New Castle - Rich Patch Loop
By Chris Hall
New Castle, Strom, Roaring Run, Rich Patch, Paint Bank, New Castle
Begin and End in New Castle VA at intersection of VA 42, VA 311, and CR 615 (Craig), 37.502 North, 80.111 West (32 miles from Blacksburg VA via Mt Tabor Rd, Newport Rd and VA 311; 39 miles from Blacksburg VA via US 460 and VA 42, 20 miles from I-81 Exit 141 Roanoke VA via VA 311)
Length 107 miles
This loop is almost entirely taken from the bottom half of page 52 of the Virginia DeLorme Gazetteer. As with any great ride in these parts, it includes a bit of everything, but a good bit of it is on slightly rough, fairly narrow county roads. There are bumpy narrow hilly stretches through National Forest, some excellent smooth fast sweepers, creek valleys, and three mountain passes. Two of the passes are over-and-back fingers attached to the loop, and you can drop them if time is in short supply.
Getting onto the loop depends on where you're starting. From Blacksburg, I prefer the VA 42 route to New Castle; most folks starting from the Roanoke area would likely take the VA 311 route. But an alternative for Roanokers would be to scoot to Fincastle and head west on CR 606 (this road happens to be one of the fingers).
Mile 0: In New Castle, head northeast on CR 615, turning right off VA 311 if you're heading north. Better though, is to follow Main St northeast through town: it passes a couple of historic buildings, turns left, becomes Race St, and ends on CR 615; turn right. This county road is mostly in good condition, curvy, hilly, and occasionally a bit gravelly. You'll also find yourself stuck behind the occasional farm vehicle. Don't be shy pass with vigor. At about Mile 5, you can take a left on CR 611 and find your way either back to VA 311 north of New Castle, or to CR 617 which connects to this loop a little farther on between Rich Patch and VA 18 (Loop mile 55). Or you can continue on 615 and this loop. Somewhere along here you'll see a left turn for Fenwick Mines, an interesting scenic and historic destination. Make a note of it for future excursions, or add it to your personalized version of this ride.
Mile 7: Here begins the first finger on this loop. If you skip this one, you'll regret it. It's only about 13 miles, so should only take about 13 minutes (right?). To follow the finger, turn right on CR 606. This country road begins as an unpainted, fairly rough surfaced backway, winding through a mix of farm and forest, but lucky for you and me, just before it begins the climb over Caldwell Mountain, the pavement gets smoother, the road widens a bit and you get the benefit of some yellow and white painted lines. From here to the other side of the mountain is one long motorcycle-passing-only zone, so be prepared. The swoopy switchbacks going up this side of the mountain have fairly large radius compared with the tighter switches going down the other side. You'll get to enjoy both sets both ways. Just ride over the top, down the other side, and when you get to the right turn onto CR 666 (6.5 miles), hang a yuey, and zip back over Caldwell Mt to the main loop, and resume your northeasterly journey along CR 615.
CR615 follows Craig Creek (which picked up the water from Johns Creek back there in New Castle). All along this route you'll catch glimpses of the creek, which according to the Gazetteer, is much twistier than the road. Occasionally the road climbs over a hilly section near the creek, and some of the unmarked curves arrive in surprising fashion. There's one blind uphill right-hander that immediately breaks into a downhill lefthander just as you crest the hill. Good stuff. Give you something to write home about.
Mile 25: Here's a left turn onto a dirt road (CR 704) leading to the ancient and abandoned town of Lignite. Once upon a time there was a wooden sign in the old town that just said Lignite. Now that sign is gone, and only the old chimney is left. In any case, this one-mile side-trip is only advised for those who like rough gravel roads.
Mile 31: Somewhere along here you'll see the trailhead for the Hoop Hole Trail, which offers a few miles of hiking, including a tempting loop to Roaring Run Falls and back.
Mile 34: Strom. That's what the map says, but there are no signs indicating any Strom. There is a little store at the intersection of 615 and 621. You'll be turning left onto 621, and you might enjoy stopping at the store for a refreshing cold drink and a snack. Ask them to show you how high the water got during the October 2004 Flood (Hurricane Ivan, I believe). Heading north on 621 you'll soon come to the Roaring Run Recreation Area, with parking lot, picnic tables, trail info, restrooms, and a well-maintained iron ore furnace dating back to 1858 or so. Definitely stop here and check out the furnace. And if you have time, take the short hike to the waterfall. It's the same falls that the Hoop Hole Trail leads to, but it's a bit shorter of a hike from here.
Mile 38: Here's another finger. At Rich Patch Church, turn right on Rich Patch Road (CR 616) and follow it downhill five miles to Low Moor. This road sports excellent pavement and a nice curvy path between Porter, Johnson, and Horse Mountains, and along Karnes Creek. There's a big power station on the right just before you get to Low Moor. This is the least interesting of the three fingers on this ride, but it's still a pretty good 10-mile side diversion. At the stop sign in Low Moor, turn around and follow it back uphill to Rich Patch, and turn right at the church.
Mile 55: Here's the junction with CR 617, and if you turn left you can make your way back to New Castle more quickly than you will by following the rest of this route. Keep going though, and in about a mile, you'll come to a church in the middle of the road, and another possible left turn (CR 616, Rich Patch Rd). Continue straight, following Blue Spring Run to VA 18, where you'll turn left.
Mile 59: Left on VA 18. This road is the major expressway between Paint Bank and Covington. I suppose some folks call it the Potts Creek Thoroughfare, or maybe the Potts Creek Autobahn. No matter, it's a high-quality two-lane painted-lines twisty backway that crosses Potts Creek a dozen times or more. From here to Paint Bank is about 18 miles, and they're all fun. At Mile 66 or so, you can turn left on Mill Branch Road and follow it about seven miles, most of which are mostly paved, and return to VA 18. But if you do, you'll miss what I think is the best section of curves on the entire length of VA 18. So, don't do it; stick with VA 18 until it ends at VA 311 just north of Paint Bank.
Mile 77: VA 18 ends at VA 311. Left is the loop, but right is the unmissable finger: Peters Mountain Switchback Trail to Sweet Springs. Beautiful set of switchbacks going up the south side of Peters Mt, then a tight set of switches usually laced with gravel down to Sweet Springs, WV. Keep going a bit north if you want, and check out the Sweet Springs resort (recently being demolished) and the Sweet Chalybeate Springs resort (converted to substandard housing). Keep on going north all the way to Crows for a good extra diversion, or turn left on WV 3 and never look back. But for this ride, the finger stops in Sweet Springs and you get the pleasure of running back over Peters Mt and down to Paint Bank.
Mile 90: Paint Bank, Virginia. Stop here. Visit the General Store. Have a buffalo burger. Chat with the friendly folks who run the place, and with the friendly motorcyclists who probably got here by way of Potts or Peters Mountains. Take a walk out back to visit Tinglers Mill and check out the water wheel. Cross the road and visit the Bed & Breakfast, which has the original Paint Bank train line caboose as one of its rooms. Enjoy yourself and get ready for the last stretch of this little loop.
From Paint Bank, take VA 311 south. At first it climbs slowly and more or less straightly up the base of Potts Mountain. If you have time to kill and it's open, pay a visit to the Fish Hatchery at about Mile 92. That's where the trout in Potts Creek are born and raised. If you do make this stop, also take the time to run the two miles or so up to the end of CR 603, where you'll find Bat Castle Farm and a small flock of strange-looking wooden implements. And then make your assault on Potts Mountain.
The switchbacks going up and down Potts Mountain are fabulous. Almost always clean (well, maybe a little gravel here and there), these curves are just made for motorcycles. Don't bother stopping at the Potts Mt Overlook halfway down the south side unless you just have to know. It's a reasonably nice view, but it's right in the middle of good switchbacks, and it's not nice enough to slow down for.
Mile 107: Back to New Castle. Stop at the store and figure out where you're going next. West on VA 42 back to US 460 near Blacksburg? Continue south on VA 311 and then right on Newport Rd or Blacksburg Rd back to Blacksburg? Onward to Salem? Left on CR 615 to do the loop again? Or turn around and head back over Potts Mountain and on into West Virginia?
Your call.