Beautiful outdoor natural waterfall and swimming hole. My only regret is that I didn't bring my…read moreswimming suit! I can't wait to go back. The hike is easy compared to others in the area. It's about a mile to the swimming hole. Be sure to bring, all the outdoors stuff: bug stray, sun block, etc. Also, you are in nature so, be on the look out for snacks - we came into contact with a black snack, it was harmless but definitely pay attention. Wear shoes unless rocks don't bother you. It's honestly a beautiful place! Here's an article that provides more info: https://gohikevirginia.com/sugar-hollow-reservoir/. I almost forgot. There's no cell phone service. No bars baby.

Directions are past the third goat ridge on the right (open maps) and it's a 40 min walk but you…read morecan get there quicker if you speed walk/run.

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.

We went canoeing today and had a wonderful experience! We got there a bit early (9:20) but they…read moreopened right on time at 9:30 for us to pick up our canoes. The drive over to the start of our day trip was pleasant in an air conditioned van and the guide driving us pointed out baby deer and an eagle's nest which was awesome. The canoeing day itself was beautiful and the trip was just the right length for us. There were four adults in our group-- I think with kids you would want to ask for a closer drop off point because it was a LOT of paddling. The canoes were nice and they helped us carry them down to the launch point and gave us a run down of the rapids we would pass which was helpful to avoid overly shallow or rocky areas. We were the only ones canoeing that day which was so nice! I would love to do this again in the fall when the leaves are changing!

Loved the rafting and the beautiful spot they have on the James River. The campground has very…read moreclean portable toilets. There is ample shade so during the hot summer months, you're sheltered from the sun. We camped right on the water at Campsite 6 hearing the river as we slept. We could have camped up a bit as the site is large. We could swim from the site. Floating down the James River rafting was super beautiful and relaxing. Any age can do this really. Water was low but still fun.

Natural Bridge is an awesome stop! The gift shop is huge and has food and exhibits, there is a…read morehistoric hotel nearby, and the walk to the bridge is an easy hike, though you do have some stairs to contend with. Walking along the creek past the bridge is a saltpeter cave, worth the stop to cool down, a lost river, and some waterfalls. If you make it at Christmas, the bridge is lit up with spotlights and luminaries, and horse drawn carriage rides walk down the bridge trail. There are also caverns and other trails nearby, so grab a map and spend the day!!

Beautiful well maintained walk to the limestone bridge for $9 pp includes the cave and…read morewaterfall...but it started raining. There is a gift shop with loos and some souvenirs/shirts/snacks/drinks and protection from the rain. We hope to go back next time we're travelling through to see inside better weather.

Amazing!! Great outfitter to work with and the campground on the river along the way is great with…read moreporta potties! We were given a thorough safety briefing before they drove us to our launch area. This is a well run operation!

My son and I just wrapped up our first overnight kayaking trip together--two beautiful days…read morefloating (and occasionally paddling) down the James River! As a dad, planning this kind of trip comes with a lot of moving parts... and a little bit of overthinking. Thankfully, Twin River Outfitters made it all easy. Robert gave us a great orientation and walked us through the whole course like seasoned river guides (which we definitely are not). We booked the glamping tents and took full advantage of their kitchen box, firewood, and luggage service--which meant we could have an awesome adventure without needing a crash course in ultralight backpacking. It was a perfect balance of the outdoors and just enough comfort to keep everyone smiling.

My husband and I like to hike so on our recent visit to Roanoke we started exploring options. We…read morelearned that McAfees Knob is the most photographed spot on Appalachian trail. We were a bit nervous about an 8 mile hike, but decided we were going to take it on. That hike was no joke, it kicked my butt. However, I did it and I am not someone in amazing shape by any means. There were some very steep/uphill parts and some stretches that were mostly flat. Trail was well marked. I was happy for the variation and we stopped as needed. It is doable, its just long. They say it takes you about 4 hours, which was accurate for us as we arrived around 10am, finished about 2pm. We did the AT trial up and decided to go for the fire road (runs basically parallel but isn't as strenuous) back as we were already tried. I highly recommend this if you not a serious hiker. Most everything I read kept saying you need to get their early as it gets so busy. That wasn't our experience, but it was an unseasonably colder, windy day so that probably deterred people. We also went on a Thursday to help reduce crowd as recommended. Note there are no bathrooms near parking. We found an outhouse near one of the camping sites about 2/3 way up, which we were grateful for. I am not sure it is being maintained regularly, so bring your own TP and hand sanitizer. Now, the view once you get to the top is absolutely beautiful. You can see out so far while you sit/stand on the rocky overlook. I even slowly inched my way out to the very tip of the rock to get the full 360 view. Breathtaking! We brought some snacks to eat up there to replenish (do this) and enjoy the views. We didn't stay up there as long as I would have liked as it was quite cold with the wind when we no longer had the tree cover. Dress appropriately! After we finished the hike, we took a long nap at our Airb&B. I am not sure I would choose to do it again, but I feel very accomplished that we completed this trail and enjoyed the views and our picutres very much.

What an awesome hike. Our new Thanksgiving tradition has been to go on a hike and this was our pick…read morethis year. We got there around 10am since it's a 3 hour drive from Charlotte. I thought it would be empty on Thanksgiving, but it was pretty crowded. We got a parking spot just fine, but the lot was fairly full. The hike is rated as strenuous, but I thought it was moderate. It's about 4 miles to Mcafee Knob from the parking lot making it 8 miles round trip. We took the Appalachian Trail on the way there and the fire road on the way back. The fire road is flatter and wider--an easier hike overall. Parts of the AT were covered in leaves making it a bit hard to hike. Everyone says the last mile is hard. It's uphill but I didn't find it to be too steep. The views at the end are gorgeous. Luckily it wasn't too crowded and we didn't have to wait to get our picture. We didn't stay at the top long because it was incredibly windy which made it pretty cold even though the rest of the hike was comfortable. The whole hike with stops took us just under 4 hours. With views and difficulty combined, we thought it was a great hike!

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.

Mount Pleasant was indeed a pleasant hike. We went on a Sunday afternoon in August and only…read moreencountered a handful of other groups. The last 1-2 miles of the path approaching the parking area is essentially off-road driving. The hike was definitely longer than I anticipated (in the 7 mile range), but it was worth it. It has two summits (both accessed from the same fork near the top), and while both are beautiful, the west summit is definitely better than the east. The trail was well marked with blue blazes. The lower down areas were well maintained, but near the top there were areas that were very narrow, overgrown, and rocky. We went through several butterfly hangouts and lots of wildflowers. Almost all of the trail is shaded. There is evidence of previous fire along the trail. The uphill/downhill isn't particularly strenuous (plenty of flat breaks), but it is at least a 3-4hr commitment if not longer.

The 450 plus miles of hilly terrain look rugged upon the short, yet sturdy panoramic mountain…read morerange, and your really close to it, in fact your in it. Winding turns do not detract from the peacefulness and ease of the drive, they add to them. The feeling of working your way up and then down the opposite side of a mountain gives a feeling of muchness. Not slaying the dragon and saving the princess muchness, but euphoric none the less. Of all that the road gives you, I'd have to say that 'Diversity' is the one word that best suits the Parkway. Diversity of nature as it relates to the change in season. What you see in December is not what you will see in August, nor September to May. Truckers can drive a bit spicey on the open roads, taking the occasional liberty with their size, but that doesn't happen here on this road. Perhaps due to the steep grate, perhaps the twists and turns, any number of combinations -- or just perhaps they too enjoy being so close to natural beauty. No conception of ill temperament can overcome the moment.

The Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn is being in love.read more

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!!

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.