Challenging turns through stunning mountain scenery add to my thrill, and the border region of eastern West Virginia and western Virginia has plenty to offer. Great roads curve along rivers, wind through national forests, and roll through small towns, with interesting sights along the way.
The historic little town of Lewisburg, West Virginia, offers good restaurants and accommodations, making for a convenient base of operations. I connected there with my longtime travel buddy Steve Efthyvoulou for two day-long bike rides that took us across (and over) the border between the Virginias.
Day 1: Entering the Alleghany Plateau
After breakfast, we headed north on US Route 219 to Anthony Road, where a right turn took us onto an interesting and often narrow trail that parallels Anthony Creek. Recent deer attacks on this trail involving cyclists we knew had us on high alert for the aptly named creatures. Odocoileus virginianus. We continued past Anthony and Blue Bend with no deer. A right turn onto State Route 92 (Pocahontas Trail) took us south through Alvon and into the suburb of White Sulphur Springs.
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A single exit on Interstate 64 east took us to State Route 311 (the Kanawha Trail). We crossed into Virginia and entered the George Washington National Forest. A few miles later, we came across a strange double tunnel under the railroad. The original passageway was built of stone; the metal culverts were probably added later.
SR-311 hugs Tygers Creek southeast toward Crows, where we turn right to follow Dunlap Creek. We cross back into West Virginia, and south of Sweet Springs, SR-311 continues to turn left onto Peters Mountain Road, which curves dramatically up a ridge. There it reenters Virginia and cuts through a patchwork of wilderness and recreation areas, campgrounds, and trails for hikers and ATVers.
On the outskirts of Paint Bank, where SR-311 crosses Potts Creek, the Lemon Hotel proudly shows off its bright yellow exterior. This historic mountain home, which dates back to 1909 and now operates as a motel, continues the yellow theme with its garage, chicken coop, deck chairs, guest bicycles, and more. The green trim mimics the leaves of a lemon tree. I bet the yellow property is cool, but I’d rather go with the yellow lines painted on smooth blacktop.
Paint Bank Road continues to switch back and forth down Potts Mountain, with some scenic signs. At New Castle, we turn left onto State Route 615 (Craig Creek Road). The road is less winding than the waterway of the same name, but still attractive. On the right, we notice suspension bridges spanning the creek that look like miniature Golden Gate Bridges. As Craig Creek makes its final rightward sweep to join the James River, we turn left onto State Route 621 (Roaring Run Road), which cuts along Karnes Creek.
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At Low Moor, we turn left onto US Route 220, which cuts north through Covington, and continues on Hot Springs Road, gaining elevation through curves into the Alleghany Plateau. Past the junction with State Route 684, we stop at Falling Spring Falls.
In his 1781 book, Notes on the State of VirginiaNative son and future U.S. President Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The only notable waterfall in this country is Falling Spring at Augusta. It drops over a rock some 200 feet into the valley below.” Today, the drop is only 80 feet because mining operations from 1927 to 1941 diverted the stream to the current waterfall. It’s still beautiful, but I wonder what the original 200-foot waterfall looked like.
Continuing on US 220, we hit some twists and turns up a ridge, then looped down into the heart of Clifton Forge, where there were plenty of lunch options. Steve chose 42 Deli, where we ordered a bacon-filled BLT. (There’s no such thing as too much bacon.)
After lunch, we continued north on Douthat Road to State Route 39, then turned left for more curves to the West Virginia border. Descending into Marlinton, we turned left onto US 219 through Buckeye and Hillsboro. In Pocahontas, we visited Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, the site of the 1863 Civil War battle that ended organized Confederate resistance in the still-new state of West Virginia. A hike to the observation tower gave us panoramic views of the Greenbrier River Valley. Continuing south on US 219, a mix of sweeping roads and winding roads brought us back to Lewisburg to complete the day’s loop.
Day 2: West Virginia High School
The next morning, our second loop started east from Lewisburg on US Route 60 then turned south at Cadwell onto State Route 63 (Monroe Draft). At Organ Cave, the road joined US Route 219 (Seneca Trail) and at Pickaway, we turned right onto State Route 3 heading towards Sinks Grove and Wolf Creek. At Alderson, SR-3 crossed the Greenbrier River and curved slightly west and south to run alongside this picturesque river.
At Bellepoint, the Greenbrier and New Rivers converge, and just after Hinton, we hit a beautiful stretch of State Route 20. With tight turns and elevation changes, it winds along the Gwinn Ridge on a near-perfect surface. At Sandstone, we parked at the grocery store and walked around back for a close-up view of the New River. One of the oldest rivers on Earth, it flows north through the valleys and canyons of West Virginia. On a beautiful June morning, it couldn’t be more beautiful.
Back on the road, we enjoyed the curves of SR-20 in the opposite direction. At Hinton, SR-3 has a winding two-lane stretch to Shady Spring. There, US 19 south takes us to Odd Road, with its constant curves, which is not unusual for West Virginia. At Odd Village, we turn right. Then at Coal City Road, we turn left for more twists. At Amigo, we follow State Route 16 through Stephenson and Corinne to Mullens.
Heading north out of Mullens on State Route 54 took us to a series of winding roads including State Routes 97 and 3, Mattsville Road, Lower Sandick Road, and Clear Creek Crossing Road. At Clear Creek Crossing, the ride got even better as we turned right onto Clear Fork Road. The tight turns were almost dangerous, but oh, so much fun!
Clear Fork Road ends (sigh) at Maple Fork Road, then we turn left onto State Route 16, turn right onto Route 61, and turn left onto Route 41. Further along, we reach a highlight of the day, Babcock State Park, featuring the Glade Creek Mill and a series of rushing waterfalls.
Back on SR-41, we continued on to US 60 and got exactly what we expected from a great road in West Virginia: smooth asphalt with elevation changes and thrilling turns. What a great way to end this trip. At the intersection of US 219, we were back in Lewisburg.
In the morning we drove 664 miles on the highway home. It was a long day but a small price to pay for the enjoyment of crossing the Virginia border.
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Virginia-West Virginia Motorcycle Resources
Scott “Bones” Williams engages readers with his passion for motorcycle travel, gear, and culture. His writing reflects his love of speed and movement, his penchant for the road less traveled, and his role as a goodwill ambassador.
