Ripplemead, Virginia

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...

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 ...

The 66' Cascade Falls located in Giles Count is arguably one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Virginia. This classic hike is 4.0 miles and gains 800' in elevation. Located in Pembroke, Virginia, access the trail head by taking Cascade Drive (VA-623) off of US-460 and drive 3.3 miles to the p...

This hike begins in the parking lot for Cascade Falls. Keep left at the first and second intersections to stay on the Upper Trail. At the third intersection, stay straight (don't turn right) to stay on the Conservancy Trail.Follow the Conservancy Trail for 0.4 miles, and continue on it when it br...

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 ...

After reaching the parking area, cross the road and continue up the trail for about 0.3 miles. At the kiosk, make sure to register in order to indicate that you are going into the cave. After passing the kiosk and some rocky portions of the trail, you will approach the cave entrance. The cave goe...

Unobstructed views with little hiking effort make Bald Knob one of the best locations to see the sunset in southwestern Virginia. Easy to access from US-460 in Giles County, take Mountain Lake Road (VA-700) for 7 miles and park in the gravel lot on the left by the intersection of VA-613 and Moun...

This is an awesome hike to do with limited time. It only took about 2 hours total with time to chill at the overlook. There's a map at the beginning of the trailhead which also shows how to connect over to the Appalachian Trail via the War Spur Connector Trail if you have more time in your day.F...

At the parking lot cross the gravel road to the trail head that starts at a map posted on the edge of the road. Hike a quick quarter-mile where you'll turn left to a large rocky outcrop with views of the blueridge. You'll pass a campsite with fire ring before the rocky outcrop and overlook. I've ...

This is a great day hike for families or groups looking to get out for a short hike on the Appalachian Trail in Jefferson National Forest.From 460W Take Blue Grass Trail Rd then a left onto Clover Hollow Rd/State Route 601. Continue on this for 6.7 miles until you reaches an intersection with the...

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...

You can park your car at the small gravel lot where VA-42 and Rt. 629 intersect. Starting from the Appalachian Trail crossing at VA-42,  head north on the AT, which winds through some grass meadows. After about 0.8 miles into the hike you will cross Rt. 630 (Northside Road) on a bridge over Sinki...

This is a part of the Huckleberry Trail (which is paved), but off of it is the dirt hiking/walking trail loop. It is a really fun area to explore, and the parts that are on the Huckleberry have plaques with historical information on it which is all very interesting. It also has a beautiful wooden...

Located on Limestone Hill Road north of  Waiteville, WV at about 3800 feet above sea level is an old Fire watch tower. The tower, built in 1956 was abandoned in 1972. In 1983 the US Forest Department acquired this area as part of the Jefferson National Forest. Since then the Tower has become know...

This is a wonderfully easy hike to White Oak Falls. After visiting Bush Creek Falls, keep walking down the trail. You'll enter the Bush Creek Nature Preserve area. If you visit after heavy rains, please note that your feet will get wet. There are numerous cascades that come down and cross over t...

Brush Creek Falls is a beautiful 25' waterfall that spans across Brush Creek. It is accessed via a short 0.5 mile hike with minimal elevation gain. From the parking area on Brush Creek Falls Road, take the trail to the right of the picnic shelter. This easy and relatively-flat trail through rhod...