Kern Mountain - Jawbone Overlook Ride

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Not Allowed

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.

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

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.