Early in September I had an itch to get back out to the mountains! A little back story, I currently live in Virginia Beach, but I went to college at Appalachian State University deep in the Appalachian mountains in Boone, NC. While I love the beach, but mountains is where I can truly enjoy nature and find peace. Okay, back to my hike. I just finished coaching a lesson in Williamsburg and needed to get away for awhile so I drove 2 hours to Montebello. I was shocked to find how close the parking area was to the trail head. The parking area was nice and there is a $3 fee to park. Less than 5 minutes on the trail you came to the bottom part of the falls. It hadn't rained in awhile so there wasn't much water, but as you can see from the pictures above, there was plenty of foliage around to add to the drought. As I continued to ascend to the top, there were countless views of the falls as well as many views of the mountains in the background. The leaves were starting to change colors as well which made for another great photo op. When I finally got to the top I was taken back with the view. It was beautiful! With the sun starting to set I just turned around and hiked back down. Took a little more than 2 hours with all the photo stops. I plan on doing the full hike to Spy Rock next time to see even more breathtaking views. The trail was a kinda busy, but all the photo stops allowed for some space between hikers.
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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