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.

A cute local park! Where it lacks trails, it more than makes up with the creek, tiny foot bridge,…read morepicnic shelter with a grille, and children's playground with swings and slides. There's a portaloo on one side of the gravely parking lot, and there's enough grassy space for a lazy wander. A gem!

I'm always in favor of more green space, but this isn't the best trail I've ever seen. The views…read moreare modest, and it runs through residential areas but doesn't really connect to much of anything. There's only one real parking lot in the middle, and I see people sitting in their cars for unknown reasons or an abandoned car that was just stuck there once. It's not a great vibe. The trail is paved, but not lit, and some of the isolated parts just didn't feel that safe to me in the fading light. To be useful, the trail needs to be cleaned up and livened up.

Parts of it are very pretty, it can be a bit creepy in some parts for a woman alone. The area just…read moreover the bridge from Valley View is quite isolated, and I've observed men hanging out there near the woods or the stream. A woman by herself was assaulted there not long ago. I no longer walk that section of the greenway.

We were in the Roanoke area and I had dropped my wife and daughter at the mall. I had…read moreresponsibility for the dog, and I did not want to leave him alone in the car for an extended period. So I checked my Maps function and found this park. It proved to be a good place for a walk. This small park (1 square block) is straddled by an elementary school and a middle school, so I imagine it is a popular place for after-school activities. It was a Saturday, however, so there was no such thing of that kind going on. While sunny, it was also a rather cold day and it was the last hour of daylight. So the net effect was that the park was empty. There was a decent amount of green space just to walk around, and Frank (my daughter's pug) enjoyed that. There was also a tennis court, a basketball area and a play area for younger kids. There was a recreation building that was closed when we were there. In all, it looked like a very nice neighborhood park. It provided a lovely, albeit brief, place for respite for us.

Unexpectedly nice park. Hilly with scenic views, trail, small pond (not a lake!), sports field…read more Bathrooms need renovations.

Beautiful setting with a large waterfall and hiking/biking trails right outside of Lynchburg, VA.read more

I suppose if it is impossible or unable to walk a dog this is a nice solution. Tried to take mine,…read morebut felt it smelled, was dirty, with people not cleaning up after their dogs. The gravel seems dusty on dry days and smelly on wet days. Not worth the time. There is not a place for a medium sized dog, either tiny or big dogs seemed to be there. I have two dogs that are right in the middle.

I moved to Virginia from the San Francisco Bay Area, where I had visited numerous dog parks with my…read morepup. I have to say, this is one of the nicest, in part because there is such an active community of dog lovers invested in making and keeping this an outstanding site for doggy adventures. The site has fenced areas for small and large dogs, both of which have grass (a rarity in the Bay Area). The large dog side recently had new sod placed after the grass had been decimated by a year of four pawed madness; unfortunately it did not take particularly well, but it is certainly better than a dust bowl. There are several trees offering plenty of shade on those sweltering summer days with fireflys dancing around the grounds on warm summer nights keeping the human and canine patrons entertained alike. It is generally very well attended, particularly in the evening and on weekends of the spring and summer months. Of course, only the hardcore enthusiasts partake on those cold winter days. There is also plenty of seating for those that are weary after chasing their canine companion, who refuses to leave its favorite location, around the park. The only down sides from my perspective are: 1) One will regularly run across unclaimed piles of dog excrement , probably because the park is large and on a hill which can make keeping a track of a dog challenging. 2) When the grass dies (and I'm sure it will again) the dust and mud (when raining) become problematic. 3) There is a silly fake fire hydrant that only serves to butcher playing dogs as they careen into the object while gallivanting around the park. All around it is one of the best dog parks I have attended, and the number is considerable.

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.

Nice small park off the Roanoke River Parkway for young families…read more Playground equipment and shelter with restrooms are the highlights. Also a large open space to throw a ball. It seems like the park is mainly utilized by families on foot. There are a few parking spots nearby, but that's the negative of the park. Still recommend. 3+, rounding up.