Roanoke County, Virginia (June 9, 2021) – Roanoke County is pleased to announce the opening of two new mountain bike features at Explore Park on Saturday, June 12, 2021. Explore Park’s Voyager Trail is a new quarter-mile mountain bike trail designed and built by Blue Ridge Off-Road Cyclists. The ribbon-cutting to open the Voyager Trail will take place on Saturday, June 12 at 9:00 A.M.
Explore Park’s new Blue Ridge Bike Center will open following a ribbon-cutting on Saturday, June 12 at 10:30 A.M. This event marks the completion of the first phase of a progressive skills park development, including a skills loop, intermediate connector trail, and new parking lot. Visitors will be able to access the new outdoor amenity located at 4082 Rutrough Road.
Each trail and element was designed for beginner and intermediate skills development. Natural skills features in phase one include rock features, dirt berms, log rumble strips, rock armored rollers, and rock gardens. Additional phases to the Bike Center will be added in the coming years.
The opening of Blue Ridge Bike Center fulfills a key amenity identified in the Explore Park Adventure Plan, adopted by the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors in 2016. This new trail system serves as a starting place for individuals and families to practice trail riding techniques and mountain bike skills.
According to department director Doug Blount, “We’re excited to open the Blue Ridge Bike Center at Explore Park as our new mountain bike attraction. This outdoor amenity will provide a space for beginner and intermediate mountain bikers and visitors in our region. We see this bike center as the starting point as we gear up for additional phases, which continues Explore Park’s role as a destination for outdoor recreation in Virginia’s Blue Ridge – America’s East Coast Mountain Biking Capital.”
See Event Notice and Map (PDF) for more information.
• Voyager Trail Ribbon Cutting - Saturday, June 12, 9:00 AM – Media are invited to the ribbon-cutting, which will be located on the Voyager Trail. Please park in the Journeys End parking lot. Staff will direct media and the public to the Voyager Trail for a 9:00 A.M. ribbon-cutting ceremony.
• Blue Ridge Bike Center Ribbon Cutting - Saturday, June 12, 10:30 AM – Shuttle service from the Explore Park RV/Lot C parking lot to the Bike Skills Center parking lot, provided by Roanoke County Staff, will begin at 9:30 A.M. with the last shuttle departing at 10:15 A.M. The Blue Ridge Bike Center ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 10:30 A.M, and shuttle service will be available for the public and media members.
• Interviews with Roanoke County officials and representatives will be available immediately after the ribbon-cutting event.