After a 400-mile trip from Louisville, Kentucky, to Clifton Forge, Virginia, relaxing on the wraparound porch at Ridgely Bed, Breakfast, and Historic Gardens was just what Dad and I needed. Located in town and built in 1902, Ridgely was our base for two days of riding through valleys, over ridges, and under the canopy of the Alleghany Plateau in the Virginia Mountains on this Virginia Motorcycle Tour.
When we got hungry, Dad and I walked down the hill and into town for a well-deserved meal at Jack Mason’s Tavern and Brewery, where I enjoyed a delicious New York Strip and a Log Hopper Tavern Kolsch. Afterwards, we retired to our comfortable room to rest up for the next day’s travel and exploration.
Day 1: Around Moomaw Lake-Humpback Bridge
With our kickstands up early the next morning, we hit one of the scenic drives recommended by the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, which has a visitor center near Covington (Routes are also available on the Chamber of Commerce website.). We started with the Moomaw Lake-Humpback Bridge loop.
Just west of Covington, we checked out the Humpback Bridge, the last covered humpback bridge in the United States. Built in 1857 from lumber cut with a giant axe, the bridge is 110 feet long and four feet higher at the middle than at either end. It’s hard to imagine that the quiet Dunlap Creek flowing underneath could threaten to wash it away, but that possibility is exactly why the bridge has a hump in the middle. Once part of the Midland Trail (U.S. Route 60), the bridge was closed to traffic in 1929. The National Historic Landmark is now the centerpiece of a beautiful five-acre park.
Scan the QR code above or click Day 1 or Day 2 to see routes on REVER
Next, we turned north on Indian Draft Road (State Route 600), a pleasantly remote stretch that eventually loses its yellow center lines. Following the natural hollows created by Cove Run and Indiandraft Creek, the road winds through dense foliage that covers both sides of the road. It was around this time that I realized that the Google Map of the route I had taken using the QR code at the visitor center was no longer following because I was out of cell coverage. Being able to disconnect digitally is one of the great things about riding in remote areas, but I recommend downloading maps to your phone for offline use (the REVER app allows you to do this; see map above) or carrying a paper map as a backup.
From Indian Draft Road, we meandered up East Morris Hill Road (SR-666) and then Coles Mountain Road (SR-605) to Gathright Dam. Named after the man whose land the reservoir took, the dam was authorized in 1946 but not completed until 1976. Necessary to protect life and commerce along the flood-prone James and Jackson rivers, it created the 2,530-acre Moomaw Lake, which is home to salmon and perch and is surrounded by campgrounds.
The Lake Moomaw Visitor Center is a great place to stretch your legs and check out the trail to Falling Spring Falls, another truly unique wonder. To get to the falls, we retraced Coles Mountain Road to Natural Well Road (SR-638). Just before turning right onto Jackson River Road (SR-637), we saw a sign for the Jackson River Scenic Trail, a 16-mile multi-use trail from the rails to the trailhead. We turned left onto Falls Road and then left onto Hot Springs Road (US 220).
Falling Spring Creek’s water cascades 80 feet over the rocks below in a postcard-perfect location, with the falls surrounded by lush foliage and the Allegheny Mountains visible to the left. There is a parking lot and a lookout with a picnic area on the side of the road, but there is no trail to the falls, so you’ll have to view them from a distance.
After completing our morning tour, we headed back to Clifton Forge to visit the C&O Railroad Heritage Center, a must-see for train and railroad buffs. The museum is housed in a former depot built in the late 1800s and exhibits illustrate the intertwined histories of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad and the town of Clifton Forge. The C&O was once the world’s largest bituminous coal carrier, but was also known for its luxury passenger service. The museum’s collection includes old C&O uniforms, fine china and silver, model trains, and displays about the development of the railroad. It is fascinating to see a photo of loaded freight cars parked on the bridge during the flood to keep it from being washed away, as well as an engineer’s guide to Franklin Roosevelt’s funeral train on April 15, 1945. Outside are huge coal-fired steam locomotives, passenger cars and dining cars open to visitors.
Next, we walked to the nearby Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center and saw an art exhibit created by a former railroad worker. Dad and I dined next door at Michael’s New York Style Pizza, where the smell of baking dough, ’80s music, and wood-paneled booths and tables took me back to the pizzerias of my childhood. The only thing missing was a Ms. Pac-Man arcade game on the table.
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After a late lunch, we got back on our horses to try to get to North Mountain Overlook for sunset views of the valley and the Allegheny Mountains. Parallel to I-64 east, we took Longdale Furnace Road (SR-269) to Collierstown Road (SR-770), another narrow, unpaved road. About a half mile up, however, the road turned to gravel. As dusk fell over the next hour, we decided to abandon the attempt. Dad was on his Triumph Tiger, but I was on my Triumph Sprint GT sport-touring bike. If we had started earlier in the day or were on real adventure bikes, we would have continued. But as dusk fell, we called it a day.
Day 2: Historic Masonic Theatre – Falling Spring Falls Loop
If you only have one day to ride in the Alleghany Highlands, the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism’s Historic Masonic Theater-Falling Spring Falls Scenic Loop is the ride for you. Starting at the Masonic Theater in downtown Clifton Forge, the route north out of town on Rose and Sioux becomes Sulphur Spring Road (SR-606). The road up and over the ridge is particularly twisty at the top, requiring first and second gear for the tighter turns. Although we only occasionally glanced over our shoulders at the valley below, the views were stunning. It was a crisp, clear spring day, making this part of the ride a chef’s kiss for motorcyclists.
After climbing, Sulphur Spring Road flattens out a bit and even gains a median after passing Airport Road. At the intersection with Hot Springs Road (US 220), we turn left and head south toward Covington, passing Falling Spring Falls again on the right.
In Covington, we turned right onto East Riverside Road and hopped on the Midland Trail (US 60). As US 60 merged with I-64, we took Dunlap Creek Road (SR-159). Again, I recommend saving the map to your phone for offline use, as well as jotting down common stops and route numbers, as cell coverage is spotty along the route. After all, who needs cell service when you can enjoy the light traffic, the countryside, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the hum of bicycles? We kept to no more than 45 mph for the next 25 miles, crossing Dunlap Creek over and over again.
At Crows, SR-159 joins the Kanawha Trail (SR-311) and crosses into West Virginia for a short distance. At Sweet Springs, West Virginia, we stop to check our map and read three roadside signs. One sign tells us that our current location was once part of Virginia; another tells us that John Floyd, governor of Virginia from 1831-1834, is buried nearby; and the last sign tells us that the Rowan Memorial Hall, once a resort, includes an 1833 building designed by Thomas Jefferson.
Back in Virginia, just before Paint Bank, we turned left onto Potts Creek Road (SR-18) and started heading north again. Our return trip to Clifton Forge, which included Blue Spring Run Road and Rich Patch Road (both designated SR-616), was a pleasant drive along creeks and filled with twists, turns, and drops, and a mix of open countryside and dense forest.
Back at Ridgely, Dad and I relaxed on the large porch and discussed the highlights of the past two days. We had a great time in the Alleghany Highlands, and we will be back. In the fall, I am sure sitting on the porch and watching the colorful leaves fall from the 100-year-old oak tree will draw back the curtain of nature to reveal even more of the valley below.
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Motorcycle Riding Resources in Alleghany Highlands Virginia
Nathan Cuvelier’s first motorcycle ride was after testing out his dad’s Honda Shadow Spirit in a parking lot. The next day, the two set off on a road trip through Arizona’s White Mountains. He’s been hooked ever since, and enjoys escaping traffic in northern Virginia on two wheels whenever he can.
