Waterford – Lovettsville is a 29.9-mile loop starting in Loudoun County, with 2,205 feet of climbing. About 17.6 miles (59%) are on gravel or dirt roads and 12.3 miles are paved. The longest unpaved stretch runs 5.0 miles on Quarter Branch Road, Downey Mill Road near Taylorstown.
Route snapshot
What to expect
This loop front-loads the gravel: 10.4 gravel miles in the first half and 7.2 in the second. Along the way it links Waterford, Lovettsville and Taylorstown.
The course tops out at 573 feet around mile 27.9 and drops as low as 255 feet. Expect 10 climbs of 80 feet or more; the biggest gains 177 feet over 1.2 miles starting near mile 19.2. The steepest quarter-mile averages about 8.2% near mile 5.4. At roughly 74 feet of climbing per mile, we rate it intermediate.
- 5.0 miles of continuous gravel on Quarter Branch Road and Downey Mill Road near Taylorstown.
- More unpaved stretches on Rodeffer Road and Featherbed Lane.
- 59% of the distance is on gravel or dirt.
- Paved sections on North Berlin Pike, busier roads. Ride single file and stay alert.
- Paved connectors include Main Street, Loyalty Road, Milltown Road, Axline Road and Irish Corner Road.
- A steep pitch of about 8.2% near mile 5.4. Choose gears that let you stay seated on loose gravel.
- Carry water, a spare tube and a plug kit.
Ride notes. Start and finish in Loudoun County. These are working farm roads shared with horses, tractors and local traffic: slow down and pass wide around horses, and see VeloSafe for more. Gravel changes with the weather, so expect loose stone after a fresh grading and soft spots after heavy rain. Spring and fall are our favorite seasons out here.
Elevation and surface
Gravel sections
Unpaved stretches of half a mile or more, in riding order:
- Mile 0.6–3.1 (2.5 mi): Clover Hill Road — near Waterford
- Mile 4.8–7.5 (2.7 mi): Featherbed Lane
- Mile 8.3–11.8 (3.5 mi): Rodeffer Road, Lutheran Church Road — near Lovettsville
- Mile 12.3–13.5 (1.2 mi): Elvan Road
- Mile 14.6–15.9 (1.3 mi): Purcell Road
- Mile 18.3–23.3 (5.0 mi): Quarter Branch Road, Downey Mill Road — near Taylorstown
- Mile 28.3–29.4 (1.1 mi): Browns Lane — near Waterford
Photos from the route
Photos taken along this route on our rides.
Get the route
Surface data comes from Ride with GPS. Road names come from OpenStreetMap. Gravel roads change with weather and maintenance, so check conditions before you ride and follow our VeloSafe guidance on rural roads.
