A great family park with mostly unpaved trails of varying levels of difficulty. There's a…read moreplayground, a parking lot, a tennis court, benches, bridges, and other amenities. Did I mention streams and wild animals? Yes, them too!

Doesn't look like much when you walk past, but I was practically dying of hunger so I popped in…read more The definition of a hole-in-the-wall. I got the regular hamburger and wow... there are no words. A classic burger done right. Crisp bun, juicy patty, stuffed with all the essentials (ketchup, shredded lettuce, tomato, and pickles). There's about a million options available between the menu board and wall full of specials, so it can get a little overwhelming, but you really can't go wrong. Not much else to say besides go see for yourself! You won't be disappointed

We've been here many times over the years and it's always beautiful! We enjoy stopping here as we…read moretraverse the New Market Gap, as this is right at the very top, off of Crisman Hollow Rd. The only issue is that it can be busy, it's quite the popular place to visit! Another issue are the people who choose to vandalize the area and litter. The walk is less than ¼ mile each way, from the parking area to the deck that overlooks the rock face, allowing you to see the Luray valley below.

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.

For a greenway, this is very short: half a mile. For moms with young children, the elderly and…read morebeginning joggers or rollerbleading / frisbee loving kids, it is just right. The paved path is very wide and fairly level. There are lots of wide open spaces to run around in. It is a good place to go during weekdays, in the Cave Spring area , when you need an easily accessable, quiet spot with a few ammenities and a level, paved walkway. The parking lot is medium siz

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!!

This place is great, we called last minute and the staff (Mark especially) was kind enough to…read moresqueeze the 2 of us in for a zip lining (p.s. when I say kind enough, I mean incredible!! The staff had a lot going on guiding and checking in groups to their resort and getting ready for their Oktoberfest party they were hosting, they absolutely had all justification to turn us away but they didn't! They gave us a time frame to show up and they totally delivered and that's what earned them 5 stars). They were already guiding a group through so we just tagged along at the back end. The whole experience is pretty entertaining, they had the group working together (some were helping catch the person zipping, some helping un-harness, some helping move a platform used to get folks off the line), it was a pretty clever system and it helped move things along quickly and keep people involved. Anyways, my husband and I were debating all week wondering if it would be worth it ($25 for one ride) and the answer is... YES! 900 feet long, you end up going about 45 mph, and it's not a gradual 45. Once you step off the platform you drop pretty quick! People weighing 60-250lbs can ride and the guides are great about safety but flexibility. It doesn't take an incredibly long time (we got done in an hour and only because we waited for the group to finish) but it may be different for others. Overall, I was so happy we went and that the staff let us come. The staff was awesome, the line was fun, the pricing fair.

What an awesome experience zip lining through the trees! The staff members were wonderful. They…read morewere informative and professional each step of the way and I felt assured that I would have a great experience. The equipment provided was in excellent condition and we easily established a team spirit among the zip liners. If you are up for the experience, be fit enough to hike up to the top of the platform while carrying your substantial harness that weighs about 10 pounds (at least that's what it felt like). There are also many other activities available beyond hiking. I highly recommend this facility and am anxious to return for another zip line adventure!

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.

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.