Tony Vanoy & I were driving home to West Virginia on I-77 in Austinville, VA and decided to stop…read moreand check out the park. It cost $7 per car load fee but if you have handicap plaquard, it's free entrance. There is no waterfall, it's more of a rapid in the river. There is a very old extremely large Victorian style Hotel and several out buildings. A gift shop, picnic tables, camping spaces and outdoor music venue area. A lovely area to visit!

Tony Vanoy and I went hiking today at Cascade Falls in Pembroke, VA. Started out really great, we…read morethought it was 1.5 or 2 mile loop hike but OMG it turned out to be 5.57 miles roundtrip!! It cost a $3 per car to park and if you have America the Beautiful Card its free!! It was a beautiful day, but it was so long and so many stairs!! Over 1,000 stairs!!

The provenance of this site is somewhat unclear, but I think it falls under the federal government…read moreand putting up my national parks pass was successful in getting me through a visit without paying any additional parking fee. The main falls are two miles uphill from the parking lot, but the entire journey is a series of eminently worthwhile sights and sounds. Signs warned of challenging currents for anyone taking a dip in the water, which some people did. I would note that when I arrived a rescue operation was underway and emergency services did drive someone by me with what thankfully appeared okay. There are trails on one elevated bank and one closer to the water, as well as some offshoots and extensions. It's a great stretch of forest where you could easily spend more time than the couple of hours I did.

This park is located behind the area where there is a McDonalds and Hampton Inn. It was nice to…read moretake a break here. There is a walking trail that I did not go on. I parked by a stream and watched some bluebirds. There are sports areas. I like the Halloween decorations.

Best park in the area, it's clean well-maintained and has bathrooms. It's got a creek to play in…read morethat shallow and safe. It's got outside exercise equipment. Plenty of parking and very nice covered picnic area. The Play ground it's self is very large and has something for kids of all ages. If you're in this area and looking for a playground this is the one you want to go to.

If you're just looking to check out the shot tower, this is a quick in and out. There is an honor…read morebox for parking, so be sure to respect that. The tower stands 75 feet tall and includes a 75-foot vertical shaft beneath which is what's needed to achieve a perfect 150 foot drop. Completed in 1807 by English immigrant Thomas Jackson, who brought with him the secret of the "drop shot" method where one melts lead and drops it from a height through sieves to form perfectly round pellets for use in firearms. Production ceased in 1839. There are markers that give the story. It's interesting and once you've seen that, there is a full park for walking and enjoying nature. [Review 525 of 2025 - 1465 in Virginia - 24086 overall]

My 28th Va State Park. My 3 star review is selfish. Here's why. I don't bike. It hurts my bottom…read more I've tried it. Then, my tire goes flat. What a giant pain. So, I don't bike, and that what this place is for. Sure you can hike it, but it's a 57 mile path. Similar to tje va Creeper trail at 34 miles and the W & OD trail that's 45 miles. Also, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic trail at 900 miles!!! Plus the C & O Canal trail at and amazing 184.5 miles!!! I truly wish I could bike it but I could never hike it. So.. no go for me here. *also note The New River Va State Park is similar. So much so, they don't allow a Trail Guide check in here. Your Trail Guide check in at The New River State Park counts for for New River and Shot tower. There are numerous entrances. This one is at Austinville.

Tony and I saw signs on the interstate and decided to check the park out. It is located about 2…read moremiles off the exit. The park is lovely and small. The tower is 75 feet tall. The park has honor system where you pay $7 per car for entrance to park and walk around.

the tower is a pleasant diversion from the natural splendor of trail below; a 75' ascent gets a…read moreperson to the public restrooms beside a large parking and picnic tables and grills for cookery lot so if you drove here why not stick around for a while. the lot is patrolled but not actively monitored, the fees are nominal and help keep this and other virginial parks and recreational areas in good repair so just do the right thing and ante up even if no one is looking. the shot tower is so old that I feel young in comparison; I'd like to believe that I'm a bit less musty but it's still wearing it's years much better overall and has a lovely spot near the river known locally as New. the historicity of this place is obvious and well documented and the technology and processes employed here offer insight into the thinkings and ideals of the times. pretty clever they were back then, and industrious too.

This park is one of those ones that feels like a private to public site; the majestic house at the…read morelakefront has been turned into a visitor center. The visitor center has a room or two of exhibitions on hydrology and wildlife but is not anything big. I came seeking a New Year's hike and expecting some scenery while being unsure if the amount of trails available would be enough. I managed to spend a solid two hours circumnavigating the place. In summer, swimming and boating are more likely the activities du jour, and it appears to be an excellent place for such activities. While the park looks close to the highway on the map, it feels like being at a park and there isn't any road noise. Like most VA state parks, they do charge for parking (waived for New Year's Day).

Don't let all my NJ posts fool you. I was born and raised in southwest Virginia and most of my…read morefamily still lives there. Although I am forever grateful that my parents moved us out of the area when we were younger - especially when I get a peek at the local electoral maps - my heart remains in the mountains. Can't say my brains remain here though because it took until today to realize Claytor Lake was 1) a state park and 2) gorgeous and amazing. All these years I just thought it was nowhere special that my cousins would go fishing. And to think I road trip all the way to NH and Maine every year and could have just driven 7 miles from my grandmother's for an equally rewarding experience. I had cabin fever today at my granny's and caught the local Outdoors magazine write up about Claytor Lake. There's camping?? Swimming?? Trails?? I watched a few videos on YouTube then got in the car to see for myself. Need to know: -There's a booth at the entrance - closed after 4pm. $7 parking fee for most paid by the honor system with cash or check or by card through the QR code during after hours. There are 4 campgrounds - I only saw Campground D open and it was overwhelmingly being used by those with RVs, teardrops, and campers. These are NOT wooded lots, rather gravel pull-ins and you'll likely be very close to your neighbor. A lil too close for me but I can see it not being a huge deal since everyone had campers to sleep in. I took a drive through this campground to see if I would feel comfortable and I didn't see any displays that would make me think I wouldn't (you picking up what I'm putting down?) Trails and paved paths galore. I saw one trail today but didn't get to explore much. Apparently the only shoes I packed for this trip were Crocs. Paved paths snake through the park and are accessible for those with mobility devices. The "lake" was created by damming the river. The water is clear by the shore. We love clean river water! Tons of shelters, grills, benches. There is something for everyone! Not sure if shelters are first come first serve or if you need to book them in high season - check the website. There's a gift shop but it was closed. I was bummed because you know I love stickers! I am counting down the days until I can return in the warmer weather. I would not be opposed to camping here or swimming once they reopen the beach for the season. I also look forward to exploring the trails. Fantastic solo outing. What a gem in my little country corner of the world.

The park is pretty remote, with only occasional cell service (a good thing or a bad thing depending…read moreon one's needs). The parking really close to the mountain is handicap only, so the intention is for most people to walk a 4.5 mile loop that goes around the mountain and then up it on the way back. It is a substantial climb, both down into a gully with an impressive waterfall and up the mountain itself. The rock does offer wide-spanning views. The infrastructure was not in ideal shape at the time of my visit, with some water fountains down and other limitations in amenities. I also found the trail setup a bit confusing as following marks led me once to a dead end and in another case, I had to hike on a gravel road a bit to get back to the trail and that wasn't marked clearly as the right way to go. While these things could be improved, the park is an excellent resource and as is standard practice in NC (but not in SC or VA), is free to enter.

Great place to come hike. Lots to see & do. Downside is that kids are allowed to come here & make…read morenonstop noise.

Very nice park! The trail is a little difficult to find, but there is a waterfall beneath the…read morebridge! I enjoyed visiting, thank you!

Most would probably say this park has nothing to offer. I however found it to be amazing. The…read morehighlights for me are the stone work left from the remains of the old Leaksville Cotton Mill and the Barnett Canal with the waterfall hidden behind the stone walls. I walked around taking some images of the stone works and then heard the waterfall and climbed through an old window-way through the stone wall and found an amazing waterfall. It is worth a visit. I hope someone cleans up the broken beer bottles and trash that I saw. Next visit I'll have to bring my bucket and grabber to get some of the junk up that can be a detraction to such an amazing place. I'm posting some images from my visit.

An open space that is in Roanoke county, rather than the city or in Salem. It offers impressive…read moreviews of the mountains and the water. A short greenway trail is not linked in with the rest of the river greenway. However, at least this is an area that really feels like a park and the people here feel like they're going to the park. There are some significant sporting facilities, equestrian buildings, and a lot of people brought dogs as well. There's no charge to get in.

Great place to bring your dog. They have a dog park big dog or little dog plus a huge area to walk…read more There is also a playground for little ones and a disc gold park for a quick game. There is alot to offer here. Don't run out and miss this little slice if heaven in the center of our city.