Hinton, Virginia

What used to be an artillery testing site during WWII, Dolly Sods is a great place for backpackers of almost any expertise. Water is easily found throughout the wilderness area and while 21 miles might feel like a lot, it is very manageable over the course of 3 days.  Attached (at the bottom) is...

A free entrance and parking area for about a half dozen cars off Freeland Road features this quick adventure for all ages. The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Freeland Boardwalk offers a variety of wildlife and environments like Ponds, Wetlands, Forests, and a natural limestone spring....

If you're driving south on Skyline Drive, park in the lot on the right side of Skyline Drive immediately after you cross Route 211/Thornton Gap entrance. If you're driving north on Skyline Drive, the lot will be on the left side immediately before the Thornton Gap entrance. The trailhead is at t...

This little hike is one of the most popular in the area, and for good reason! It's a short and steep one mile to the top, but the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park to the east, are some of the best around. It's somewhat of a tradition for students from the Universit...

Mary’s Rock is just south of the Thornton Gap Entrance in Shenandoah National Park’s Central District. This write-up details the hike from the Meadow Spring Parking area, but there are alternate routes starting from the Panorama parking area (3.7 miles round trip), Jewell Hollow Overlook (6 mile...

The trail to Hazel Falls may not be the most "wow" trail in Shenandoah but it is well worth it to reach the beautiful gorge where Hazel River falls over big boulders.  You should park at the Meadow Spring parking lot at mile 33 on Skyline Drive. You will see the trail post to the right of the par...

The trail begins near the upper parking area next to a closed gate. If you park in the lower parking area, you'll have to walk about .3 miles up the road to get to this gate. Start out on the forest service (FS) orange-blazed trail, following it for about a quarter mile. From there head onto Old...

Be prepared to deal with crowds, especially on the rock scrambles, which tend to cause a bottle neck on this trail in Shenandoah National Park. I would recommend starting out early on this loop hike, around 6 or 7 am to avoid the crowds. Definitely arrive no later than 9:30am, as the parking lot ...

This hike is one of the lesser known hikes in Shenandoah. While everyone else is headed to Old Rag, hikers will find themselves on a peaceful hike to the summit of Mt. Robertson. Hikers should park in the Old Rag Parking lot and make sure to pay the daily fee ($25). If you have a yearly pass, be ...

Though this beautiful hike is a serious workout, it's actually quite easy to follow. It's also listed on Google Maps - I'd highly recommend downloading the map offline just in case something happens. Starting at the trailhead (park at a pull-off along the gravel road just a few hundred feet befor...

Starting from the Dripping Rock Parking area at MP 10 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, head north on the white blazed Appalachian Trail (trail leading into woods from parking lot- don't cross the road). In about 20 steps the trail splits- go right. In another 20 steps or so the trail splits again but t...

This hike is best done as a two-day, one-night backpacking trip, however it can be done as a day hike if you don't wish to backpack.Jeremy’s Run is a beautifully forested 10 mile roundtrip hike with numerous stream-crossing. The trailhead starts at the Elkwallow Picnic area, at about mile 24 of S...

Saint Mary's Wilderness is one of Virginia's largest designated wilderness areas and is an old iron ore mining area. There are two ways to get to Saint Mary's Falls and this Blue Ridge adventure will start you off at the parking area off Saint Mary's Road.  Once on Saint Mary's Road, you will dr...

Saint Mary's Wilderness is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Vesuvius, Virginia.

Sherando Lake is a beautifully maintained dog/family friendly campground situated between two lakes. Upper Sherando Lake is available for fishing only but the larger, 25 acre, Lower Sherando Lake offers swimming, fishing, kayaking, and relaxing on the beach.  The campground is divided into three ...

Park in The Slacks Overlook parking lot on the Blue Ridge Parkway, around milepost 20. From there exit the parking lot back onto the road and head left. About 300 feet from the parking lot there is the trail entrance. It isn't too hard to find if you are looking for it, but there aren't any marki...