The Virginia Creeper Trail

Construction Progress Update (as of July 2, 2026)

The Start to the Heart (Abingdon to Damascus) section of the trail remains open and welcoming trail lovers! 💚

Virginia Creeper Trail Reconstruction:
-Slope Failure 3 was completed on June 18, 2026.

-Slope Failure 2 was completed on June 26, 2026.

-The first permanent bridge, Bridge 22, was set on July 1, 2026, marking a major project milestone 13 days ahead of the baseline schedule.

-All H-piles have been installed at Bridge 16. Work at Bridge 17 is underway, with Abutment 2 completed on July 1.

-196 of 217 micropiles have been installed.

-U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and Virginia Sen. Todd Pillion visited the project site on June 30 to observe preparations for the Bridge 22 installation.

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Taylor’s Valley Waterline:
Installation of 12-inch ductile iron pipe is underway upstream of Bridge 26 toward the Taylor’s Valley yard.

-4,600 of 9,100 linear feet of ductile iron pipe had been installed as of June 29, 2026.

-Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) completed its second drill and ream section on June 26, 2026. Crews then pulled 757 feet of pipe through the bore beneath Bridge 25.

More construction updates from Kiewit Corporation can be found at CreeperTrailRebuild.com

The Virginia Creeper Trail parking lot at the trailhead recently got a major upgrade! A brand new sign, entrance, fencing, new gravel, marked parking spots, and a safer pedestrian pathway in and out of the lot all are among the updates. Hit the trail soon and check out the new additions!

NOTE: The Start to the Heart (Abingdon to Damascus) section of the trail remains open and welcoming trail lovers! 💚 The upper section (Damascus to Whitetop) remains closed as it undergoes major reconstruction from damages sustained during Hurricane Helene.

Construction Progress Update (as of June 16, 2026)

The Start to the Heart (Abingdon to Damascus) section of the trail remains open and welcoming trail lovers! 💚

The first permanent concrete pour was completed at Bridge 16, Abutment 1 and Bent 1, on June 10, 2026. Concrete pours will continue at additional bridges.

Work at Slope Failures 2 and 3 is nearing completion.

Thirteen of 23 bridges have been fabricated at Contech, with eight delivered to the site.

151 of 213 micropiles have been installed. Micropile installation is now complete in Segments 4 and 5.

Twelve of 21 H-piles have been installed at Bridge 16.

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Taylor’s Valley Waterline Replacement:
One of four directional drill sections is complete, and the second directional drill is more than 75% complete.

More than 3,600 feet of ductile iron pipe has been installed by Kiewit and subcontractor ASI.

Hydrostatic pressure testing is ongoing for installed waterline segments to confirm there are no leaks.

More construction updates from Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. can be found at CreeperTrailRebuild.com

Construction Progress Update (as of June 4, 2026)

The Start to the Heart (Abingdon to Damascus) section of the trail remains open and welcoming trail lovers!

Initial access through Slope Failure 1 has been completed, with additional work underway at Slope Failures 2 and 3.

Ninety of 213 micropiles have been installed at nine of 23 bridges.

Bridge 21 has been removed from the Creeper Trail and will be relocated to the Raven Cliff Recreation Area in Ivanhoe, Virginia.

Six of 21 H-piles have been installed at Bridge 16. Pile lengths have ranged from 37.5 to 73 feet.

Guardrail installation along Creek Junction Road has been completed.

Taylor’s Valley Waterline
Mobilization from Bridge 25 to Bridge 26 has been completed.

The bottom-hole assembly, an attachment to the pilot drilling tooling, has been installed and the entry pit has been excavated.

The pilot bore at Bridge 25 is in progress.

More construction updates from Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. can be found at CreeperTrailRebuild.com

New The Virginia Creeper Trail merch! 🚴

Freshly stocked for spring, this brand-new hat design is now available at Alvarado Station along the VCT, the Virginia Creeper Welcome Center at the Abingdon trailhead, and the Abingdon Visitor Center on Main Street.

The design is embroidered on a high-quality, six-color woven patch and offered on two premium hat styles: a Richardson Five-Panel Umpqua Rope Snapback in beige and an AS Colour 100% Cotton Five-Panel Cap in brown.

Created by local designer Hank Collie, the artwork reflects everything we love about the trail, from rolling hills and mountainsides to the streams that meander alongside it, plus the trestles, trees, and sunshine peeking through the forest canopy. We hope you love this new design as much as we do.

P.S. — Vinyl stickers are also available now, and t-shirts are coming soon!

Construction Progress Update (as of April 8, 2026)

The Start to the Heart (Abingdon to Damascus) section of the trail remains open and welcoming trail lovers!

Initial access efforts at Slope Failures 4 and 5 have been completed, with additional work currently underway.

Work on an existing slope failure along Creek Junction Road is complete, allowing initial access activities to continue.

Permanent bridge fabrication has begun at Contech Engineered Solutions in Abingdon.

View progress updates and learn more about the Virginia Creeper Trail rebuild at https://www.creepertrailrebuild.com

The 2026 Best of Abingdon competition is underway! Vote for your favorites at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6RQXFY3

Local love. 💚 Voting for Best of Abingdon 2026 is now open!

Our businesses are what keep vibrant. Vote for your favorites to show your love and support the people and places that keep our community thriving.

⏰ Vote now through April 30, 2026, at 4 PM ET
🔗 Cast your votes at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6RQXFY3

How It Works:
✔️ 33 categories
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Winning businesses will be announced approximately one month after voting ends. Spread the word and make your vote count!