Recap: Hendricks - Davis Snowy Gravel Loop
Quick stats
Solo
31.5 miles / 2600 ft climbing
Low 20’s to upper 30’s
Snowy to start, sunny at end
Headwind at highest elevations
Blackwater Canyon Trail
Blackwater Bikes
Blackwater Falls State Park
Canaan Loop Road
Stream crossings
Mud holes/pits
Slow speed crash
I parked at the Allegheny Highlands Trail Trailhead in Hendricks, WV. Plenty of parking, but no services.
It was snowing at the start and the mountains were blanketed with clouds and snow. Headed up the Blackwater Canyon Trail toward Thomas, WV. Soft pedaled through 4 inches of snow for ten miles to the pavement in Thomas. Climbed up through the neighborhood to Davis Rd and headed toward Blackwater Bikes.
I stopped at the gas station and picked up a coke and some pepperoni rolls. When in Rome! Blackwater Bikes moved to a new location and this was my first chance to visit. Rob and Mac were hanging out with customers and I got the chance to talk to them about their new location and rental apartments below their shop. They have a lot of rental bikes available, including fat bikes, and great gear choices. If you make it to Davis stop in and visit with them. The sun made an appearance as I left the shop.
The route has estimated 66% gravel. In the winter the area can get a good bit of snow so most of the route had 4-6 inches of snow. Canaan Loop Road has a high clearance vehicle section for several miles with stream crossings and mud holes/pits. The snow helped alleviate the mud, but the snow/ice built up forcing me to ride a 1x with limited shifting in the rear. I slid on some mushy snow on a downhill and fell over in slow motion knocking the handlebars and saddle out of alignment. After I fixed them The fire road had no tire tracks and a lot of snow, plus some downed trees so I took it slow all the way down to pavement road back to the car.
Blackwater Bikes shop - love the upcycled (pun intended) toilet paper and paper towel holder in the bathroom. We traded stickers! Purchase a pack here! Custom Defeet socks with Blackwater Bikes logo.
