Carvins Cove Trail Plan - Roanoke

Carvins Cove Natural Preserve
2010 Trails Management Plan
The Cove should have enough trails so it will be a premier riding destination with enough room
for one to not see others on a crowded day
Special recognition at the kiosk for those to contribute their time to give back to the trail
system - designate those who contribute hard dollars and those who contribute hard labor,
etc.*
I can only think of a few things I'd like to see.
1. Singletrack trail from boatdock to Schoolhouse... I live on that side of things so this would
bring me and many others to the Cove more often. Could also add mileage to the trail system!
2. Skills area???? You know with logs, skinnys, etc. Maybe off of the fireroad near the bridge at
the base of Arrowhead. I think putting it "deeper" into the property would help it's longevity.
3. Flatter singletrack from the Bennett Springs Parking lot in... One lady mentioned one time
the possibility of building one from the area directly opposite the parking lot and running it to
Songbird.
4. Comet - the downhill was horrible the last time I rode it with a huge rut. Also at the base of
the big hill used to be a big mud hole - not sure if it was ever fixed. The "V-ravine" near the
parking lot end of Comet isn't very user friendly.
5. Parking closer to the Bennett Springs gate (a few of the older folks I know who like to
hike/walk asked about this one time).
6. Bathrooms at BS Parking Lot would be a dream, but I'd just settle for a place to change
clothes.
7. As for trail maintenance, I think they should really look at a "Adopt-a-Trail" type program
where riders could adopt a trail and be responsible for low maintenance problems and if the see
bigger issues report back to you or whoever to arrange a work party. This would go alot
smoother if we had a more organize mountain bike club in the Valley, but of course I think it
would be nice to get some folks from the horseback community involved as well.
We are incredibly fortunate to have the trails at Carvins Cove. Those trails have been integral in
establishing and maintaining a great mountainbike community which is good for Roanoke and
the surrounding area. Recently, local officials have become committed to promoting outdoor
recreation as a way to attract bright, young, ambitious people to the Roanoke Valley. The trails
at the Cove can play a major role in this. To the contrary, the lack of “focal point” for the rockclimbing
and whitewater communities hinder connections among these groups.I am very
grateful to all those who have worked to make the trails at Carvins Cove not only available to
ride, but such a high quality riding experience. I have been riding for about 10 years and have
ridden several great trails in NM, CO, and CA. I have also ridden the vast majority of the great
trails in GA, AL, TN, and NC (not bragging, just trying to provide perspective). Despite this, I
firmly believe that Carvins Cove is one of the best trail systems I’ve ever ridden. The most
striking feature of the Cove is the genuine variety of trail. There are many miles of “flowy”
IMBA-style trail for beginners/intermediates as well as a few gnarly “old school” trails w/
technical features and long sustained climbs that challenge advanced riders. PLEASE DON”T
CHANGE THIS! After living near Atlanta for about 5 years, I am especially sensitive to this
situation. A cabal of mediocre riders converted what were once great trails in the metro-
Atlanta area to boring, unchallenging trails that were little more than dirt side-walks. This was
done in the name of sustainability and access for more riders. However, these actions crippled
the entire Atlanta MTB community by prohibiting the development of advanced skills necessary
to ride trails outside the metro area. I had many experiences w/ supposedly accomplished
Atlanta riders getting destroyed by trails in the North Georgia mountains. Sustainable doesn’t
have to mean “easy.” It can be accomplished w/ armoring problematic slopes and diverting
water from steep sections of trail requiring less effort than reroutes around these steep
sections.
Generally, I want to see the variety of difficulty levels maintained.
Appendix D - 11