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Reddish Knob: Timber Ridge and Wolf Ridge (Wolf Ridge, Timber Ridge)

Mountain Biking Trail

Hard
18.7 mi
3,309 ft
A classic ride with a long descent off of Reddish Knob.

Whether you're a traveler or a local, Reddish Knob is a must-visit destination in George Washington National Forest. Typical of many mountain bike trails in the Shenandoahs, this loop pairs a long gravel climb to an incredibly rewarding and lengthy descent.

Begin by parking at the trailhead off of Tilghman Road or at one of the many pull-offs along Briery Branch Road. A small lake up the road makes for another popular starting point, though you will end your ride with a short ride up the road instead of at your vehicle.

The climb, nearly all gravel, begins by paralleling a river steadily uphill. After passing the lake, the climb intensifies as the road roughly follows a ridge. Briery Branch Road dead ends at the state line where it intersects another forest service road. Keep left to finish the climb to Reddish Knob.

A paved parking area atop the mountain summit provides some incredible 360-degree views from nearly 4,400 feet. A painted line on the pavement denotes the border between Virginia and West Virginia. The parking lot also makes this a popular ride to shuttle.

The most common way to descend from the summit is to follow Timber Ridge to Wolf Ridge. A gap in the guardrail leads into a steep drop-in that is just the beginning of an incredibly-rewarding 9-mile descent that will have you grinning from ear to ear. Fields of scree intermingle with off-camber cuts as you descent through dense forest lined with laurel.

At the junction with Wolf Ridge, keep left to begin part two of the descent. Leaving the ridge, the trail follows a steep hand-cut trail that leads into a section full of flow and a few opportunities to catch some air. After a series of switchbacks, the trail ends at the parking lot where you began.

For some post-ride grub and drinks, Harrisonburg provides plenty of options for whatever you're into.

Sources:

Written by Brendon Voelker
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Tilghman rd to Marker 63.04 mi423 ft2.6%
Official Reddish Knob ITT9.02 mi2,543 ft5.3%
Tilghman to Saddle6.72 mi1,959 ft5.5%
Branch Lake Climb2.38 mi331 ft2.6%
Briery Branch Rd Climb1.70 mi302 ft3.4%
Reddish - turn to saddle6.45 mi1,949 ft5.7%
Briery Branch Road Climb1.01 mi282 ft5.3%
Reddish Knob Road CLimb6.67 mi2,362 ft6.7%
Reddish Knob Ascent (Reservoir to State Line Turn)4.32 mi1,699 ft7.4%
Reddish Knob Ascent (Reservoir to Summit)6.64 mi2,382 ft6.8%
Briery Branch Gap East.3.93 mi1,558 ft7.5%
Reddish Knob ITT steep segment4.71 mi1,854 ft7.4%
Reddish Knob6.21 mi2,310 ft7.0%
Briery Branch Rd Steep 3.90 mi1,552 ft7.5%
Marker 6 to Marker 51.07 mi384 ft6.7%
Briery Branch Road Climb0.88 mi315 ft6.8%
Marker 5 to Marker 42.11 mi860 ft7.7%
Briery Branch Rd Climb1.54 mi659 ft8.1%
Almost There1.45 mi699 ft9.1%
Marker 3 to Marker 21.05 mi456 ft8.2%
Reddish Knob Ascent (State Line Turn to Summit)2.31 mi692 ft5.6%
Marker 2 to Marker 10.94 mi180 ft3.5%
Final 2 KM 1.23 mi479 ft7.4%
Forest Road 85 Climb0.65 mi289 ft8.3%
Timber Ridge to New Wolf reroute DH8.78 mi-2,530 ft-5.4%
TimberWolf (Stairs to Creek)7.82 mi-2,343 ft-5.7%
Rock garden express1.04 mi-509 ft-9.2%
Timber Ridge to Wolf 2.81 mi-617 ft-3.1%
Timber Ridge to Wolf Trail to Lynn Trail3.27 mi-919 ft-5.3%
All Gas No Brakes0.37 mi-285 ft-14.4%
Why are we climbing1.78 mi174 ft0.3%
Upper Wolfe Invitational1.06 mi-751 ft-13.4%
Big bad wolf5.71 mi-1,903 ft-6.3%
Upper Wolf to Lynn Intersection0.41 mi-404 ft-18.3%
New Wolf5.39 mi-1,486 ft-5.2%
Wolfs tooth1.13 mi-472 ft-7.8%
Lynn to The Creek4.64 mi-1,335 ft-5.4%
TD Wolf Re-routes DH2.33 mi-837 ft-6.8%