Up Dogg, a new climbing trail on Massanutten’s Western Slope, is open now. Volunteers built it in 2026 over 511 hours, replacing a steep old road called Running Cedar. It’s the first new trail of the Western Slope Phase 1 revamp.
TL;DR · Key Takeaways
Up Dogg is a new climbing trail on the Massanutten Western Slope Trail System near Harrisonburg, Virginia. It opened in fall 2026 after Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition volunteers spent 511 hours building it this year. It relocates the old “Running Cedar” road and will eventually connect to the Ravine Trail. It’s the first new trail of the Coalition’s Phase 1 Western Slope revamp, which is making the system easier to navigate and friendlier to ride and walk.
The Western Slope has always had a quirk: some of its routes were never designed as trails at all. Running Cedar is a good example. It started life as a road, cut to serve a housing development that was once planned for the mountainside and never built.
Roads make awkward trails. They tend to run straight up the hill, collect water, and wash out. They’re also hard to follow, because they branch off toward lots and driveways that were never built.
Up Dogg is the fix.
What’s Up Dogg?
Up Dogg is a new climbing trail on the Massanutten Western Slope, and it’s open to ride now. It relocates the old Running Cedar road onto a purpose-built path designed for going uphill. Eventually Up Dogg will end at the Ravine Trail, giving riders and hikers a clear, sustainable route up the mountain.
Because it was built as a climb from the start, Up Dogg is easier to follow and more enjoyable to ride uphill than the old road it replaces.
Who built Up Dogg?
Volunteers built it: 511 hours of volunteer work in 2026, most of it at the weekly Thursday Dig Nights on the Western Slope.
Week after week, those nights were led by Karl Waizecker, the Western Slope’s main volunteer crew leader. Karl laid out the work, handed out tools, and taught newcomers how to build trail, often with snacks and drinks waiting for the crew.
Every one of those 511 hours was someone who chose to spend an evening building the next Western Slope Trail.
How did Up Dogg get its name?
The community named it. The Coalition asked riders and supporters for ideas, and people sent in lots of great ones. Up Dogg won the vote because it says exactly what the trail is for: climbing. It’s a trail built for going up.
Why does a new trail matter for the Western Slope?
Up Dogg is one step in the Coalition’s Phase 1 Western Slope revamp, a plan to make the Western Slope trail system:
- Easier to navigate, with fewer confusing junctions and old roadbeds.
- Friendlier to ride and walk, with trails designed for the way people actually use them.
- More sustainable, so trails hold up to weather and use instead of eroding.
Community donations fund Phase 1, and as of October 2026, the campaign is more than halfway to its goal. More news about the next Phase 1 trails is coming soon.
Can I ride Up Dogg now?
Yes, Up Dogg is open. A few things to know before you go:
- Waiver and pass: Riding the Western Slope requires a signed waiver and a Coalition membership, which comes with a trail pass mailed to you. Your signed waiver works as a temporary pass until it arrives. Sign the Western Slope waiver.
- Hunting season: During hunting season, the Western Slope is open for trail use on Sundays only.
- Want to build the next one? Thursday Dig Nights start at 5 p.m., and no experience is needed. The last scheduled Dig Night of 2026 is Thursday, October 22. See Dig Night details and watch for next season’s schedule.
Help finish Phase 1
Up Dogg shows what 511 hours and a community that cares can build. Phase 1 is past the halfway mark, and your gift helps build the trails that come next.
Kyle Lawrence is Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition. The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition builds and enhances trails on public lands, advocates for safer walking and biking, and connects communities across the Shenandoah Valley region. Learn more about the Coalition.
