Carvins Cove Trail Plan - Roanoke

Carvins Cove Natural Preserve
2010 Trails Management Plan
The trail from the dam to the boat launch needs repair. Yes, I know it's closed, but it gets
ridden anyway, so it might as well be made safe where it currently has some severe erosion with
a high drop-off to the water.
On the Comet, the ditch with the switchback (sharp descent with sharp curve coming out and
up steep bank)
Rerouting around mud-bogs on Hotel and at the bottom of Hemlock would help those trails. I
know that many will likely suggest a major overhaul of the some of the steeper trails (I suspect
Buck and Hemlock will be commonly identified), but I can’t state strongly enough how much I
am opposed to this! Buck is probably my favorite trail at the Cove. It is one of the few trails
that is just as much fun to climb as it is to DH. I genuinely love that trail and find it in the vast
majority of my rides at the Cove. The entire trail is rideable by those w/ appropriate skills.
There are many features that require advanced skills (and I don’t clean it every time), but
removing difficult features on trails doesn’t serve the MTB community well as it prohibits the
development of these advanced skills. Steep rocky switchbacks, exposed roots, narrow trails
and loose rocks demand full concentration even from advanced riders. This focus leads to a
“Zen-like” experience that cannot be accomplished on wide, non-technical trails like Songbird.
This “Zen” is one of the main reasons why many of us ride. Removing these features equates to
penalizing those of us who have worked and pushed ourselves to develop advanced skills. Just
yesterday, I was very disappointed that roots in the really tight switchback on Hi-Dee-Ho had
been removed. I knew they would eventually have to go, but I had just recently been cleaning
that feature with regularity which generated a great sense of joy/pride/accomplishment for me.
Now, I don’t have that challenge to look forward to in the long climb up the mountain. One of
the great features of the Cove is that trails for all skill-levels can be found. For those lacking
the skills to navigate the roots and rocks of the difficult trails, they can either push their bikes
past these features, attempt them repeatedly until they acquire the skills to successfully ride
them, or ride the easier trails. However, once these difficult trails are smoothed over, advanced
riders are left out in the cold. Man-made “technical trail features” are a poor substitute for
natural features like roots/rock as these “TTFs” generally are too few and far between, don’t
really “fit” the trail, and lack the organic nature to deliver the biking “zen.”
The steep section of Comet (closest to the cove) could use a re-route. There are also three
stream crossings that could be reduced to one in that same area of The Comet. Generally, any
severly eroded areas near drainage crossings.
The Drop - erosion is a problem there. The Comet – ditto. Enchanted Forest intersection to the
Comet (creek is a problem with access to Comet)
I believe all the trails could use work here and there, specifically rock armoring, we are seeing a
increase in traffic and this would greatly increase the ability to use them without harm during
the wet seasons and thawing months. This would also help with the holes that horse hooves
leave during these wet times. There are a number of water bars, that need to be replaced on
hideho.
I like the variety of the trails that the Cove has to offer, some are flowy and meander others are
steep and rough. I do like the addition of the “expert” section of the Trough and would like to
see more of this type of riding. In other words the Cove has something for everyone and is
worth driving distance for. I really do not have any dislikes at the Cove except would like to see
more trails.
5. What do you like and dislike about the trails?
Appendix D - 4