Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Merrimac, Virginia

Big Mountain is accessed from U.S. 460 just outside Blacksburg and follows a U.S. Forest Service road into the surrounding mountain area. At this time, the trail is an out-and-back route that ends at a closed Forest Service gate. At the end of the trail, there is a large cul-de-sac turnaround with a...
Learn more about Big Mountain

Bailey Gap and Butt Mountain are two trails that are near the Mountain Lake Lodge, which was made famous by the movie "Dirty Dancing". Both trails are beginner-friendly, with Butt Mountain being the easier of the two. Butt Mountain is mostly gravel and dirt, with very little in the way of mud or obs...
Learn more about Bailey Gap to Butte Mountain

This trail is accessed either just after or just before the historic Mountain Lake Lodge, well known as one of the filming locations for the movie Dirty Dancing. The trail itself consists primarily of hard-packed gravel and is mostly a two-track route. There are plenty of wider areas along the trail...
Learn more about FS 10575

This hard-packed gravel trail is located just off the Mountain Lake Turnpike and provides users with access to an unstaffed U.S. Forest Service campground. There is no camp host on site, but the campground is open and offers several individual campsites for visitors looking to spend time in the area...
Learn more about White Rocks Campground

This trail offers users either an access or an exit route to the historic Mountain Lake Lodge. The trail is a well-maintained, curvy, two-lane road consisting primarily of hard-packed gravel. The surface is generally smooth and free of major obstacles, making it suitable for most vehicles. The windi...
Learn more about Mountain Lake Turnpike

This dirt track travels just north of Gatewood Reservoir. At just under 3 miles, it's a great quick run, or you can add to a route that includes some of the other local forest roads. There are a few ruts and mud holes, but nothing too extreme, and unless there was a lot of rain, it shouldn't be an i...
Learn more about Pond Lick Road

FS 224 is an improved gravel road that is pretty well-maintained, winding up and down and around the mountain, and can be run in either direction. That being said, you should pay attention to washouts and downed trees due to storms. There are a few streams that cross the road, but they were only 6 i...
Learn more about Wildlife Road - FS 224

Enterprise is a well-maintained Forest Service road that provides an easy and relatively accessible route through the surrounding forest. A seasonal gate closure is located near the main road, so access may be restricted during certain times of the year. There is also a permanently closed gate at th...
Learn more about Enterprise

The main road through Kairos starts on Shumate Falls Road as a paved road with a really steep grade. It's a bit tight and windy in the beginning, but still manageable for RVs, you just might want to use low range if pulling a large RV during the steep grade. It turns into gravel after you start pass...
Learn more about Gravel Road

This is a short spur off Trail 1. This easy trail stretches less than a quarter mile and leads to a scenic overlook beneath the power lines. The wide path is lightly rutted with scattered sticks, loose rocks, and some leaf decay, but remains accessible for most riders, with hardly any technical elem...
Learn more about Trail 3

This wide, smooth 1-mile loop begins at the middle entrance and travels clockwise through the Kairos trail system. Expect shallow ruts, a few muddy puddles, and a mud hole with an optional bypass. The trail surface features minor leaf decay and small loose rocks, but remains mostly clear and easy to...
Learn more about Trail 1

Lick Branch is an out-and-back Forest Service road that travels through a peaceful and scenic mountain setting before ending at a large dispersed campsite suitable for multiple vehicles. Several smaller dispersed camping areas are also available along the route, providing additional options for thos...
Learn more about Lick Branch

This is a very short 160-yard spur connecting Trail 1 back to the main road, Trail 2 serves as a directional bailout route (north to south only). The trail is smooth and easy, with virtually no ruts or rocks--ideal for a quick, non-technical exit. Overall, it's great for all skill levels.
Learn more about Trail 2

Trail 21 is a 1.7-mile easy trail that allows two-way travel. The south end begins with a small rocky stream crossing and some loose rock, gradually climbing up from the Trail 26 bypass. The route parallels a ravine on a wide path with a couple of additional shallow stream crossings along the way. M...
Learn more about Trail 21

Trail 5 is a short spur, less than a quarter mile long, that provides a smooth and easy bailout from Trail 4 to the main road (directional south to north only). The wide path winds through the trees with minor ruts, loose rocks, leaf decay, sticks, and occasional roots, but remains very manageable a...
Learn more about Trail 5

Trail 6 is a very short 270 yard bailout route from Trail 4 back to the field camping area along the main road. It is lightly rutted with slightly more loose rock than Trail 4, but still easy overall. The entrance from Trail 4 is somewhat faint and can be easy to miss.
Learn more about Trail 6

Trail 14 drops off from Trail 7 and descends through dense forest on a wide, smooth path. The surface has minor loose rock and shallow ruts but remains easy to navigate. The trail is directional from south to north and winds through tall trunks of maple and hop-hornbeam under a thick leafy canopy, o...
Learn more about Trail 14

Trail 4 is a 1.3-mile loop that continues from the east end of Trail 1 across the main road, running directionally in a clockwise direction. It features a wide path with shallow ruts, large mud puddles, and sweeping corners through dense forest. The terrain includes gentle hills that dip into small ...
Learn more about Trail 4

Trail 13 is a short, 500-yard connector between Trails 14 and 7, directional from south to north. It winds through dense forest with a few slightly steeper spots, but overall it's a smooth and easy trail suitable for all skill levels. It's a simple spur that allows for some alternate routes in the s...
Learn more about Trail 13

This 1.8-mile single track begins on UTV Trail 5, looping through the forest around the campground and ending near the office. The trail has a smooth surface with minimal rocks or roots, just a few shallow muddy ruts and gentle curves. There's little elevation change and good visibility throughout, ...
Learn more about Single Track 3

The main road through Kairos starts on Shumate Falls Road as a paved road with a really steep grade. It's a bit tight and windy in the beginning, but still manageable for RVs, you just might want to use low range if pulling a large RV during the steep grade. It turns into gravel after you start pass...
Learn more about Gravel Road

This is a short spur off Trail 1. This easy trail stretches less than a quarter mile and leads to a scenic overlook beneath the power lines. The wide path is lightly rutted with scattered sticks, loose rocks, and some leaf decay, but remains accessible for most riders, with hardly any technical elem...
Learn more about Trail 3

This wide, smooth 1-mile loop begins at the middle entrance and travels clockwise through the Kairos trail system. Expect shallow ruts, a few muddy puddles, and a mud hole with an optional bypass. The trail surface features minor leaf decay and small loose rocks, but remains mostly clear and easy to...
Learn more about Trail 1

This is a very short 160-yard spur connecting Trail 1 back to the main road, Trail 2 serves as a directional bailout route (north to south only). The trail is smooth and easy, with virtually no ruts or rocks--ideal for a quick, non-technical exit. Overall, it's great for all skill levels.
Learn more about Trail 2

The main road through Kairos starts on Shumate Falls Road as a paved road with a really steep grade. It's a bit tight and windy in the beginning, but still manageable for RVs, you just might want to use low range if pulling a large RV during the steep grade. It turns into gravel after you start pass...
Learn more about Gravel Road

This is a short spur off Trail 1. This easy trail stretches less than a quarter mile and leads to a scenic overlook beneath the power lines. The wide path is lightly rutted with scattered sticks, loose rocks, and some leaf decay, but remains accessible for most riders, with hardly any technical elem...
Learn more about Trail 3

This wide, smooth 1-mile loop begins at the middle entrance and travels clockwise through the Kairos trail system. Expect shallow ruts, a few muddy puddles, and a mud hole with an optional bypass. The trail surface features minor leaf decay and small loose rocks, but remains mostly clear and easy to...
Learn more about Trail 1

This is a very short 160-yard spur connecting Trail 1 back to the main road, Trail 2 serves as a directional bailout route (north to south only). The trail is smooth and easy, with virtually no ruts or rocks--ideal for a quick, non-technical exit. Overall, it's great for all skill levels.
Learn more about Trail 2