Virginia Highlands Horse Trail (VHHT) #337: Divide Trail to US21

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

The Virginia Highlands Horse Trail runs 67 miles through the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Some sections are open to bikes, including this one. The trail is blazed with orange diamonds.

From CCC Camp Road and the intersection with Divide Trail #309, the VHHT the trail climbs for about a mile on the gated Forest Road 4009. After the first mile, the forest road makes a hairpin turn but the VHHT continues as a singletrack as it climbs through the forest towards Horse Heaven Peak. You'll cross almost right over the peak at 2.5 miles and then you've got 3.5 miles of nearly continuous downhill to look forward to.

Shortly after the Horse Heaven peak, the trail follows a former forest road until it intersects with CCC Camp Road in the East Dry Run Fork Creek valley. Turn right on CCC Camp Road and then a short singletrack segment takes you to US 21 where the next segment of the VHHT continues across the road.

Most of this segment is heavily forested beneath pine and hemlock trees, but in a few places the forest canopy breaks enough to offer views of the equally forested opposite side of the East Dry Run Fork Creek Valley.

Obviously being part of the Virginia Highlands HORSE Trail and crossing a peak called Horse Heaven, this is reasonably popular with equestrians, so expect to have some four-legged company and do yield appropriately.