Quicksburg, Virginia

From January to April, the forest roads that provide vehicle access to the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia are closed. If you're up for a cold weather adventure, park your car (in accordance with the signage and without blocking the road) and hike up the Forest Road 75 near Davis, WV, to B...

Starting on Bear Rocks Trail, hike down to the Red Creek. Sometimes water levels can be high, but most of the time you can cross the creek without getting any deeper than your knees. Link up with the Raven Ridge Trail and head south. Enjoy the views through this section, as it's a great place to ...

This particular hike is great as there are multiple camping sites, both established and backcountry, and views for miles around almost every bend. Still not convinced? This high-altitude plateau has characteristics typically found in Canadian landscapes. so you can travel north without leaving y...

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...

The Bear Rocks Preserve is a 477 acre land tract maintained and supported by The Nature Conservancy.  Offering a diverse range of plant species more commonly seen in the Northeast, visitors will find blueberries, huckleberries, mountain laurel, azalea, and rhododendron among the sandstone outcrop...

This little lake close to Charlottesville is my favorite place for an after work kayak, SUP, or just picnic by the water. It's a 20min drive from town, and the perfect place to watch the sunset over the Blue Ridge with water views. No gasoline powered motors allowed, but anything else you can g...

In just a .61 mile trail, Piedmont Overlook has so much to offer in terms of views and although it is fairly steep, anyone can do it!  After arriving at Sky Meadows State Park start heading up to the white park office building, this is where the trail begins. To get to the trail head follow Bosto...

The hike begins at the "Dolly Sods Trailhead Parking" location easily found on Google Maps. The lot is big enough for about 6-8 vehicles. Begin walking at the end of the gravel parking lot/road for about 0.5 miles until you enter the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in a small grassy field where sever...

Driving to the top of Spruce Mountain is perhaps the most difficult part of the journey. Once at the top of Spruce Mountain, park and head south along a short, 0.2 mile long trail that leads to the official state highpoint of Spruce Knob. Be sure to find the USGS marker near the base of the obser...

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....

Riverview park has tons of options for getting outside around Charlottesville, VA. Part of the Rivanna Trail runs through here, so if you are really ambitious, this trail goes around the entire city. There are paved trails right along the river, so you can choose your activity. Running, biking, a...

This hike will start on the Appalachian Trail and will take you to a beautiful set of falls.  When you arrive at the location you will see numerous spots along the side of the road to park. You'll need to look for the white blaze for the Appalachian Trail (it will head up from the parking area). ...

Spruce Knob Lake is located just below the peak of Spruce Knob at 3,840’, making it the highest lake in West Virginia. If you are not camping in the campground, there is a parking lot/boat launch located near the dam. If you are camped in the campground, there is a trail that leads from the campg...