| count | avg | score | |
| this | 91 | 4.65 | 0 |
| subs | 0 | NAN | 0 |
| total | 91 | 4.65 | 4620 |
| listed | 382 | 0 | 4104 |
| articles | 1 | 0 | 1386 |
| TOTAL | 10111 | 0 | |
Level: Intermediate
Length: 35 mi (56.3 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +664/642 ft
Total: 166 riders
Mountain Biking Angler's Ridge
#7 of 290 mountain bike trails in Virginia
#228 in the world
Angler's Ridge is a 35-mile volunteer maintained system of stacked-loop singletrack trails that give the rider an awesome experience, no matter their skill level. IMBA trained trail volunteers have built trails that vary in skill level, from the entry-level Riverside Drive to the more technical Crooked Stick (653 foot elevation change) and Witchback (891 foot elevation change). All the trails are flowing, mixing technical areas like rock gardens and rooty climbs with creek crossings and smooth hard pack. Riders will find bridges, gravity drops, log pyramids, tight switchbacks, and moguls as the trails snake through beautiful forestland with mature hardwoods, numerous creeks, and abundant wildlife. Several fire roads and the paved greenway intersect the area for an easy bailout and return to the trailhead. There are some major climbs and some epic climbs (entire network elevation change of 2795 feet), all rewarded with bombing downhills. The greatest benefit of this trail system is it's flow - the climbs are equal in part to the downhills - not too long and always worth the climb!
The trail system has five marked loops all beginning and ending at the trailhead - green (2 miles); blue (5 Miles)(purple 7 miles) (orange 6.2 miles)
and red (12 miles) for riding without maps and each can be ridden clockwise or counterclockwise for a completely different experience and double the miles! As of the Fall of 2013, trails include the following: Riverside Drive, Eagle Scout, Little Pisgah, Crooked Stick, Camel Bak, Hot Tamale, Plummet, The Bern, Angler's Ridge, Broken Arrow, Witchback,.White Fawn and Hidden Hollow. There are great shelter, picnic and restroom facilities and a bike wash and bike repair station at the Angler's Park trailhead, which is a City Park situated along the Dan River with public boat ramps. Danville's "Riverwalk Trail" (a paved 8 mile greenway) meanders through the singletrack network and along the riverfront to downtown Danville and other commercial and recreational areas. Visit www.anglersridgetrails.org or Angler's Ridge Trail Association on Facebook for the latest information and to make local connections.
A pump track has been built near the Witchback trail connector.
Update 3/18/13:
Angler's Ridge now has over 35 miles of trails after adding trails in Dan Daniel park.Hidden Hollow a 6 mile loop and White Fawn @ 2 miles that connects Witchback to Hidden Hollow.We have built more bridges now totaling over 45.Camping is allowed in the Angler's Park.Contact the Danville Parks and Recreation Dept. 434- 799-5215 Electric is available near the shelter and at the other end of the parking lot at the utility poles in the grassy area.Trail updates and trail work can be found on Facebook's Angler's Park Trail Work.The trail never closes for weather conditions.
First added by Jeff Barber on Oct 20, 2005. Last updated May 11, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: yes
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: yes
- Restrooms: yes
- Fat bike grooming: yes
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
For GPS Directions: Closest Address is 180 Stinson Drive, Danville VA 24540; Northside Drive is not always recognized. Follow the local directions below once you exit at the Welcome Center;
From North/South on Highway 29: remain on the Expressway and take the Welcome Center/Dan Daniel Memorial Park Exit as in the local directions below;
From the East/West on Highway 58: from the East - remain on the Expressway and take the Welcome Center Exit as in local directions below; from the West, take a left on Airport Drive as you enter the city, continue on to the right and Airport Drive becomes Stinson Drive; follow Stinson Drive until the left on Northside Drive as in local direction below;
Local Directions: From the Welcome Center/Dan Daniel Memorial Park Exit on the 29/58 Expressway, follow Riverpoint Drive and the brown Public Boat Ramp Signs to Angler's Park. This will take you past the Welcome Center, then Right on Stinson Drive, Left on Northside Drive, and at bottom of the hill go to the left at the water treatment plant. Park past the ball fields and near the timberframe shelter - Trailheads, bathrooms, and greenway are all there.
Featured in
Rode Angler's Ridge yesterday. Started down at the river and rode the paved greenway all way up to right above the Fire Training facility, there's a small parking lot, and entered into the trail Hot Tamale. Followed Hot Tamale down to Camel Back, followed Camel Back down to the hillside right above the parking lot at the river, then on down to the river. You would think that most of this trail would be downhill, but the trail is about balanced out with equal ups and downs all way to the river. That means some hard charging on the extreme ups and downs will really get your heart rate up. But I love the steep 40 foot gullies, barreling down as fast as you can and hoping to climb out the other side, but there's no way to carry enough speed coming out of the gullies to think about coasting up, so you just have to gut it out to the top. For the most part these three trails (compared to others like Mountain Laurel and Shriners Revenge) are almost rock free, but there's enough roots and hard climbing to demand a non bobbing full suspension. I'll be back.
| ThankI made it back to Danville Sunday 31 May. This time I rode Crooked Stick and Angler's Ridge, both were awesome. It was hot that day so I had to pace myself, these climbs will get your lungs screaming as there's alot more climbing than my local trails in Greensboro. I will be back to ride again.
| ThankRode some of these trails today for the first time and I'm kicking myself in the tail for not coming sooner. These trails are on another level, just awesome. There's something for everyone, from moderate climbing with super flow (the trials I rode), to short brutal technical climbing on Witchback. I got in probably 5-6 miles, and I will definitely be back to ride all these trails soon.
| ThankIt's a really good section of trails in a small area. Climbing is descent, but not punishing. It has good flow sections and is great on a ss. The soil type / vegetation makes the trail narrow, but there is plenty of room around you.
| ThankWe've had quite a bit of rain in our area and are an all volunteer group. We are doing our best to keep up with all of the trail maintenance. Thanks for riding, come back soon!
| ThankYou can spend a weekend here and never ride the same thing twice. Trails are in great shape every time I ride. There's a bike wash and bathrooms on site, as well as a picnic shelter and plenty of parking. Each time I've been there's always been a number of cars in the lot and friendly faces in the woods if you get turned around. The river walk cuts through the entire park so if you decide to bail, you can cut out at anytime.
| ThankRode Witchback and most of Hidden Hollow. Lower parts of the trails were a bit wet and muddy, but a blast to ride. Some of the hills are very challenging; not super-long, but steep. Hairpin turns on uphill switchbacks can be tricky. I was the first rider on the trails for the day, so was constantly riding through spiderwebs. Had to stop every 15 minutes or so to wipe off the webs and check for spiders. Lots of turtles also on trail, some trying to reproduce (that I interrupted). These are intermediate plus trails. Some hill climbs are advanced.
| ThankLots of variety... Flamingo Hill for big jumps, etc, lots of xc, a few fun elements up top and super cool rock garden down below. I like to 'cheat' sometimes riding the paved road up and hitting the trails to go down. Favorite trails are Crooked Stick and Hot Tamale and sometimes Riverside for some flat, creekside speed.
| Thank*You can easily ride your bike a few miles into downtown Danville for good eats and drinks right on the river/ riverwalk trail!
Lots of variety... Flamingo Hill for big jumps, etc, lots of xc, a few fun elements up top and super cool rock garden down below. I like to 'cheat' sometimes riding the paved road up and hitting the trails to go down. Favorite trails are Crooked Stick and Hot Tamale and sometimes Riverside for some flat, creekside speed.
| Thank*You can easily ride your bike a few miles into downtown Danville for good eats and drinks right on the river/ riverwalk trail!
hey yall i got some fro yo coupons for you.
| Thanknow i have ridden a trail in Greensboro and have gained a habit of sucking other peoples thumb peace from yo boy billy
billy bob here once again i am really cool. I like sweet frogs and sucking my thumb and feet. I also love tarrantulas. The trail is amazing. I am actually twenty seven
| ThankIt is the only trail i have ever ridden because I am a 87 year old and i can't travel far. Peace from yo boy billy bob and here's a free froyo coupon from my nursing home. peace once again. signing out billy bob
| ThankGot to ride about 10miles of its 30 miles, Angler'sRidge was a fantastic ride. Around every turn it was something different. Rode Anglers Ridge, Hot Tomalie, lil Pisgah loops. Good climbs, quick drops, smooth flows. Definitely going back to ride again and ride more.
| ThankGreat trail system. If you travel from out of town, there is a Holiday Inn Express you can ride from that has access to the River Walk Trail which will take you all the way to Angler's Park. I have done this ride repeatedly and it never gets old.
| ThankThe Orange Loop at Angler's Ridge is a 15.5 mile marked technical loop that includes three entire trails.It starts at Angler"s Park then turns onto the Witchback trail CCW to a Rt. turn to White Fawn trail to the Hidden Hollow trail CCW back to White Fawn To finish Witchback CCW to Angler"s Park.Some of the trail is marked Purple now but will be later changed to all Orange.You will have
| Thankat least six difficult steep climbs,many switchbacks,a rock garden,fast technical downhills,only one paved area about 500 yards,one straight flat area about 1/8 mile,a few rocky rooty areas and a lot of tight twisting trail.The half way point of the Orange Loop is on the Hidden Hollow trail at the top of the Cork Screw.
The Orange Loop at Angler's Ridge is a 15.5 mile marked technical loop that includes three entire trails.It starts at Angler"s Park then turns onto the Witchback trail CCW to a Rt. turn to White Fawn trail to the Hidden Hollow trail CCW back to White Fawn To finish Witchback CCW to Angler"s Park.Some of the trail is marked Purple now but will be later changed to all Orange.You will have
| Thankat least six difficult steep climbs,many switchbacks,a rock garden,fast technical downhills,only one paved area about 500 yards,one straight flat area about 1/8 mile,a few rocky rooty areas and a lot of tight twisting trail.The half way point of the Orange Loop is on the Hidden Hollow trail at the top of the Cork Screw.
Very nice trail! Even though in Virginia, it's one of the better trails easily accessible from the Raleigh/Durham area - just 60 to 90 minutes one way, which makes it an easy Saturday or Sunday ride.
With Dupont & Pisgah 4 hours and Warrior Creek 2.5 hours from RDU, this is the best ride near Raleigh and well worth the trip.
There's ample parking, a bike work station, decent rest room facilities AND A BIKE WASH! They don't close after the rains so the bike wash can really be helpful.
Crooked Stick and Hot Tamale are two flowy sections with good jumps.
If you want to work out your legs and lungs, Hot Tamale and Witch Mountain will do the trick :)
| ThankNice trail system but needs some work. To many roots and washed out areas. Trails are marked but are confusing to follow.
| ThankI see his point. Danville is an OK trail system. But with all respect to the trail builders they need to get out and see what good trails actually are. Many of the people who say certain trails are #1 in VA have not ever seen what a top trail looks like, some have and are not honest with themselves. Again Danville is a nice Piedmont trail but its not anywhere close to top 10 in VA best trails. That is not Danville's fault, its the ridiculous algorithm Singletracks uses. Everytime im around Danville I ride the trails, and will do so in the future, but If someone drove 4 hours away to ride an epic trail they will be highly disappointed with Danville.
| ThankSome nice spots but close to roads and highways in some spots. I like wilderness trails so I guess im spoiled
| Thank