The AT isn't the only trail to follow the main road through town. The Virginia Creeper does that as well.
The Creeper runs for 34 miles, starting in Abingdon and going up to Whitetop, near the North Carolina state line. Damascus is about half-way between the two ends.
The trail was originally the path of a railroad that began running near the turn of the 20th century and continued to operate until the 1970s. It was at that time the state, the towns of Abingdon and Damascus, the National Park Service and the National Forest Service partnered to turn the rail bed into a foot path.
The trail gets its name from the long slow climb the trains had to make up the mountain to Whitetop, and from a leafy vine that is native to the region.
Because of its railroad origins, the grade is smooth with a gentle slope, making it a nice place to ride a bicycle. Outfitters provide shuttles for bike riders up to Whitetop, from where they can practically glide down to Abingdon with little effort for pedaling.