The ride most people picture when they think of the Virginia Creeper Trail — shuttle up to Whitetop Station, coast seventeen downhill miles into Damascus — is not currently possible. It’s worth knowing that before you book anything, because a lot of what you’ll find online still describes the trail as it was in 2024.
Here’s the honest state of it, from fifteen minutes down the road.
What’s closed, and why
Hurricane Helene destroyed the upper seventeen miles between Damascus and Whitetop in September 2024. The water took out the trail bed in long sections and damaged 30 of the trail’s 31 trestles — the wooden bridges that made the ride what it was.
That is not a repair job. The Forest Service has the whole stretch under reconstruction, with every damaged trestle being rebuilt and the corridor re-engineered to survive the next storm. Construction started in December 2025.
The upper trail reopens on March 31, 2027. The date is deliberate: a rebuilt trail bed needs a winter to settle so the surface and drainage are stable before heavy spring use.
Please don’t go around the barriers to have a look. It’s an active construction site with unfinished bridge structures, and the people rebuilding it have enough to do.
What’s open right now
Damascus to Abingdon — the lower seventeen miles — is fully open.
This is the gentler half, and it’s genuinely good riding. It follows the old Virginia-Carolina Railway grade along Laurel Creek and the South Holston, crushed gravel most of the way, through farmland and river bottom rather than high forest. The gradient is mild in both directions, which means:
- You can ride out and back from Damascus without arranging a shuttle at all.
- It suits families and casual riders far better than the upper section ever did.
- It is not the coasting descent people come for, so it’s quieter than it used to be.
Damascus itself is open for business — outfitters, bike rental, food, and the AT running straight down the main street.
What to do with the other half of your day
If you’d planned two days around the full Creeper Trail, you now have time to fill. The good news is that the reason this area is worth visiting was never really the bike trail.
- Grayson Highlands and the ponies. Open balds, free-roaming ponies, and the best views in Virginia. See our guide to finding the ponies.
- Mount Rogers. The state high point, reached from Elk Garden. More about what that walk is actually like.
- Bouldering at Grayson Highlands. One of the best boulder fields in the Southeast, and a short walk from the parking area.
- The Appalachian Trail. We’re at mile 496.5. A one-way section hike with a shuttle at one end is the easiest good day out here — details on the shuttles page.
The near us page has the wider list.
Shuttles and logistics
We run shuttles to the trailheads around Mount Rogers, Grayson Highlands, and Damascus. Once the upper Creeper Trail reopens in 2027 we’ll be running the Whitetop drop again, and we’ll say so here when we do.
In the meantime, if you’re riding the Abingdon half and want a one-way with a pickup, or you want a lift to a trailhead instead, call (276) 280-6253 and we’ll sort it out. Rates depend on distance and party size, so it’s a conversation rather than a price list.
Somewhere to stay
We’re on Highway 58 at 10425 Highlands Parkway in Mouth of Wilson — close to Damascus, closer to Grayson Highlands. Bunkhouse, yurt, glamping tent, tent pads, and an RV spot with 50-amp electric. Indoor heated shower, rec room, Starlink WiFi, and a grill deck on the creek bank.
See the stay page for what’s available, or book directly.
If you’re missing gear, we rent it — full pack setups or individual pieces, on the rentals page.
One last thing: check the trail status again before you travel. Dates move, and we’d rather you heard it from us than found a locked gate.
