Railroad Grade Road

Paved road built on section of abandoned Virginia-Carolina Railroad. Please see our new map. A favorite place for a leisurely bicycle ride in north-western North Carolina. Runs between Fleetwood and Todd and is built on an old railroad grade and is practically flat—not one hill to climb! It is paved, but too narrow to have a center stripe; in fact, it is so narrow in places that when two cars meet one has to pull halfway off the road. Please bike with caution!

This road goes through a valley right by the South Fork of the New River, which has been declared the first of the nation's American Heritage Rivers. An old station now serves as a outdoor store. In the Summer and Fall, this Road is popular with cyclists for it's lack of climbs and fine views of the river. In early February 2012 Appalachian State University students and local organizations are working to get approval from landowners for a bike trail on the New River in Todd. The project would provide a 30-mile biking and walking trail, winding from Green Valley Elementary School to the old Fleetwood Elementary School.

Currently, the project is still in the early stages of development. "We haven't been working on it that long," SDCO Assistant Director Tommy Walsh said. "We're just starting to get some things together. It can be a great project for both Watauga and Ashe county."

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