New River Trail - Day 1: Galax to Ivanhoe

The New River Trail State Park is a 57 mile linear park that was formerly a branch of the Norfolk & Western Railway. We leisurely bicycled the entire trail over a three-day period in September 2014. To keep from biking the entire trail twice, we took two vehicles on our trip. After paying the daily parking fee for both vehicles, we dropped one vehicle off at our destination before we drove to our starting point. As this was our first multiple-day ride and we weren't confident in our abilities, we decided to enhance our odds of completing the trail by riding the trail in a generally downstream direction. This meant that our starting point was Galax and our ending point was Pulaski. The 5.5 mile Fries spur didn't offer parking at both ends, so I rode that section both directions. While there are numerous lodging choices in the area including camping, motels and bed & breakfasts, we chose a motel in centrally located Fort Chiswell as our base during the trip.

The smooth, packed trail surface is a combination of cinders and finely crushed limestone. The surface material requires a bit more pedaling than a paved surface, so there isn't much opportunity for coasting. In addition, we found the bicycle chains pick up enough grit that they need to be cleaned and lubricated every evening. Neither of these points should deter anyone from biking this easy and well-maintained trail through the beautiful valley of the New River. This is an excellent bike trail that I highly recommend.

Starting at Galax, the trail follows Chestnut Creek downstream to the New River at Fries Junction. From Fries Junction, the trail follows the New River to Ivanhoe.

Galax to Ivanhoe Mileage Chart

Trail Segment	Segment Mileage	Total Mileage
Galax to Cliffview	2.2	2.2
Cliffview to Cliffview  Campground	1.2	3.4
Cliffview Campground to Chestnut Yard	2.8	6.2
Chestnut Yard to Gambetta	3.2	9.4
Gambetta to Fries Junction	2.5	11.9
Fries Junction to Byllesby Dam	2.5	14.4
Byllesby Dam to Buck Dam	2.6	17.0
Buck Dam to Ivanhoe	3.1	20.1

Galax is an independent city of about 7,000 people and has proclaimed itself as the "World Capital of Old Time Mountain Music". The annual Old Fiddler's Convention has been held here since 1935.

A Norfolk & Western caboose at the Galax trail head

Gravel parking area and gazebo at Galax

Restrooms with running water are available at Galax

First bridge over Chestnut Creek in Galax

Chestnut Creek

Second bridge over Chestnut Creek in Galax

Picnic shelter and parking area at Cliffview just outside Galax

Cliffview Station houses a trail gift shop and information center

Vault toilets at Cliffview campground

Amphitheater at Cliffview campground

Campground access bridge from parking area

Cliffview campsites in the woods near Chestnut Creek

Chestnut Creek

Chestnut Creek Falls

Bridge over Chestnut Creek just below falls

Chestnut Creek Falls from trail bridge

Chestnut Yard turntable

Looking upstream from a bridge 8.3 miles from the Galax trailhead

Small rapids on Chestnut Creek from the trail

Looking back up Chestnut Creek

Gravel trail

Tunnel 11.2 miles from Galax trailhead

The tunnel is short enough that a headlight may not be required

Looking back at the tunnel

New River bridge with a Pulaski 40 mile marker

The New River bridge crossing to Fries Junction is 1,089 feet long

Crossing the New River

An island in the New River

Continuing across the bridge

Looking back at the bridge from just upstream of Fries Junction

Picnic shelter at Fries Junction

New River at Brush Creek

Brush Creek

Mushrooms along the trail

Bench and fire ring beside New River above Byllesby Dam

Wildlife along the lake

Diversion channel for Byllesby Dam

Upstream side of Buck Dam

Downstream view of Buck Dam

Floodgates on Buck Dam

The route from the trail to the Ivanhoe parking area is fairly steep

Ivanhoe picnic shelter

Some of the remains of the Ivanhoe blast furnace

Ivanhoe parking area and trestle

A daily fee of $4 per vehicle ($5 on weekends and holidays) is collected via self-registration at parking areas along the trail.  Other payment options include the $40 Naturally Yours Passport which covers parking and admission to one Virginia state park for one year or the $66 Naturally Yours Passport Plus pass which covers parking and admission to all Virginia state parks for one year.

The park website is http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/new-river-trail.shtml.