This is quite possibly the best ride in the collection of routes associated with the Harrisonburg and Stokesville Campground area. A bold statement, considering the other gems in and around Harrisonburg and Stokesville. Every foot you climb up Braley Pond Road and Magic Moss will be worth the effort, and once you are done, you'll want to come back for more. This ride can be easily extended by combining it with the Lookout Loop - another absolute gem in the region. The ride can also be reversed, Magic Moss is also a phenomenal downhill, albeit, not quite as long as Dowells.
The top side of the Dowells descent features a lot of phenomenal stone work. A portion of Dowells is unfortunately avoided because of the new Magic Moss alignment. If you want to descend “full Dowells” stay left where Magic veers right. Be warned, that final section, aptley named “Bad Betsy,” is a brutal hike-a-bike. Below, a short video summary of my latest ride up Magic and down Dowells (this outing included the hike-a-bike up Betsy…).
Magic Moss, Dowells Draft
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
Length: 11 miles. A lot more distance if you combine other trails in the Stokesville area.
Ride Time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours hours, depending on skill level
Ride Type: MTB
Difficulty: Level 4 Riding: Like many of the other loops in the Harrisonburg (Burg) and Stokesville areas, the ride presented here starts with a long, thankfully gradual, 3 mile gravel road climb. Once you get to the Magic Moss trailhead the fun really begins. Magic Moss is a “relatively” new addition to the trail inventory at the Burg. It’s actually a reworked section of the Wild Oak Trail. That work was financed by a grant secured by the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition. The result is a sustainable corridor that is fun either up or down. The climb to Hanky Mountain is gradual and manageable and the subsequent descent down Dowells is spectacular. The ride can be easily reversed, but this clockwise configuration, in my opinion, is a a lot more fun.
The version I present in my book Mountain biking Virginia (route below) actually climbs up Dowells, descends Magic Moss and then turns right on Braley Pond Road. From there it climbs up Hankey Mountain and descends the entirety of Dowells back to the start. It’s double the distance and double the climbing…
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