient free parking along the trail, the Huckleberry Trail is a great place to bike for exercise or commute to campus or the office. The 5.76-mile trail travels between the Blacksburg Library and New River Valley Mall, and has connecting trails to the Virginia Tech campus and Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

The parking lot for the Blacksburg Library is located on the corner of Miller and Preston Avenue, and the trail begins across Miller Street at the kiosk just to the right of Preston Avenue.

Throughout the mostly flat trail you can find mile markers at every half mile on wooden posts and benches, and a new restroom is located at the Coal Miners Park.

Cyling Cue Sheet: New River Valley Bicycle Association

MILE DIRECTIONS
0.0 Begin on the trail to the left of the kiosk which gives information about the trail.
0.5 Bridge passes over Southgate Drive
0.8 Bike trail forks. Go straight and then follow the trail as it leaves the railroad grade and turns to the right. Since the airport lies on the old railroad grade, the trail takes a short detour before returning to the original grade.
1.2 Cross Tech Center Drive. Continue straight. The trail passes the Tech farms and thru a tunnel under US460.
2.7 Cross Mabry Lane at the entrance to Warm Hearth. The trail has now returned to the site of the original railroad grade.
3.3 Cross Huckleberry Road and Hilltop Road. Watch for traffic on Hilltop Road.
3.7 Cross Merrimac Road
4.7 Bridge over railroad
5.5 New River Valley Mall

Alternate Route:

To return to the start, you can retrace the route just taken, or at Merrimac Road turn left (west) onto Merrimac Road to return to town by way of the bike paths thru Hethwood. From the intersection with Merrimac Road, the route continues as follows:

MILE DIRECTIONS
7.3 Left onto Merrimac Road. Go up a hill, then down a long hill.
9.1 Cross Stroubles Creek and pass old sewage treatment center.
9.4 Turn right onto gravel road and pass through a gate to access the bike path on left in Hethwood. Follow bike path along field.
10.1 Turn right onto Mt. Vernon, then sharp left at the end of Mt. Vernon.
10.4 Turn right and go thru tunnel under Tall Oaks Drive.
10.7 Go right at fork at basketball court.
10.9 Right at T intersection and then right around Hethwood Pond.
11.65 Bridget over Stroubles Creek.
Follow bike path to town and start of ride.

Click HERE to view a map of the Huckleberry Trail from the New River Valley Bicycle Association.

THINGS TO DO ON THE TRAIL

From Blacksburg Striders:
Rails to Trail Map
Roanoke Times Map
Christiansburg Extension Map
Hethwood Extension Map
From the New River Vally Bicycle Association:
Aerial Map
From TrailLink.com:
Google Map

From Friends of the Huckleberry Trail:
Future of the Huckleberry Trail
Tunnel to Hethwood

Northern Trailhead:
US Hwy. 460 toward Blacksburg to Main Street (US Hwy. 460 Business route), heading north. Turn left on Miller Street and drive three blocks to Harrell Street, where street parking is available. Trailhead is located in the library parking lot on Miller Street. Do not park in the library lot; towing may be enforced for trail users parked here.
Southern Trailhead:
US Hwy. 460 toward Christiansburg, right on VA Route 114 (Peppers Ferry Road). The New River Valley Mall is on the right on New River Road. Follow New River Road around the mall; trailhead parking is at the back of the mall.

Central Trailhead:
Parking is also available near the intersection of Hightop and Merrimac Road for use of the Huckleberry Trail and Coal Miners Heritage Park.