Hike Buffalo Mountain
Willis, Virginia
Details
Distance
2 miles
Elevation Gain
700 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Elyse Clark
Nestled away in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Floyd, VA is the Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve. The unique summit of Buffalo Mountain is naturally treeless and offers 360 degree views of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, and also hosts many rare plants and animals.
COVID-19 CLOSURE: Due to Covid-19, this trail will be closed effective April 10, 2020 at 8 PM until June 24, 2020.
A short 1.0 mile hike to the summit with 700’ elevation gain, the trail switchbacks steeply up to the exposed rocky summit. To the north you can see Sharp Top and Flat Top at the Peaks of Otter, and to the south you can see Pilot Mountain in North Carolina.
The summit has many places to spread out and is a great place for a picnic. Once done exploring simply retrace your steps back down the trail to your car. On your way out, continue onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for more beautiful views of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, or stop by Chateau Morrisette Winery for a delicious meal or wine tasting.
Getting there: From downtown Floyd take US-221 south for about 6 miles, then directions to the preserve are clearly marked from there. The last road to get to the preserve is a gravel road that is quite bumpy in some places and may require high-clearance vehicles. Access to the preserve is free.
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Hike Buffalo Mountain Reviews
It was the first hike for me in several years. It has amazing views
4.0
Wonderful little gem to start your morning off the rocks can be slick after a rain
5.0
Great spot for a sunset! The trail back down is easy to navigate even in the dark. You’ll want a car with some clearance, but I drove up here in a Volvo 960 with no issues.
4.0
This is an absolutely GORGEOUS hike with 360 views, but with that said the driveway in nearly gave me a panic attack and I will never go there again for that reason. It is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles, it's gravel and terribly bumpy, and it is on the side of a cliff so it would be possible to tip off of it ... It might not seem as terrible if you go at a time of day with low traffic, but we had to pull as far over as we could to let cars go by many times and it was clearly nerve-wracking to me.
4.0
I hiked this last year during the summer and it was great, a very short hike! Breathtaking views at the top - we went right before a storm hit and the clouds were so close and low! it was stunning! go try this hike, when you get the the top it’s like the air conditioner turns on!
5.0
Great short hike with beautiful views. Choose your level of difficulty, take the left for a moderate hike or take the more difficult path to the right.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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