more stats
4.7 miles
Distance
860 ft
Climb
-852 ft
Descent
00:51:22
Avg time
7 ft
Altitude change
396 ft
Altitude min
544 ft
Altitude max
402 ft
Altitude start
410 ft
Altitude end
-22.8%
Grade max
28.7%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
1 mile
Distance flat
00:51:22
Avg time

Witchback Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Angler's Ridge Park
    Danville, Virginia
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Local Popularity
    50 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 75 in E-Biking
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #73955 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #25808 in E-Biking
    • #77524 in Trail Running
    • #152733 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    Trails never close.
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    A-Frame, Berm, Bridge, Drop, Rock Face, Rock Garden, Wallride
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    Danville Parks & Recreation

Most difficult trail in the Angler's ridge trail system.At least 4 difficult climbs no matter which way you ride it. Witchback is a loop trail of about 6 miles.Where the trail crosses of the fire road you can take a connector trail to White Fawn and Hidden Hollow trails in the Dan Daniel park.All three of these trail will be the Orange and Purple loops totaling over 15 miles.

Access Info

The trail can be accessed from Angler's Park.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 11 rides
  • 15 miles avg distance
All
  • 51 rides
  • Last: Sep 10, 2026
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update trails status or condition

Witchback Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Sep 20, 2026 @ 2:29pm (America/New_York)
Sep 20, 2026
 large tree top down across trail.
Apr 20, 2026 @ 10:25am (America/New_York)
Apr 20, 2026
 Good conditions. One small tree down about a mile in if you're going CCW.
Dec 26, 2025 @ 10:19am (America/New_York)
Dec 26, 2025
 Most, if not all, leaves cleared. Trail is in good shape.
Aug 9, 2025 @ 10:47am
Aug 9, 2025
 Ever heard of trail maintenance and water management? Around six trees down, sticks and limbs everywhere, and it is quite overgrown in many...
Jul 27, 2025 @ 1:32pm
Jul 27, 2025
 Some down trees; most can be hopped. >50% of the trail has been weed-wacked; some parts are getting grown in.
more »
Status:
on Sep 20, 2026
Avg: 3.99 (9 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to witchback trailhead (36.562930, -79.361580)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      10 more »
      mtb
      94 |
      Dec 23, 2025 @ 9:40am
      Dec 23, 2025
      mtb
      255 |
      Dec 21, 2023 @ 9:43pm
      Dec 21, 2023
      mtb
      544 |
      Nov 20, 2012 @ 10:20am
      Nov 20, 2012
      mtb
      523 |
      Nov 20, 2012 @ 10:20am
      Nov 20, 2012

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Witchback yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      12
      ARTA: Witchback Figure 8 (Difficult)
      6 miles • 852 ft • 4 • Loop •
      This is the route that was recommended to me as a favorite way to ride . This route allows you to go...
      4.1 ★★★★★
      9 Ratings
      5 ★ 44%
      4 ★ 22%
      3 ★ 33%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      2 Reviews & Comments

      MickeyToons
      Fun trail! It's nice that it's nice that this trail is all alone and an easy to follow loop, so even from out of town you don't have to use a map.

      I find the trail has a nice variety of terrain.
      Alpamayo
      I’m not sure how this gets a black diamond rating. There is absolutely nothing technical on this trail. It has some steep climbs, but basically nothing that can’t be cleared by just pointing your wheel uphill and pedaling hard. At worst, you may have to push a very short hill or two, but it is all rideable without significant technical skills. There is nothing downhill that warrants a black diamond rating.

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      Nearby Trails

      Angler's Ridge Park

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Witchback located?
      Witchback is located in Angler's Ridge Park, Danville, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Angler's Ridge Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.56293, -79.36158.
      ▼ How hard is Witchback?
      Witchback is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Witchback?
      Witchback has 860 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 852 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 396 ft to 544 ft.
      ▼ Is Witchback a point to point trail?
      Witchback is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Witchback?
      Witchback is 4.7 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Witchback?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Witchback. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Witchback?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Witchback are:
      • May (6 activities)
      • June (4 activities)
      • July (4 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Witchback? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Witchback are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Witchback?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 53 minutes to ride Witchback. The trail is 4.7 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Witchback?
      Witchback is a moderately popular trail. There have been 313 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 458 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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