Archive for the ‘Southwest Virginia’ Category
Virginia State Park Locations
Posted by Chris | Filed under Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Central Virginia, Eastern Virginia, Northern Virginia, Roanoke/New River Valley, Shenandoah Valley, Southwest Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information, Western Virginia
If you’re looking for a listing of all the state parks in Virginia, then look no further. Below is a list of all the Virginia State Parks and links to their individual pages within the Virginia State Parks website.
Bear Creek Lake (BC)
Belle Isle (BI)
Breaks Interstate (BR)
Caledon Natural Area (CA)
Chippokes Plantation (CP)
Claytor Lake (CL)
Douthat (DO)
False Cape (FC)
Fairy Stone (FS)
First Landing (FL)
Grayson Highlands (GH)
High Bridge Trail (HB)
Holliday Lake (HL)
Hungry Mother (HM)
James River (JR)
Kiptopeke (KP)
Lake Anna (LA)
Leesylvania (LE)
Mason Neck (MN)
Natural Tunnel (NT)
New River Trail (NR)
Occoneechee (OC)
Pocahontas (PO)
Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historic (SC)
Shenandoah River Raymond R. “Andy” Guest Jr. (SH)
Shot Tower (ST)
Sky Meadows (SK)
Smith Mountain Lake (SM)
Southwest Virginia Museum Historical (SW)
Staunton River (SR)
Staunton River Battlefield (SB)
Tabb Monument
Twin Lakes (TL)
Westmoreland (WE)
Wilderness Road (WR)
York River (YR)
Enjoy all the beautiful areas that Virginia has to offer!
Breaks Interstate Park – Southwest Virginia
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
You can’t go much more Southwest then Breaks Interstate Park! called the Grand Canyon of the South, Breaks Interstate Park is one of two interstate parks in America and encompasses 4,500 acres of woodland.
The Breaks Interstate Park is one of two interstate parks in America and encompasses 4,500 acres of woodland. The Breaks, home of the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, also rises to lofty heights where golden eagles make their home. The Towers and other rock formations, caves, flora and wildlife make the Breaks Park a unique tourist destination. History, legend and lore combine with the scenic beauty of the Park which was the reported destination of several trips by Daniel Boone. It is the home of Pow Wow Cave, used by the Shawnee Indians and those who love mystery and adventure can search for the buried silver treasure of John Swift. For active visitors, the park also offers hiking, bike and driving trails, picnic and recreation areas, a lake with pedal boats, a swimming pool, horseback riding and an amphitheater. A rustic lodge, cottages and a large campground are available for extended visits. The Breaks Park also has a modern conference center, restaurant, gift shop and visitor’s center. The folks in Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia welcome you to the Breaks Interstate Park! Having been many times, this is incredibly true!
The park offers so many different activities and things to see/do, including more than 10 hiking trails, that I do not want to bore you with listing them all here. So instead, check out the Breaks Interstate Park website and you can get all the details there.
The park is an amazing place to go if you are in that area and well worth it. On any summer day, expect it to be busy and for crowds to be at the pool!
Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
Posted by Chris | Filed under Appalachian Trail, Southwest Virginia, Trail Information
The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area consists of three distinct regions:
West End
The West End of the Mount Rogers NRA includes the famous Virginia Creeper Trail, outstanding trout fishing in Whitetop Laurel, and picturesque Beartree Lake. The NRA’s largest campground, Beartree, is a great family campground and close to all west end activities. Damascus, the friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail, is a trail hub as four major trails go through the town: Virginia Creeper, Appalachian Trail, Iron Mountain, and Daniel Boone Heritage Trail.
East End
Are you looking for solitude? The family campgrounds at Comers Rock and Raven Cliff are lightly used and have several nice trails nearby. The Comers Rock Overlook has outstanding views and the Raven Cliff Furnace Trail takes you to a fascinating iron ore furnace from the early 1800’s. Looking for something more developed? Two rental cabins with outstanding views are located on the East End. The East End also has several horse trails and horse camps for the equestrian. Hussy Mountain and Collins Cove Horse Camps provide camping areas close to the famous Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.
High Country
The heart of the NRA, the high country contains over 25,000 acres of the highest lands in Virginia. The Mount Rogers NRA manages approximately 20,000 acres of the high country and 5,000 acres are managed by Grayson Highlands State Park. The high country consists of the following areas:
Lewis Fork Wilderness & Little Wilson Creek Wilderness
Combined, these two federally designated wildernesses total about 10,000 acres of primitive backcountry. These two areas are forested in northern hardwoods with red spruce and Fraser Fir at the highest elevations.
Crest Zone
The open areas on Brier Ridge, Cabin Ridge, Wilburn Ridge, Stone Mountain, and Pine Mountain are commonly called the Crest Zone and total about 2,000 acres. Views are spectacular, with rocky ridges and grassy areas. The area was once heavily forested, but over logging by private companies during the early 1900’s, and wildfire created the balds. Grazing by domestic livestock kept them open. The US Forest Service acquired the property during the 1960’s. Today the balds are kept open through prescribed burning and regulated cattle grazing by private farmers who lease grazing rights. Ponies- Two herds of free-roaming ponies make their home in the high country. A private association manages them. One herd is in Grayson Highlands State Park, and the other lives within the Crest Zone of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Enjoy the ponies, but do not feed them or harass them. In the fall, some of the ponies are auctioned at the Grayson Highlands State Park Fall Festival to manage the population.
Photo from High Nocturnal Style
Trails
There are over 400 miles of designated trails on the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Trails range from primitive single-track to old logging roads and railroad grades. Some are for foot only, others allow horse and/or bicycle use. Plan your trip carefully if you are looking for solitude. Trails in the high country as well as the Virginia Creeper and Appalachian Trail are popular destinations, particularly on weekends. Please be sure you use only those trails open to your particular type of travel. Please note that trails within wildernesses are always primitive with few or no signs or blazes and may be difficult to follow in places. Before heading into wilderness, you should be competent with both map and compass. Any type of motorized or wheeled vehicles (including bicycles and any type of wheeled cart) is prohibited in wilderness, but horses are allowed on designated trails.
The Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Creeper Trail both run through the Mt. Rogers area. On top of these well known trails, there is also a large number of independent trails that run through out the recreation area. They include Beartree Lake Trail, Comers Creek Falls Trail, Hale Lake Trail, Crawfish Trail System, and Seven Sisters Trail.
For more information about Mt. Rogers, check the US Forest Service website for the latest updates and news: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/mr/index.shtml
Virginia Creeper Trail Information
Posted by Chris | Filed under Appalachian Trail, Southwest Virginia, Trail Information
The Virginia Creeper Trail Region, which covers the small picturesque communities of Damascus, Abingdon, Whitetop, Konnarock, Green Green Cove StationCove, Taylors Valley, and Alvarado, has many wonderful attractions to offer and has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the East. The area, settled over 200 years ago by very adventurous folks, is still the perfect playground for anyone with an adventurous spirit.
Today’s visitors will find the most modern of amenities and the Waterfallbarest of necessities. Use the Virginia Creeper Trail Info as a guide to help you experience the “heart” of the Creeper. Whether its biking the the Virginia Creeper Trail, hiking Virginia’s highest peaks, fishing the best trout streams in the East, exploring the same path Daniel Boone once traveled, or watching a performance at the world famous Barter Theater, the Virginia Creeper Trail Region is a fabulous recreational destination. Your copy of Creeper Trail Info will serve as a valuable tool in locating the area’s best dining, shopping and lodging establishments, the finest in arts and entertainment, and the best in family recreation all located within minutes of the Virginia Creeper Trail.
Websites with more information:
Virginia Creeper Trail Guide
Creeper Trail Info
Virginia.org
Comer’s Creek Falls Trail, Mt. Rogers NRA
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
The main attraction of this short trail is the small Comers Creek waterfall, as well as the beautiful forested area. While you are on Homestead Road, look for signs of where the old homesteads used to be. Clues include stone foundations and “old timey” plants such as lilac, forsythia, roses and apple trees.
Length: 0.3 mile each way
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Elevation: 3,350′ to 3,450′
Blazes: Blue
Uses: Foot only
How to Get There: From I-81 (Interchange 45), take VA 16 south. At 16.5 miles (the top of Iron Mountain), take VA 741 (Homestead Road) to the right. In about half-a-mile, you will spot a small pull-off on the right side of the road for a couple of vehicles.
Beartree Lake Trail, Mt. Rogers NRA
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
This leisurely trail winds around Beartree Lake, a popular area for fishing, swimming and other relaxing activities. This trail receives moderate to heavy use. About half of the trail is paved and suitable for wheelchairs. It gives access to two wheelchair accessible fishing docks. The lake is well-stocked with trout. All state fishing regulations and license requirements apply.
Length: 0.8 mile
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 3,000′
Blazes: None
Uses: Foot, wheelchairs only, no bikes
How to Get There: The Beartree Recreation Area is north of U.S. 58, 8.2 miles east of Damascus. From U.S. 58, turn north (left) onto FS 837. Watch for the Anglers Parking Lot on you right. Or you may continue on, pay a small fee per car and drive to a parking lot near the beach and bath house.
The Trail Boss Trail
Posted by Chris | Filed under Appalachian Trail, Roanoke/New River Valley, Southwest Virginia, Trail Information
Description: The Trail Boss Trail and a section of the Appalachian Trail combine to form a loop. A short road walk on Rt 615 will return hikers to their starting point. Vegetation on the trail varies. A portion of the trail includes a bridge crossing and a walk along a free flowing boulder strewn stream. The trail continues through the hardwood vegetation of Brushy Mountain’s upper dry ridges. The A. T. section of the trail is blazed in white and the Trail Boss section is blazed in blue.
Total Distance: 3 miles
Location/Directions: From I-77 in Bland: Take Rt. 52 west for 3.25 miles to Rt. 615. Take Rt. 615 north for 2.75 miles to parking lot on left (near road bridge). Trail is on the east side of Rt. 615 a short distance from parking lot. Total travel distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 2400 to 3100 feet
Tract Fork Trail
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, Trail Information
Description: Tract Fork Trail is a nice wide trail along Tract Fork Creek. There are parking lots on both ends of the trail. One is on Little Walker Mountain and the other is on Tract Mountain. This trail is open to horse back riding, mountain bikers and hikers and provides good hunting access. Yellow diamond shaped markers blaze the trail. Polecat trail intersects Tract Fork approximately one mile from the eastern parking lot.
Total Distance: 4 miles
Location/Directions: Directions from Pulaski: Take Rt. 738 north for 4 miles to Rt. 641. Follow Rt. 641 for 2.5 miles to its end. Follow FS 692 for 1.5 miles until it too ends. This is the Tract Fork trail head. Total travel distance: 8 miles
Directions from Wytheville: Take Rt. 603 from 4 miles to Rt. 600. Follow Rt. 600 east for 9 miles to the top of the mountain and the parking lot for the trail. Total travel distance: 13 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 2400 to 3000 feet
Seven Sisters Trail
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, State Parks, Trail Information
Description: Seven Sisters Trail terminates inside of Stony Fork Campground. Trail users must park outside the Campground (fee area) and access the trail from Stony Fork Nature Trail (located within the campground), or use the parking lot at the east end of trail. Car shuttle or road walking distance is 2.5 miles between termini. Seven Sisters trail is known for its variety of terrain. Vegetation changes from the creek bottom with giant old growth white pines and rhododendron to hardwood forest at the top of the ridge. Good views are plentiful during leaf off season.
Total Distance: 4.8 miles
Location/Directions: From Wytheville: Take Interstate 77 north for about 6 miles to Exit 47. Turn left onto Rt. 717 west. Go about 1.25 miles to the trailhead parking lot. Trail pickup point is at Stony Fork Campground 2.5 miles west of the trailhead parking lot. Total travel distance: 7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 2500 to 3300 feet
Polecat Trail
Posted by Chris | Filed under Southwest Virginia, Trail Information
Description: The Polecat Trail is marked with orange diamond shaped blazes. It is open to hikers and mountain bikers. No horses are permitted. This trail lies in the Peak Creek drainage basin and provides good hunter access to Walker Mountain. Polecat Trail ties into Tract Fork Trail on Little Walker Mountain. Parking for the trail is along FS 707.
Total Distance: 1.5 miles
Location/Directions: buy depakote From Wytheville: Take Rt. 603 for 4 miles. Turn onto Rt. 600 east follow 7 miles to FS 707. Take FS 707 east for 2.75 miles to trail hiker sign along south side of road. Trail is on north side of road. Total travel distance: 14 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 2300 to 2500 feet
