Review Date
March 12, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: biker128pedal ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
The Willis River Trail-I was hiking some of the trail today ansd it is much better shape than reported last summer. The ranger told me there was a trail race last fall so all the big trees and brush have been cut back. It is still a rarely used trail. Wish I had brought the bike. This trail needs more riding. Oh the blaze marks are white and sometimes hard to find. Bring a compass.

Recommended Route:
Best thing to do the first time is to start at Bear Creek State Park. Pay $2 to park. Park at the lot for the CMT before you get to the swimming area. There are trail guides in a box. If none ask the ranger. They are very nice but don't know very much about the Willis River Trail. Go straight on the CMT trail until you get to where the Willis trail crosses. (The CMT is good for beginners as it is setup more for horses.) If you go right toward Winston Lake. (There is parking there.) If you go left you go toward the Warner Forest Road off Rt 608. There is very little parkig there but he swingin bridge is neat. The trail crosses the bridge but I don't know wherw it goes from there.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Cheap Plug - Beaver Dam Multiuse trail in Gloucester VA. It needs more bikes on it. The horses have chewed it up. PLEASE ride it to pack it down so it won't be so muddy or rough when dry. 10 mile out and back or you can ride to Rt 17 at Ark and circle around on the road. Go the direction to give you a tail wind on Rt 17. The hole loop is then 23 miles and takes about 2 hours.

Review Date
August 20, 2004

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 1 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: craigy ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
According to the literature presented me at Bear Creek Lake State park the Willis River Trail is not actually a hiking trail.
The guidebooks said it was so I rode it anyway.
PANTS!
The trail has not been used for a season or two, you can barely make out a trail in most places and in many more any semblance of a trail has dissapeared. The white marks on the trees are still there but you have to stop frequently to look for the next one.
The terrain in nice, some ups and downs as it winds through the hardwoods of Cumberland State Forest.
Probably due to Hurricane Isabel in 03 the trail hasn't been maintained in some time, lots of deadwood blocks the trail, most of which I had to get off the bike and toss aside.
If you want a real 'native & un-used' trail then this is for you, if you like to get up a head of steam and ride through rolling twisty wooded singletrack then this is not for you.
I checked with Ranger Smith and no trail maintenance is scheduled this year (that he knows of)
Shame, if the trail were clear it would be a blast

Recommended Route:
Willis River Trail

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Cumberland Multi Use Trail
Forest roads

Review Date
October 16, 2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Review Date
October 9, 2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once