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Nice warm up ride on gravel road, very tough middle section, then fun, fast downhill finish.


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Map Key

10.4

Miles

16.7

KM

60%

Singletrack

2,538' 774 m

High

1,657' 505 m

Low

1,088' 332 m

Up

1,086' 331 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (2°)

28%

Max Grade (16°)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Overview

This is some of the more rugged terrain on the Massanutten Trail. Go thing is most of the uphill is on the forest service road and the inviting, soft, friendly, grassy trail that climbs up to the overlook. It feels like a pleasant, easy ride... then the rocks begin and continue for the rest of the ride.

Be ready with your A game for some tough-to-navigate rock gardens, punchy, steep climbs, and steep descents. It all finishes with an awesome, less rocky downhill back to the road.

Need to Know

Be ready for some hike-a-bike sections... more hike and less bike if rock skills are low...

Description

Park where the blue blazed Massanutten Trail crosses Crosses Crisman Hollow Road and ride south, up the gravel road. After 4 miles, you'll see a pulloff and trail on the righthand side of the road. This is the orange blazed Kern Trail. It is right across the road from yellow blazed Scothorn Gap Trail. Ride this on the smooth, grassy trail uphill to the first overlook. Stop, look around and enjoy because the rocks are about to start!

From here, the trail starts getting rocks while it follows the ridge with short patches of smooth trail. This is one of the tougher sections of the Massanutten Trail. At about the 7.75 mile point, there is a descent that will test even the best riders! At about the 8.5 mile point, the orange trail ends and intersects with both a white trail (going straight ahead) and a blue trail, the Massanutten Trail.

For a great view, and to give your arms a break before the downhill, follow the white blazed trail uphill about a quarter of a mile to some great overlooks. When ready, point your rig downhill and hear to the right (from the orange trail) or east downhill. Keep following the blue blazes and you'll be back to your vehicle.

Contacts

Shared By:

Mark Hoyle

Trail Ratings

  2.7 from 3 votes

#4241

Overall
  2.7 from 3 votes
5 Star
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2 Star
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1 Star
33%
Recommended Route Rankings

#128

in Virginia

#4,241

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409 Since Jun 5, 2019
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Photos

Super-technical sweetness... for those with the skills to ride (not me)
Jun 5, 2019 near Mount J…, VA
Big storm brewing! View from overlook on Kern Mountain Trail
Jun 5, 2019 near New Market, VA
Q's View on Kern Mountain.
Apr 20, 2016 near New Market, VA
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Current Trail Conditions

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Check-Ins

Jul 27, 2019
Scott Christman
Jul 27, 2019
Rich Young
Rocky shit show... this NOT a MTB Trail... half the trail was a hike a bike... should not be on this site... but, views were great and the downhill…
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