Virginia Mountains
 
Bath County Virginia
 
Hiking Trails
Bike Trails
Campgrounds
Waterfalls
 
Looking for places to Stay, Eat or Shop?
Take a look at our listings of:
Local Businesses
Animal Care
Antiques, Arts and Gifts
Automotive
Bed & Breakfast and Inns
Cabin Rentals
Campgrounds
Financial Services
Healthcare
Home & Garden
Insurance
Motels, Hotels & Resorts
Photographers
Real Estate
Recreation
Restaurants
Weddings
 
Custom Search
 

Bath County Virginia Bike Trails

Fortney Loop Trail

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests

Length: 2.0 miles
Rating: Strenuous
White Blaze

The Fortney Loop Trail descends about 200 feet to Lake Moomaw across from the Fortney Branch Boat Launch, about one mile from trail’s beginning at the south end.  The trail is well marked with a graded open tread in good condition.  At first the descends gently along the ridge line through open forest before dropping more steeply downhill along several switchbacks to the abandoned asphalt surface of old Route 600, which was inundated under Lake Moomaw when the Gathright Dam was constructed in the 1980.  It is interesting to see the efforts of the forest to reclaim the road.

Turn right along the abandoned road to reach the lake with a view of the Fortney Branch boat launch.  At the lake, stone steps, constructed by a Student Conservation Association work crew, lead to the return trail that winds pleasantly along the lakeside before gradually ascending through open forest to the intersection with the Cove Trail.  The Cove Trail is a short branch trail with a gradual descent to Lake Moomaw across from Coles Point.

Bicyclists should use care navigating the abrupt switchbacks and the stone steps.

Fishing access to the bank of Lake Moomaw is possible from a number of points, especially when coupled with the Cove Trail.

Directions:

Fortney Loop Trail is adjacent to the Morris Hill Campground, north of Covington.  From I-64 take Route 220 north, turn left onto Route 687. Turn left onto Route 641, Indian Draft Road, and continues as Route 641 becomes Route 666.  At the Lake Moomaw Recreation Area entrance, turn right onto Route 605 to the Morris Hill Campground, on your left.  Fortney Loop Trail is accessible from two points in the campground - the dump station, and the south end of the main campground loop road at campsite 33.

 
 
 
 
 
Advertise on This Site
Albemarle County Alleghany County Amherst County Augusta County Bath County
Bedford County Bland County Botetourt County Buchanan County Buckingham County
Carroll County Clarke County Craig County Dickenson County Fauquier County
Floyd County Franklin County Frederick County Giles County Grayson County
Greene County Highland County Loudoun County Lee County Madison County
Montgomery County Nelson County Page County Patrick County Pulaski County
Rappahannock County Roanoke County Rockbridge County Rockingham County Russell County
Scott Virginia Shenandoah County Smyth County Tazewell County Warren County
Washington County Wise County Wythe County    
Virginia State Parks        
Although we at the Mountain Travel Guide have done our best to obtain the most recent and accurate information, The Mountain Travel Guide accepts no responsibility with regards to the accuracy of information in any of the maps or information provided here or the regulations therein. No personal information is collected by the Mountain Travel Guide unless you provide it by filling out one of our advertising forms or link exchange form, see our Privacy Policy. Cookies my be placed by 3rd party companies.
Alabama Mountains Arkansas Mountains California Mountains Colorado Mountains Connecticut Mountains
Georgia Mountains Hawaii Mountains Kentucky Mountains Maryland Mountains Massachusetts Mountains
New Hampshire Mountains New York Mountains North Carolina Mountains Pennsylvania Mountains South Carolina Mountains
Tennessee Mountains Virginia Mountains West Virginia Mountains    
    What's New    
MountainTravelGuide.com provides numerous links to other Websites. These links are for the reader’s convenience and MountainTravelGuide.com does not accept any responsibility for the content of these other sites, nor for the experience that the reader has with these sites.
Mountain Travel Guide
Copyright @ 2000-2014