- The Virginia Creeper Trail (VCT) is a 34-mile long rail trail whose midpoint is the town of Damascus, Virginia, which is known as “Trail Town, USA” because it is located at the intersection of five major trails.
- A trail survey was conducted between November 1, 2002 and October 31, 2003. During this time period, there were an estimated 130,172 trail users.
- The average distance traveled to reach the VCT was 154 miles.
- On a scale of 1 (no benefits) to 4 (high benefits), users gave health and fitness an average rating of 3.81
- The total economic impact from VCT trips is estimated at $1.59 million. These trips annually support approximately 27.4 new full time job equivalents.
- Primary overnight trips created the most impact on the local economy, $114,398 per 1,000 person-trips
- Primary day trips account for $23,606 spent per 1,000 person trips
- Local trail users spent just under $200 annually on items directly related to their use of the VCT, mostly within the local economy.
