Tucked away on the edge of town, Harrisonburg’s Hillandale Park boasts a variety of attractions, including walking trails, a sand-volleyball court, two basketball courts, and a number of picnic shelters on 74 acres of land. Most exciting of them all are the Rocktown Trails — a collection of 14 mountain bike trails with a range of three difficulties, making them available to a wide variety of bikers from novice to expert. 

Sunday afternoon, I made the 15 minute bike ride to the park, located off of Route 42 south on Hillandale Avenue. The wind was a little chilly, but by the time I rolled into the parking lot, I was warm from the quick paced ride over. 

The park was full of people lounging in the uncharacteristically warm weather, concentrated in the pools of sunlight. At the entrance to the trails, people were more scarce, but I chatted with two guys in their late 20s who had just been biking. They told me the trails were great for biking today. I was eager to hit the trails with my old, borrowed mountain bike.

Having never mountain biked before, I started on the easiest trail simply named “Go” and was pleasantly surprised at its gentle curves and easy maneuverability. I made my way to “Take it Easy” next. 

sharp, and the bumps not too bumpy. With tree protection, the wind had died down and the place was calm and quiet, but for the sounds of nature. 

While in February, the forest lacks much color and life that it usually contains, squirrels were scampering around and green was peeking out from the trees. After trying many of the trails, my favorite was “Let it Flow”, a trail that traversed the edges of the park, circling around all the others. It was a nice, longer loop that stayed interesting, even after a few laps. 

I rode past a pump track, a tightly knit, simple maze of looping hills that a few people were using. It wasn’t fancy, but looked fun enough. I preferred to stick to the trails, and didn’t get to try it out. 

I would recommend the Rocktown trails to anyone who wants to get a break from work, get some exercise, or just enjoy a little bit of fast paced nature. This is the only place within biking distance of EMU for mountain biking, and it is certainly worth the trip! While it might be too tame for avid mountain bikers, if you are looking for a peaceful afternoon excursion, this is one you don’t want to miss.