more stats
1.6 miles
Distance
230 ft
Climb
-362 ft
Descent
00:15:26
Avg time
-134 ft
Altitude change
2,057 ft
Altitude min
2,409 ft
Altitude max
2,191 ft
Altitude start
2,057 ft
Altitude end
-1.6%
Grade
-22%
Grade max
29.4%
Grade min
3,343 ft
Distance climb
5,230 ft
Distance down
39 ft
Distance flat
00:15:26
Avg time

Skullcap Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Poverty Creek
    Blacksburg, Virginia
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Local Popularity
    30 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #37644 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #77096 in Trail Running
    • #129684 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No

From Queen Anne to Prickly Pear, Skullcap is pretty mellow with a backcountry feel due to the PCTC reroute. From Prickly Pear to the road it is steep, rocky, and rooty: A great time.

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
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6 Months
  • 0 rides
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All
  • 25 rides
  • Last: Aug 18, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on Aug 17, 2025
Variable
Avg: 4.21 (3 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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BC Backroad Status

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Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to skullcap trailhead (37.271110, -80.489320)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        4 more »
        mtb
        84 |
        Nov 24, 2022 @ 8:07am
        Nov 24, 2022
        mtb
        73 |
        Nov 24, 2022 @ 8:06am
        Nov 24, 2022
        mtb
        198 |
        May 23, 2019 @ 4:54am
        May 23, 2019
        report
        mtb
        95 |
        Jan 25, 2025 @ 4:05pm
        Jan 25, 2025

        Videos

        1 more »
        Riding Poverty Creek Trail System in...
        mtb
        15:09 | 366 | Nov 6, 2022 , Blacksburg

        Routes with this trail

        29
        To Trillium from Getaway and back
        13 miles • 2,164 ft • 10 • Loop •
        Nice Route with a bit of everything, have fun!
        95
        Back Loop from McDonald Hollow
        21 miles • 2,972 ft • 18 • Loop •
        Long Route with technical climbs, fast and fun downhills and grenn cruising.
        103
        Back Loop from McDonald Hollow
        21 miles • 3,031 ft • 19 • Loop •
        Do the Prickly Pear-Skull Cap-Trillium from McDonald Hollow, flowy greens, techy climbs (Snakeroot) fast...
        4.7 ★★★★★
        3 Ratings
        5 ★ 67%
        4 ★ 33%
        3 ★
        2 ★
        1 ★

        1 Review & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        Poverty Creek

        • By owensjsTF Pro & contributors
        • #49741 - 1,636 views

        Frequently Asked Questions About Skullcap

        ▼ Where is Skullcap located?
        Skullcap is located in Poverty Creek, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Poverty Creek trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 37.27111, -80.48932.
        ▼ How hard is Skullcap?
        Skullcap is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The average grade is 1.6%.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Skullcap?
        Skullcap has 230 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 362 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,057 ft to 2,409 ft.
        ▼ Is Skullcap a point to point trail?
        Skullcap is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Skullcap?
        Skullcap is 1.6 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Skullcap?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Skullcap. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Skullcap?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Skullcap are:
        • July (8 activities)
        • May (4 activities)
        • March (3 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Skullcap? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Skullcap are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Skullcap?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 15 minutes to ride Skullcap. The trail is 1.6 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Skullcap?
        Skullcap is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 427 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 402 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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