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Amherst, Virginia

Top Spots in and near Amherst

  • James River Heritage Trail, Virginia

    Run on the Seven Rails Trail

    3 mi / 117 ft gain
    Easily accessible from the Percival's Island Natural Area parking lot, the James River Heritage Trail and adjoining Seven Rails Trail are an easy escape from downtown Lynchburg.  From the parking lot, follow the trail signs toward Percival's Island, which will almost immediately take you across a...
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  • Amherst, Virginia

    Mount Pleasant Loop

    4.6
    5.98 mi / 1427 ft gain
    From the Mount Pleasant Parking Area, take the blue blazed Pompey Mountain Trail that is just beyond the horse gate. As it's a loop, you can start at either entrance, but I prefer heading left to get the longer leg of the hike before the summit (always better to have an easy journey down in the a...
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  • Vesuvius, Virginia

    Cole Mountain Loop

    4.8
    5.89 mi / 1280 ft gain
    The large open meadow at the summit of Cole Mountain is a unique and breathtaking experience that is worth the 5.8 mile hike. Cole Mountain is frequently referred to as Cold Mountain, but the official name listed by the United States Geological Survey is the former. This hike is in the George W...
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  • Lovingston, Virginia

    Fortune's Cove Via Yellow Trail

    3.0
    5.02 mi / 1486 ft gain
    Fortune's Cove via Yellow Trail is a loop trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Lovingston, Virginia.
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  • Amherst, Virginia

    Swim at Panther Falls

    5.0
    0.7 mi / -100 ft gain
    From Lexington or Buena Vista, Virginia, take Rt. 60 east for several miles. As soon as you pass under the Blue Ridge Parkway, look for a gravel road on your right marked Panther Falls Road. This is a fairly bumpy gravel road, so take it easy. Follow Panther Falls Road down the mountain for just ...
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  • Vesuvius, Virginia

    Photograph Statons Creek Falls

    4.0
    To view this waterfall, hiking is not necessarily involved since the top of it is next to a small parking area along CR-633. If you feel like scrambling and bushwhacking, it’s possible to make your way down either side to small pools and cascades with a total drop of about 100 feet. The terrain i...
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  • Montebello, Virginia

    Hike to Wigwam Falls

    2.7
    The Yankee Horse Ridge Parking Area is located at milepost 34.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From the parking area, follow the rock steps to the railroad tracks and turn right. Follow the tracks the stream and turn left. Proceed on the path to the bridge in front of the 30 ft. waterfall.
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  • Tyro, Virginia

    The Priest via Shoe Creek Trail

    4.4
    3.01 mi / 843 ft gain
    Starting at the Upper Crabtree Falls Parking area, continue up the "road" on Shoe Creek Trail for half a mile until you come to the intersection of the Appalachian Trail. That will be the steepest part of the hike. Look for two rocks on either side of the trail with white blazes on them. Take a l...
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  • Tyro, Virginia

    Spy Rock via Cash Hollow

    4.9
    5.71 mi / 1191 ft gain
    The hike is part of the George Washington National Forest, and can easily be combined with nearby Crabtree Falls (300ft cascading waterfall with a hike to the top). The entire trip is 5.7 miles, and there are nice campsites at the base of the summit (no water source) if you want to add on this pr...
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  • Meadows Lane, Virginia

    Camp near Crabtree Meadows in GWNF

    5.0
    As stated, the campsites are free. They do not require reservations or permits and are on a first come, first served basis. Regardless of which direction you're coming from, you will be traveling on Crabtree Falls Highway until reaching Meadows Lane. This is a gravel access road that requires 4WD...
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  • Rustburg, Virginia

    Explore the Hydaway Outdoor Recreation Center

    4.3
    If you love everything outdoors, the Hydaway Outdoor Recreation Center is the place for you! You can do almost any activity you can think of here. If you aren't affiliated with Liberty University, you can't rent their equipment, but you can bring you own to use. The main attraction is the lake wh...
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  • Tyro, Virginia

    Crabtree Falls

    4.5
    3.05 mi / 1161 ft gain
    This is an approximately 3 mile roundtrip hike. It will usually take anywhere from 1-2 hours to get up, depending on your experience and who you have with you, and about an hour down. As you come off of route 56, you will come up to the trailhead where there is a large parking area with restroom...
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  • Big Island, Virginia

    Hike to Little and Big Rocky Row

    5.0
    10.8 mi / 2700 ft gain
    Starting at the James River Footbridge, which is the longest foot traffic only bridge on the entire Appalachian Trail. Head north on the Appalachian Trail.  You will quickly cross over Rt. 501. After a mile of hiking through the woods skirting the Rocky Row Run stream, you will cross over Forest ...
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  • Roseland, Virginia

    Camp at Devil’s Backbone Basecamp

    5.0
    This place has it all : a bomb fire pit, live music, distillery, restaurant, 48 taps, mountain views, and more!  Not to mention, it’s in a great location for exploring. It’s close to tons of breweries, wineries, and cideries, it’s just a few miles from the Appalachian trail, and close to Shenando...
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  • 37.8962002590409,-79.0456008911133, Virginia

    White Rock Falls Trail

    4.0
    2.82 mi / 558 ft gain
    White Rock Falls Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Montebello, Virginia.
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  • Vesuvius, Virginia

    Photograph 20 Minute Cliff Overlook

    4.5
    Located at mile marker 19 along the Blue Ridge Parkway, 20 Minute Cliff Overlook is super easy to access and has an amazing 180 degree panoramic view. Looking West over the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 2,715 foot overlook has a great view of the Priest to the South, Maintop Mountain and Fork Mounta...
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Camping and Lodging in Amherst

Lynchburg  / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA Holiday
Monroe, Virginia

Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA Holiday

Otter Creek Campground
Monroe, Virginia

Otter Creek Campground

Sherando Lake Recreation Area Family Camping
Lyndhurst, Virginia

Sherando Lake Recreation Area Family Camping

Sherando Lake Group Picnic Shelter
Lyndhurst, Virginia

Sherando Lake Group Picnic Shelter

Sherando Lake Group Camp
Lyndhurst, Virginia

Sherando Lake Group Camp

Hopper Creek Group Camp
Natural Bridge Station, Virginia

Hopper Creek Group Camp

Guides, Insights and Stories from Amherst

Arlington, Virginia's Top 4 Basecamps For Hikers

Arlington, Virginia's Top 4 Basecamps For Hikers

Hipmunk

72 Hours In Charlottesville, Virginia

72 Hours In Charlottesville, Virginia

Christin Healey

The 13 Best Hikes With A View In Virginia

The 13 Best Hikes With A View In Virginia

Sarah Giek

The Top 10 Places To Catch A Sunset In Virginia

The Top 10 Places To Catch A Sunset In Virginia

Christin Healey

My Experience at a NASA Social Event

My Experience at a NASA Social Event

Abby Shepard

The Top 25 Hikes in Virginia

The Top 25 Hikes in Virginia

The Outbound Collective