USFS National Forest System Trails · George Washington and Jefferson National Forest · Virginia · Updated June 2026
Short (USFS trail 498) is a 0.8 mi trail in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Virginia. Mountain-bike use here is accepted but discouraged in USFS data, with Class 1 e-bikes also designated.
Can I bike Short?
| Use | Status | Season on record |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain bike | Accepted but discouraged | — |
| Class 1 e-bike (pedal-assist, 20 mph) | Allowed | January, Apr–Dec |
| Class 2 e-bike (throttle, 20 mph) | Allowed | January, Apr–Dec |
| Class 3 e-bike (pedal-assist, 28 mph) | Allowed | January, Apr–Dec |
Zooming out: across George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, 90% of rideable trail miles are open to mountain bikes — a Bike Access Grade of A.
Watch George Washington and Jefferson National Forest for access changes
Email me when USFS mountain-bike or e-bike designations change for trails in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. Free, unsubscribe anytime.
About this trail
Short (USFS trail 498) is a 0.8 mi trail in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Virginia. The figures here are pulled from the official US Forest Service trail data for George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, covering the trail's mileage, tread, grade band, and the bike and e-bike uses the agency lists as designated. The tread is mapped as native material. Based on slope, this is a Advanced trail (grade band +12-20%); that reflects steep gradient and is not the same as a technical MTB difficulty rating. For traditional mountain bikes, use is discouraged according to USFS data. On the electric side, Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 e-bikes are also designated (January, Apr–Dec) — Class 1 being pedal-assist only, Classes 2 and 3 adding a throttle and higher assisted speed. The route is mapped as USFS Trail Class 3 on the agency's 1-to-5 development scale, where 1 is the most primitive, minimally maintained tread and 5 is the most developed. Treat this as a planning reference rather than a live conditions report, and verify any time-sensitive closure or order with the ranger district that manages George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you mountain bike on Short?
- Mountain-bike use on Short is discouraged in USFS records, though Class 1 e-bike use is designated. Confirm current rules with the managing ranger district.
- Are e-bikes allowed on Short?
- Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 e-bikes are designated on Short in the USFS data.
- How long is Short?
- Short measures about 0.8 mi in total, summed across its mapped National Forest System segments.
- What is the surface of Short?
- USFS data records the tread surface of Short as native material.
- How difficult is Short?
- Its grade-based difficulty is Advanced (grade band +12-20%), derived from USFS slope data. This reflects steepness, not technical mountain-bike difficulty.
How we read this data
Grade-based difficulty above is the USFS grade (route steepness), not a technical mountain-bike rating — a gentle-grade trail can still be rocky or technical, and vice versa. Bike and e-bike status come verbatim from the USFS managed-use fields for this trail; we never infer access we can't cite. See our methodology for how the dataset is built and what each field means.
Where it is
Approximate location of George Washington and Jefferson National Forest (USFS trail geometry isn't mapped).
Where to stay near George Washington and Jefferson National Forest
Find hotels, cabins, and vacation rentals near George Washington and Jefferson National Forest — plan your ride.
Top-rated places to stay near George Washington and Jefferson National Forest
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Riding George Washington and Jefferson National Forest?
Trail-access updates and trip ideas by email.
More trails in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest
80.4 mi · Advanced grade
36.1 mi · Advanced grade
34.4 mi · Advanced grade
17.7 mi · Advanced grade
15.2 mi · Advanced grade
13.5 mi · Advanced grade