Pedestrians and cyclists on the Huckleberry Trail near the New River Valley Mall
The Huckleberry Trail connects Blacksburg with Christiansburg, and is very popular for both recreation and commuting. Currently it runs for about 6 miles from downtown Blacksburg to the new River Valley Mall.
Extending the trail from the mall to the Christiansburg Recreation Center has been the region’s top bike-ped priority. The right-of-way is available, but crossing Hwy. 114 (Peppers Ferry Rd.) requires a bridge, for which there hasn’t been enough funding — until now.
Christiansburg resident Renva Weeks Knowles, who died in 2007 at the age of 95, has left a donation of about $1M to construct the Huckleberry Trail bridge.
The Christiansburg extension would allow cyclists to avoid the interchange at 460 Business and Cambria St., restoring an important link that was broken when the interchange was built. Christiansburg cyclists and pedestrians can now have a safe and appealing route to the mall — for employment, shopping, and entertainment.
Future expansion plans call for extension to downtown Christiansburg, connecting several neighborhoods along the way. At the Blacksburg end, plans are well underway to connect with Gateway Park and the Pandapas Pond area of the Jefferson National Forest, and its network of mountain biking and hiking trails. Long term plans include a connection with the New River Trail through Radford; and with a regional trail to Roanoke.
See the Friends of the Huckleberry website for a map and more info.
See also Southwest Virginia Online, “Huckleberry Trail Set to Expand.”
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