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The Gauntlet Loop (The Gauntlet Trail Carvin's Cove Carvins Carvin's Cove Trail System The Trough Trail)
Mountain Biking Trail
Hard
6.09 mi
1,123 ft
The rowdiest, most technical descent at Carvin's Cove.
The Carvin's Cove trail system is the undisputed mountain biking hotspot in the Roanoke region. The entire trail network is situated on land owned by the city of Roanoke. At 12,000 acres in size, "it is the second largest municipal park in the United States (behind South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona)," according to an article on
Carvin's Cove offers 40 miles of singletrack and has "another 40 in the works," according to The trails are split into roughly two halves: the high trails that run up and down the mountain, and the lower trails near the base.
The Gauntlet is the rowdiest, most technical descent off the top of the mountain. Compared to the other trails, “the Gauntlet, on average, is much more open with much better flow, allowing you to conserve your speed and blast down the mountain!” according to an article on "There are tons of corners to carve up towards the top, but as the trail descends it gets rockier and rootier, transitioning into a high-speed suspension testing zone. Drop the saddle and be prepared to rock on this trail!”
Since the Gauntlet is located on the east side of the ridge, it’s quite separated from the main Carvin’s Cove trailhead. There’s a smaller trailhead on this side that provides access to the Gauntlet, but in order to do a loop from this side riders must grind straight up the steep Trough trail… or more likely, hike-a-bike.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
The Carvin's Cove trail system is the undisputed mountain biking hotspot in the Roanoke region. The entire trail network is situated on land owned by the city of Roanoke. At 12,000 acres in size, "it is the second largest municipal park in the United States (behind South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona)," according to an article on
Carvin's Cove offers 40 miles of singletrack and has "another 40 in the works," according to The trails are split into roughly two halves: the high trails that run up and down the mountain, and the lower trails near the base.
The Gauntlet is the rowdiest, most technical descent off the top of the mountain. Compared to the other trails, “the Gauntlet, on average, is much more open with much better flow, allowing you to conserve your speed and blast down the mountain!” according to an article on "There are tons of corners to carve up towards the top, but as the trail descends it gets rockier and rootier, transitioning into a high-speed suspension testing zone. Drop the saddle and be prepared to rock on this trail!”
Since the Gauntlet is located on the east side of the ridge, it’s quite separated from the main Carvin’s Cove trailhead. There’s a smaller trailhead on this side that provides access to the Gauntlet, but in order to do a loop from this side riders must grind straight up the steep Trough trail… or more likely, hike-a-bike.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Trough Trail Climb | 1.07 mi | 584 ft | 10.2% |
| Trough to Hi Dee | 2.70 mi | 879 ft | 5.9% |
| Climb Trough down Gauntlet | 6.07 mi | -1,070 ft | -0.0% |
| The Trenches | 0.53 mi | 413 ft | 14.8% |
| Trough to Royalty | 0.95 mi | 167 ft | 3.3% |
| Trough to Gauntlet | 1.59 mi | 295 ft | 2.8% |
| New Gauntlet DH split | 0.43 mi | -203 ft | -7.3% |
| Gauntlet DH | 1.89 mi | -997 ft | -9.9% |
| Lower Gauntlet | 1.25 mi | -669 ft | -10.1% |
| The Horse Pen | 1.14 mi | 190 ft | 3.0% |
| Horsepen | 1.18 mi | 190 ft | 3.0% |
| Horsepen Royalty to First Deck | 0.20 mi | 56 ft | 5.2% |