Mcdonald's to Gateway Loop

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

The McDonald Hollow to Gateway route is a fun loop that can be done in either direction. Ride up Gateway and down McDonald Hollow if you want to ride down flowy trails, but are ok with riding up a steeper, more technical climb. Ride up McDonald Hollow and down Gateway if you want to take a mellow but longer climb, and descend a rockier, steeper trail. This route is also easier to access than others in the area because it connects directly to the town of Blacksburg, and requires no highway or interstate to get to.

No parking fee required. Free to ride! Look out for hikers on this route, as McDonald Hollow and Gateway are both fairly popular hiking spots.

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.