Mcdonald's to Gateway Loop

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

Very fun route for anyone in or visiting the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area that includes flow and tech, all while staying close to town.

No parking fee required. Free to ride!!!

The route begins with a gravel hill before a warm-up on Pine Forest Trail, a quick and easy green that can be used to stretch your legs before tackling a big ride. After Pine Forest is another quick gravel section before Ida May Trail (fun in either direction) which is a flowy green trail that any beginner can climb/descend with ease.

Ida May transitions into Turkey Trot which is essentially the same trail, but can be a tad bit steeper at times. Turkey Trot also transitions into Wilkes Wood, a blue trail that features small jumps and skinnies that can be fun while riding in the opposite direction. Wilkes Wood gets steeper than the previous trails, but is smooth and easy to meander through (other than 1 rock garden located ~ 1/3 of the way up).

Crosscut is very similar to Wilkes Wood - in that it's a somewhat technical blue trail. Crosscut meanders along the ridge and has numerous views in its second half, which can be rewarding after the long climb up. After reaching the peak of the Mcdonald's Hollow trail network, you're faced with a doubletrack access road that has various dips into creekbeds and puddles followed by punchy climbs.

This trail is easy and takes much less effort than the climbs before it. Once you see the Gateway trailhead, you know it is time to go down! Gateway is a fun trail which combines flow and technical riding to make one of the fastest and most rewarding and well-worth it downhills at Poverty Creek.

This route was first established after the Mcdonald Hollow Trail Network was finished back in 2020, and is now being added to MTB Project in 2023.