Craig County, Virginia

Park at the Alta Mons camp parking lot, and start walking the gravel road. There will be signs throughout the trail that lead to the waterfall. Continue down the trail for 1.5 miles. Look out for the white trail markers that indicate the Stiles Falls trail. After 1.5 miles, you will reach the wat...

From 615 (Craig Creek rd) you turn on to 621 (Roaring Run rd) and about mile down is a little gravel road on the left that you turn down. Go down this gravel road a little ways to reach the parking area, you'll know you're there when you see a big gate held up by two stone pillars. Once you are r...

Starting at a great spot to picnic, fish, or put in a kayak, this casual hike meanders along the Roanoke River. Along the trail you can enjoy views of some small river rapids and the beautiful trees surrounding along the river.The trail begins at a parking lot at the end of Rutrough Road.  There ...

This hike begins on the Appalachian Trail just north of Pearisburg, Virginia. To get to the trail head, take Route 460 and turn on to Clendennin Road(Route 641). Take Clendennin road 1.5 miles and then turn left on to Pocahontas road. In about 300ft you will pass a cattle grate and an old barbed ...

For a tough hike with rewarding views, check out Angels Rest and the Wilburn Valley Overlook. Easily accessible from US-460 near Pearisburg, this hike along the Appalachian Trail gains a total of 1600’ elevation is a 4.6 mile round trip hike. Angels Rest is a large boulder that overlooks the New...

There are many trails in the area so here is a map to start out because it can get confusing:http://gilescounty.org/images2/Map-Town%20Farm-Hiking%20Trails%20%282010%29.pdf.From the parking area, keep to the left side of the stream and head up the gravel road. You'll soon come to the Mill Creek ...

To get to the trailhead, pull into the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center off of the Blue Ridge Parkway and park there. Proceed to the outdoor amphitheater behind the center. At the rear of the amphitheater there is a large sign showing Harkening Hill and other nearby trails, here the trail begins. Th...

Once thought to be the highest peak in Virginia, this 2.5 hour hike is one that will leave you speechless at the top. Park at the Peaks of Otter Nature Center (which is now closed). The trailhead is located to the right of the building. You will cross over a paved bus road soon after beginning th...

The trailhead for this hike is at the same parking area for the Flat Top Trail. From the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center, travel north up the Blue Ridge Parkway for about 3 miles, where you will come to small parking area. It is quite tiny, and probably holds around 10 vehicles, but there was only ...

From the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center, travel north up the Blue Ridge Parkway for about 3 miles, where you will come to small parking area for the Flat Top Trailhead. The parking area is quite tiny, and probably holds around 10 vehicles, but there was only one other car there when I went. It's p...

There are a few different ways that you can do this hike. One way is to start at the North Creek campground (37.54244, -79.58531) and do a loop hike that's about 6 miles, which will take you to the falls up along a stream with some swimming holes and nice campsites. I did it the other way, which ...

On your way to the trailhead don't forget to pull off the road at the scenic outlook to take in the vast expanse of Lake Moomaw (you won't miss it!).Start off your adventure by parking at the end of Twin Ridge Drive (37.976545, -79.985582). From this point, hike down the little paved driveway int...

The top of Apple Orchard Mountain is easily accessible via the Appalachian Trail. Access the trail at the Sunset Field Overlook at MP 78.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The concrete path will end shortly and turn into a blue blazed trail. Follow this for 0.25 miles until it intersects the Appalachia...

In Douthat State Park, park at the Discovery Center/Amphitheater parking lot near the children's fishing area. The Blue Suck Falls trail head will be towards the dam on the left side and is well-marked.Note: A trail map is highly recommended for this trail! It is fairly well-marked with blue blaz...

Explorers in Southwest Virginia run into a common problem: local hikes and waterfalls are often saturated with college students out enjoying a warm day. While it's wonderful to have so many people appreciating the beauty of the Jefferson National Forest, it can be difficult to find a remote, quie...

Want to scale the side of a rock face? If you do, I highly suggest adding this adventure to your list. Hiking to the marbleyard and back to the parking lot will have you at a 3 mile journey. How many hours will it take to hike the trail and tackle Antietam Quartzite boulders larger than cars you ...