Mountain Bike Magazine....

VIRGINIA'S WINTERGREEN IS

FOR LOVERS (OF MOUNTAIN BIKING)

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America's top byways, making it a popular place to take your mountain (and road) bike. Just a half-mile off the parkway, Wintergreen Resort is the destination of choice for many lovers of Virginia mountain biking.

One of the Old Dominion's finest four-season outdoors resorts, Wintergreen takes winter and green very seriously. Winter visitors will find great skiing and more at this environmentally sensitive resort. After the snow melts, mountain biking is the sport of choice for many Wintergreen visitors.

The first thing you notice about Wintergreen Resort is the sheer beauty. The Blue Ridge Mountains make for a pretty place to ride and enjoy Virginia's outdoors. Wintergreen's mountaintop location means you'll be staying and riding right in the middle of this scenery, where there are spectacular vistas and 40-mile views from certain spots.

Wintergreen recently opened the Wintergreen Mountain Bike Center. Mountain biking is one of the hottest outdoors trends in the state and Wintergreen has quickly become the mecca for many riders.

Wintergreen Resort's valley foothills and mountainous terrain offer a variety of options for beginners and seasoned cyclists. Mountain bikers will find groomed trails, vast fields, stream banks, powerline easements, and pastoral wooded areas.

With a method similar to skiing, the vast property's mountain biking trails are color-coded to indicate the level of difficulty. There's a trail for everyone and the staff at the center can recommend a flat loop around the lake or some serious steeps up on their mountain.

The Wintergreen Mountain Biking Center offers guided trail rides from the spring into the fall. Their half-day ride is available for $36 per person, though guests staying at the resort only pay $30. The guided tour provides a great introduction to Wintergreen's beauty.

Hourly bike rentals start at $9 for guests and $12 for day-trippers. Half-day rentals start at $21, while the full-day price is only $30. The trail free is $3, which includes a detailed trail map and lots of tips from the staff at Lake Monocan.

All cyclists using Wintergreen's mountain bike trail system are required to check in at the Monocan building, wear a helmet, and sign a waiver. Riders renting equipment must be at least five feet tall.

Contact the Wintergreen Mountain Bike Center at Wintergreen Resort, Wintergreen, VA 22958, 804/325-2200. Advance reservations are requested. For overnight reservations, call 800/325-2200.