Gold Loop

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Allowed

This mid-mountain traverse route flows nicely in both directions. This route connects all the new blue trails and is a fun way to get up to most of the more difficult black trails. Folks looking to increase difficulty and distance can stack loops off of the gold loop and add Laird's Loop and the Pink Loop for some more difficult terrain zones.

Recommended loops on the Western Slope are all blazed. As a rule of thumb for easy navigation, follow the green blazes for the Green Loop, blue blazes for the Blue Loop, pink blazes for the Pink Loop and gold blazes for the Go Loop. To avoid repeating the phrase "follow the gold blazes," assume that most of the intersections will be blazed gold.

The lower sections of this route are shared with the Green Loop and the Blue Loop, making an easy bailout early in the ride possible before climbing to the mid-mountain elevation section of the trail. There are lots of intersections to navigate along this route, so follow the gold blazes. There are a few "you are here" map signs at the more complex intersections to help simplify things. Consistent with Massanutten trails, this route does include rocky sections, but they are not super technical, plus they are mixed in with the most flow trails in the network.

Enter the trail system at the Northeast corner of the fenced in parking lot next to the information kiosk and repair stand. Hang a left onto VA '54 for a quick creek crossing and continue to Boundary. This route will be fun unless it's been a wet week. To avoid the mud, stick to the gravel roads that parallel the lower trails until you get to the pond.

Boundary will exit the woods just below the pond where the Green Loop and Go Loop split. Follow the gold blazes for more climbing along blue terrain or, if you are gassed, hang a right to follow the Green Loop back downhill to the parking lot. The Go loop hangs a left at the top of Boundary and turns onto Lower Granny Bypass where the true nature of the Go Loop reveals itself with a machine-cut bench with lots of fun rocks to challenge intermediate riding skills.

The most complicated intersection of the trail system is at the top of Lower Granny Bypass. To continue on the Go Loop, follow the gold blazes, turn right on the bottom portion of Upper Granny Grind, and descend to IMBA after merging and crossing Laird's Downhill. Be advised—you might be hauling some mail down Upper Granny Grind from the big intersection, so be on the lookout on the left for a roller that looks like a fun jump as it's the entrance to IMBA.

This is the real start of the traverse where there will be many intersections, but most should be gold blazed to stay on the loop. Turn left on Three Creeks for a creek crossing and short section of singletrack before continuing straight onto Boy Scout, then keep left on Big Stump, and stay straight past onto Lower Ravine.

Continue along the traverse past 81, part Big Valley, past Lower Hanenkahm, onto Connector, and then take a left on Berm Trail at the Upper Homestead intersection. Climb up Berm to the road, and cross back onto trail to the intersection of 2000 Hours (2K) and 4000 Hours (4K). Continue on this trail back to the road and continue onto 4000 Hours Connector. Take a left onto Upper Homestead to the road and continue onto Lower Homestead to the bottom. Continue heading north onto the gravel back to the parking lot on the left.