There is a national forest area gravel parking lot, which gives way to a trail through a…read morerainforest-y ravine, at the top of which one joins the Appalachian Trail. Some of the longer distance hikers were complaining that they thought Virginia was going to be flat, which it most certainly is not in this area. To get from the parking lot to the actual dragon's tooth is about 2.5 miles, and the last 0.5 probably took me as long as the 2, as there is a lot of rock and not a lot of trail. The blazes combined with the twists and turns are somewhat confusing. It's a challenging area, but the reward is some nice views. The first time I tried it, I made it the first two miles and turned around because it was getting dark, which was probably a wise decision.

Incredibly, This is Such a beautiful, majestic and unique…read moretrail located just outside of Roanoke/Blacksburg VA. I accidentally found this place by randomly driving The Virginia byway outside from Blacksburg whilst doing a scenic drive. The Dragon Tooth trail is equipped with Glorious views, Moderate-High Terrain and a trail suitable for Moderate to Advanced Hikers. Strongly recommend! I'm glad I got this Virginia Trail of my bucket list of nature trail Wanders and hope you do too!! The views & Hike are worth it!!

The residential streets you have to maneuver through to get to the parking lot are a bit of a drag,…read morebut the mountain itself is majestic. The trails are extensive and took several hours for me to traverse, and the views of the valley were expansive. There is no charge to get in and not a ton to interrupt you on the trails.

This is a really great park tucked in the back of a neighborhood. It is pretty accessible from most…read moreof Roanoke and a great option for hiking if you're not looking for something that is extremely long and strenuous! They have maps available and it was easy to follow the trail colors. We went to Buzzard Rocks and enjoyed an amazing view of the city below. The trails were well-maintained.

The camp site was really nice for tent campin. Restrooms were clean and stocked. The staff were…read moregreat. The lake was a terrible disappointment, it smelled bad and is no longer properly taken care of.

Located within the Blue Ridge Mountains, this area is great spot within reach of a number of hiking…read moretrails, a lake for swimming, and a wonderful camping ground suitable for casual campers/families. The lake was perfect for swimming in: great temperature, clean, and a lot of grassy shore space along the side. There was large grass areas where one could play frisbee or do other outdoor games. The campground is well-maintained, clean, and has a number of amenities that make camping convenient. Campers have access to flush toilets as well as showers. The facilities aren't particularly fancy but it's camping -- if you wanted fancy, you should stay indoors :) Prices were reasonable as well. $15 a night for a single site. Single site campsites come with a large parking space, a picnic table, and a firepit. Most of the spots are well shaded, and there is easily enough space for a large family tent or a few smaller tents. The campground has access to a number of trail heads and within a short driving distance, even more trails are available. Some trails are short and suitable for beginning hikers, others more challenging with steep inclines and a number of switchbacks up the mountain. Some are also perfect for day hikes as well. Located nearby is the Appalachian Trail as well as the James River (one can rent kayaks, canoes, etc.). The campground is nearby to Natural Bridge, VA -- which has a large natural bridge one can pay to see -- and Lexington, VA -- which has a cute downtown area to walk through and some nice restaurants to eat at.

My friend, Amanda and I went on April 17th and timed it just right. The pink azalea was amazing,…read morethe white quite beautiful and the lone orange was really cool. I saw several wild flowers, the wild geranium or "cranes bill" was my fave tho, seeing each vein running through the petals gives my heart a good feeling! I'm sure there are some stragglers but there is always beauty to be seen there. The red bee balm puts on an amazing display too. Mark your calendar now and enjoy every day from now to then!

Most of the area is private residences, but if you work your way up onto the hill, you can find…read morethis park. The parking area was not huge, but it's unlikely to be crowded outside of perhaps a few peak times. There wasn't a map and the trails weren't entirely well marked. Near the parking area was a nice boardwalk over the creekbed which eventually leads to a set of paths that cover hilly terrain. There are some interesting views and it's quality nature. I'm still looking for spots that have a better ratio of amount of trails to amount of time spent driving from downtown Roanoke to get to them, but the aesthetics here were worth a drive.

Tony and I went to Roaring Run Furnace In the Jefferson National Forest. This is a stone Built Pig…read moreIron Furnace built in 1830. This 192 yr old construction is still standing and looks like they could just start using it again today The park was easy to find with GPS. It is free to enjoy. Plenty of parking and restrooms. Well marked trails. The Furnace is located about 500 feet from the parking lot and bathrooms. There is plenty of picnic tables and a creek for fishing and cooling off in warmer weather. There is also a waterfall to hike to!! Nice park and highly recommend especially for the historic value! Great day trip or field trip for home schooling!!

The waterfall was gorgeous and listening to the water flow was so tranquil. I could've spent all…read moreday there just relaxing by the water. The hike was short and easy.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the US, noted for its scenic…read morebeauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for 469 miles through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties. It runs mostly along the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. *The Parkway is free to drive, with a posted (and honored) speed limit of 45 MPH. It is enjoyed by people in automobiles, on motorcycles, bicycles, and some walkers. The road is curvy, goes up and down mountains, and often does not have guardrails along areas with steep drop-offs. *There are no service stations on the Parkway, so make sure your vehicle has gas and you've had it serviced. There are some towns off the Parkway, but this IS a rural area. *the National Park Service maintains 8 campgrounds along the Parkway. Most do not have showers. There are also some Visitor Centers, with park rangers who can provide information on local hikes and other activities. *Be wildlife aware. We just spent 3 nights camping and hiking, and only saw geese, but there are black bears, snakes, and other critters in the park. *Autumn is absolutely gorgeous with the colorful leaves, but weekends get crowded.

Ok, my name is Jennifer and I'm a Ridge addict. My family and I have driven the Blue Ridge since I…read morewas a baby....so over 50 years. Since moving to NC it had become my goto for something to do on a Saturday. No...really. I drive out to Stuart, hop on the Blue Ridge and the toughest decision is North or South. If I want to go to Chateau Morrisette for lunch or hike around the lake at Peaks of Otter I head North. If I want to drive out to Pisgah its South. Either direction will take me aling one of the most beautiful roads I know. At each turn you are awarded with magnificent views of the Blue Ridge mountains (part of the Appalachia). You can see some stunning floral displays when the mountain laurel is in bloom and watch a variety of critters out for a nosh. The speed limit varies from 35 to 45 so holding a steady 40 is perfect for catching a chipmunk racing across the road or having plenty of time to stop for a herd of whitetail deer. Yesterday I had my first emergency in 50 years. We got a double flat right around milestone 107. We barely had coverage to dial AAA and were then at the mercy of fortune. As we were unable to pull out of the road, I chose to be the one to direct people around the car. I could have cried for joy as these wonderful folk restored my faith in humanity. So many stopped to make sure we were ok. I have to give a very vocal shout out to ine of the parks service rangers. Her name is Tabitha and she turned into our Guardian angel. She called in the accident to her dispatch and kept an eye on us till the tow came. If you find yourself wanting to just do something...especially during this Covid period when there arent a lot of options..take a drive. Decide for yourself... North or South. Either direction will lead you on adventure. Make sure to stop at one of the main areas to pick up a Blue Ridge book...this will become your Blue Ridge ' bible' as it will give you a milemarker by milemarker guide. Stop by the Music center near the Va/NC border or see what I mean by Peaks of Otter. Go see the highest mountain on the East coast (Mt Mitchell) or check out the arts and crafts center. Be aware of your season. It gets cold in the mountains earlier than the valley. If you head towards Pisgah in late October..the road may be closed due to snow/ice. Same actually near Peaks. The Blue Ridge is usually very busy in Summer with folks headed to Asheville, Boone or the Smokies Just remember the rules: take nothing...leave nothing. Rediscover Nature or just unwind for an afternoon. I promise you WON'T regret it.

Blackwater Creek Trail & the surrounding downtown Lynchburg city hold a special place in my heart!…read more I spent my college years roaming the sights figuring out who I was & what I believed. This trail takes you on a journey through it all, it walks along side the downtown river & loops you through the woods & through caves! You've gotta take a stroll over the bridge or add a lock to the bridge with your love when in Lynchburg!

Super clean park, they even had a little free book area and found me a book I've always wanted to…read moreread to compare it to the movie. The LOVE sign is super cute. The over look you are able to see the mountains. Very quiet area and easy parking. I believe this was in downtown area since we had to go through it to get to the park.