Creeper Trail completion set for Fall 2026, to cost nine figures

A tentative completion date of Fall 2026 has been set for the eastern half of the 35-mile Virginia Creeper Trail and is estimated to cost $200-$300 million to finish.Edward Wright, area ranger with Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, gave updates on the Virginia Creeper Trail during the Town of Damascus Media Days event Tuesday, Sept. 16. Standing in front of Trestle 16, Wright said the 17-mile upper half of the Virginia Creeper Trail from White Top Station to Damascus, located on National Forest property, will remain closed."It is critical for safety and contractor crew efficiency that the public stay off the closed section during the rebuild process," Wright said.Wright said the U.S. Forest Service contracted debris removal along the Virginia Creeper Trail corridor back in June. So far, 30,000 cubic yards of "downed trees, damaged trestles and hurricane debris to date" have been removed.Debris removal should be done by the end of September, leading to rebuilding the upper section of the Virginia Creeper Trail. Wright said a formal request for qualifications process was done earlier this summer "to identify highly qualified contractors." Narrowed down to three contractors, the design-build project bids were submitted Sept. 9 and will be awarded "no later than the beginning of this October," Wright said.Of the 31 rail-to-trestles on the upper half of the trail, 18 were destroyed by Helene. Repairing the trestles and washed-out trail sections pushes up the price tag."The design and construction cost for the base contract and all the options is estimated to be between $200 million to $300 million," Wright said. "The rebuild will largely keep the trail within the existing corridor to maintain the downward grade of the trail from White Top to Damascus."The project will also include the replacement of Trestles 16 and 17 in Damascus. Trestle 16 is currently open to the public, as many people biked across during the media event.Wright said the "tentative completion date is Fall 2026," which is pretty remarkable."The contract for the design and rebuild includes small business requirements, so the Town of Damascus plans to work with the awarded contractor to build partnerships with local businesses and boost the local economy during this project period," Wright said.Other local projects include replacing the Orchard Hill Road bridge, which is expected to be completed by August 2026. Bridges in Taylors Valley and on Grassy Ridge Road are planned to be rebuilt by January 2026 and November, respectively."We are very excited that the Creeper Trail is going to be better than ever in the very near future, and we know that all of the towns in Washington County have to work together in order to keep this place as amazing and beautiful and the most perfect place on earth that it is," Abingdon Council Member and former mayor Amanda Pillion said."We are incredibly thankful for Governor [Glenn] Youngkin, the U.S. Forest Service, and our congressional partners for their commitment to fully restoring the Virginia Creeper Trail," Damascus Town Manager Chris Bell said.After the speakers, Damascus held a ceremonial ribbon cutting for the the new and improved Virginia Creeper Trailhead, the Creeper Trail Welcome Center in the Damascus Caboose and a new "Rhythm of Damascus" mural, completed by artist Heidi Nisbett of Sketching Summits and supported by Friends of Southwest Virginia.