Overview
Length: 62.2
Climbing: 3,740
Rating: 5.0
Climbing:Per Miles: 60 Ft.
Min./Max. Altitude: 1515 / 2214
This metric century is a combination of the Indian Mills Loop and the Wikel Loop using state route 122 as a short connector. Plenty of climbing rewarded with great vistas, and some flat sections along Indian and Hans Creek to give your legs some recovery time. The climb up to Wikel is the real climbing challenge of the ride but you have several miles of downhill and flat riding for recovery.. Turn list and GPS files start from Forest Hill. Other convenient places to start would be Greenville and the Vo. Tech school on just off of 219 on 219/17 South of Wikel.
Location
This ride is in Western Monroe, and Eastern Summers Counties. The nearest incorporated towns are Peterstown, Hinton and Alderson.
PDF Map and Turn List
General Route Description
Start:
The route description as well as the pdf turn list starts in Forest Hill at the intersection of state route 12 and Co. 21/1, Seminole Road. At the intersection there is a church,and also another church 0.1 miles out Seminole Road where you can park.
Forest Hills to Route 122: Heading North on Route 12, after only 0.1 miles, you bare right on County 21/3 Forest Hills Road. 21/3 rolls a little, but not much climbing. After 0.7 miles you merge right onto Co. 12/5 on a slight downhill. 12/5 offers a fairly flat ride across to Marie. Some nice vistas on the way. At Marie you take a right on Summers Co. 17, Little Stoney Creek Road. You will want to stop and take a walk thru Emma Jean's store which makes up the business district of Marie. Just past the store the Ben Voss Rd. 17/2 take off to the right, but you want to continue straight on Co. 17. Enjoy the vistas as you arrive at the Summers/Monroe County line where the road becomes Monroe 19. Just past the county line, take a right onto Baker Hill Road to follow 19. You immediately begin a STEEP downhill for more than a mile as you drop into the Indian Creek drainage.
Intersection 122 to Lillydale: Taking a left on route 122, you follow Indian Creek upstream toward Greenville. After 1.7 miles, you pass the intersection of Co.25 . (When returning on 122 you will turn up Co. 25 here.) Continuing on 122 you will pass the historic Cooks Mill, just before climbing to the community of Greenville, There is a convenience store in Greenville You continue a gradual climb past Greenville and bare left onto Co. 23/4. 23/4 is worn tar and chip surface, so be careful on any down hills. After 3.5 miles on 23/4 you come to the Lillydale covered bridge. After riding thru the bridge, you have an easy climb and then a steep descent to Lillydale (more a name on a map then a community). 23/4 merges into 219/11.
219/11 to VoTech School: You take a sharp right onto 23/5 and you have smooth ride on good pavement downstream along Back Creek to state 122 again. Going left on 122, you pass the Creekside Resort and take a right after 0.9 miles onto 23/7 Hunters Springs Road. You start out with a gentle climb before you hit the wall for the climb to Wikel. Continuing straight at the intersection at the top of the climb, you are then on Co. 219/17 and immediately begin a pretty easy cruise back to Greenville. Take time to enjoy some of the vistas as you descent from Wikel.
Vo Tech School to Greenville: After passing the vocational technical school, you take a right past the old church onto Co.. 25. This is a beautiful road down the valley formed by Hans Creek for a few miles before a gentle climb and over to Cooks Runs and continue downgrade toward Greenville. Taking a sharp right at the intersection of 23/3, you cross a medal deck bridge over Indian Creek for a final short climb up to Greenville. To the left at the end of the bridge, you can walk down to the backside of the old Cooks Mill. Past the bridge you can go left to State Rt. 122, or continue to Greenville if you need to stop at the store.
State Route 122 to Orchard: Turning left onto route 122, and passing the old Cooks Mill again, for the next 10.5 miles, you will be following basins of Indian Creek, and its feeder streams of Hans Creek and Blue Lick Creek, through some of the best farming property in the county. A few of the farms along this section have been in the same family since the late 1700's. 2.9 miles on route 122 brings you to Co. 25, Hans Creek Road. Take a left and cross Indian Creek on an open deck medal bridge. Enjoy the scenery as you travel along the undulating road. When you cross Hans Creek again, you take a left at the end of the bridge to continue up Hans Creek. Eventually Hans Creek veers off to the left and you continue to follow the paved road along Blue Lick Creek. After you pass the Larew Cottage, you will cross another open medal deck bridge. As you reach the upper end of the valley, the road makes a right across what has become a narrow valley and begin a 0.4 mile climb of 7-9% up to the junction with Co. 27. Taking a right on Co. 27, you follow the a ridge up to Orchard.
Orchard to Bozoo: At Orchard you take a left onto Orchard Road, Co. 33, which continues along the high ground with great vistas to Ballard. Arriving in Ballard, you take a left on state route 12. Just after turning onto route 12, there is a dairy bar, and just after turning onto Rt. 12,will be a general store on the right where you can get food and water. Past the store you start downhill, but look for the red and white building that houses the volunteer fire department. Take a right in front of the building on Cty.24, Pinhook Road. Route 24 is undulating and has a good climb on it before arriving at the intersection that constitute Bozoo, which is also the high point of the ride.
Bozoo to Forest Hill: At the intersection, you continue straight to go onto Co. 24/3, Shanklins Ferry Rd.(County 24/2 goes right at this intersection and is also a shorter, flatter and just as scenic alternative route.) Shanklins Ferry Rd. becomes Summers Co. 23/6 as you begin to descend in toward the Bluestone river. After a fairly steep descent you arrive at the intersection with Co. 23/5, Indian Mills Road. You take a right on Indian Mills road and begin a short but steep climb (12%) before a short flat cruise thru farm country again. Another descent takes you by a campground access and another short climb. At the bottom of the next descent is a ROAD Hazard, as the small bridge has a raised edge. This is right at the bottom of a steep downhill (see slide show) and before another short climb up to the intersection with Co. 23/7. Continuing straight at the intersection you have one more descent and small climb before the final descent to Indian Creek at Indian Mills. After crossing Indian Creek, the ranger station is on the left. From the station it is 2.9 miles of rolling terrain out to state route 12. Turning left onto route 12, you immediately begin climbing at 2 - 4% for a mile before ramping up to 6-7% up to the finish at Forest Hill.
Local Sources
Nearest Bike Shops:
Hammer Cycles, White Sulphur Springs
Food - Water Sources: There are two stores along the route. One in Greenville and one in Ballard.
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