more stats
1.2 miles
Distance
76 ft
Climb
-537 ft
Descent
00:14:01
Avg time
-461 ft
Altitude change
2,130 ft
Altitude min
2,628 ft
Altitude max
2,597 ft
Altitude start
2,136 ft
Altitude end
-7.4%
Grade
-37.5%
Grade max
17.7%
Grade min
1,050 ft
Distance climb
5,079 ft
Distance down
66 ft
Distance flat
00:14:01
Avg time

Blunderbuss Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    McDonald Hollow
    Blacksburg, Virginia
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 70 in Trail Running
    • 45 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #19721 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #106973 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    A-Frame, Berm, Drop, Jump, Gap Jump, Rock Garden

Great two flavors trail with jumps and some big optional gaps. Flows well and is fast from the top, then gets chunky a bit after crossing Highway. The trail climbs after the rocks near Wilkes Wood before descending on a moderate grade, gradually steepening with more airtime options. After one last easy climb, the final descent contains the biggest features on the trail, with numerous step downs, the biggest of which is the rock drop under the power lines, to a large step-up. More flow after these features, before the trail ends, intersecting with the upper part of Ida May.

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 5 miles average
6 Months
  • 13 rides
  • 8 miles avg distance
All
  • 70 rides
  • Last: Jun 16, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Blunderbuss Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jan 6, 2026 @ 6:04pm (America/New_York)
Jan 6, 2026
 Very leafy except high on berms
Apr 25, 2025 @ 10:43am
Apr 25, 2025
Dec 26, 2024 @ 10:27am
Dec 26, 2024
Apr 19, 2024 @ 3:22am
Apr 19, 2024
Nov 28, 2023 @ 6:50pm
Nov 28, 2023
 too many leaves makes sometimes difficult to see trail
more »
Status:
on Jan 6, 2026
Very Dry
Avg: 4.17 (6 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
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
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  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
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Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to blunderbuss trailhead (37.249210, -80.487100)

        Photos

        43 more »
        213 |
        Oct 15, 2022 @ 11:14pm
        Oct 15, 2022
        136 |
        Oct 15, 2022 @ 11:14pm
        Oct 15, 2022
        132 |
        Oct 15, 2022 @ 11:15pm
        Oct 15, 2022
        142 |
        Aug 28, 2022 @ 3:23pm
        Aug 28, 2022

        Videos

        3 more »
        McDonald Hollow Park - Blunderbuss Trail
        2:17 | 631 | May 22, 2021 , Blacksburg
        Gopro Raw Footage: Blunderbuss, FlowTrail MTB ...
        0:10 | 438 | Apr 28, 2021 , Blacksburg
        'Tree Gap' Jump
        0:16 | 196 | Oct 18, 2021 , Blacksburg

        Routes with this trail

        72
        Virginia Tech Enduro (2024)
        14 miles • 2,545 ft • 8 •
        This is the official enduro route for the Virginia Tech Brush Mountain Blitz, 2024.
        93
        Back Loop from McDonald Hollow
        21 miles • 2,972 ft • 18 • Loop •
        Long Route with technical climbs, fast and fun downhills and grenn cruising.
        101
        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 Reviews & Comments


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        Frequently Asked Questions About Blunderbuss

        ▼ Where is Blunderbuss located?
        Blunderbuss is located in McDonald Hollow, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. It is part of the McDonald Hollow trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 37.24921, -80.4871.
        ▼ How hard is Blunderbuss?
        Blunderbuss is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 7.4%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Blunderbuss?
        Blunderbuss has 76 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 537 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,130 ft to 2,628 ft.
        ▼ Is Blunderbuss a point to point trail?
        Blunderbuss is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.

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