I like to call it "Panda Paws Pond" because I'm dumb sometimes, and also, doesn't it look like it…read morewould be pronounced that way? Whatever you call it, though, Pandapas Pond is pretty neat. This day-use pond is located in the Jefferson National Forest, just outside of Blacksburg. I visited this beautiful area to walk around the pond and explore. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to walk around the whole thing, depending on how fast you walk. It's a one-mile dirt path that is stroller-friendly and wheelchair-friendly. Along the way, you'll see a dock where you can fish, a wooden boardwalk and some trails that go off to other places. I also saw lots of flowers, a wetlands area, lots of birds, fish and even some snails, but I was told that the snails are invasive and shouldn't be there. I don't believe you can get into the pond and wade, and but there are rocks along the edge that you can sit on and look out onto the water, so you can enjoy the pond that way. Pandapas Pond is a nice place to visit if you want a place to walk and enjoy nature and be around water, all at the same time. Bonus: There's a restroom on site, but be aware that it's primitive (more like a port-a-potty, but still).

I recommend this special place just a hop, skip and jump away from the town of Blacksburg…read more This is a great park for hiking, walking the dogs and taking your kids fishing!

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

Sunday, On the way back from Wanda's we stopped at Clover Creek Covered Bridge. It was free to…read morevisit and we are all about free and uncomplicated. The vehicle was parked in the small Pullover spot. Several other families were there enjoying the area. There was 2 picnic tables. Deacon enjoyed exploring around the bridge and area. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Sinking Creek Bridge is a 70-foot-long red wooden bridge with a tin roof, built in 1916. It is on…read morepublic land and is accessible to the public. Hard to reach, but accessible. It is a single bow-arched Burr truss spanning the creek and supported on stone abutments. The bridge has weatherboarded walls and a gable roof carried on numerous interior cross-braced rafters. Of course, it is closed to vehicular traffic but there is a park around the area and so you can stop by and walk across. Do it. [Review 19581 overall - 1419 in Virginia - 552 of 2023.]

Sinking Creek Covered Bridge is one of two bridges over Sinking Creek in Newport, VA. Some have…read morereferred to this as Clover Hollow Covered Bridge, but that name is incorrect as verified by BridgeHunter.com and Virginia's Department of Transportation. Sinking Creek Covered Bridge was built in 1916 using a modified version of the Howe Truss technique invented by William Howe in 1840, which became widely used as a building method in the mid to late 1800's. The bridge is one of only six remaining historic covered bridges in Virginia. I've actually had the pleasure to visit two other Virginia bridges: Meem's Bottom & Humpback which are two of my favorite covered bridges in the United States, Humpback being unique for its arched design. The bridge has a 70 foot span and its approach (the raised area leading to the bridge) is paved with memorial bricks displaying the names of contributors. The lawn around the bridge was nicely manicured and included a picnic table and sitting bench near the opening of the bridge. The chosen color of the bridge is a lovely barn red. The creek itself has an interesting story as just a few miles downstream it tends to disappear underground if water flow is low... like during our visit. A strange and unusual natural phenomenon that gives the creek its name. ENJOY!!! STATS LOCATION: over Sinking Creek on Old Clover Hollow Rd in Giles County STATUS: Active, but closed to vehicular traffic HISTORY: bypassed in 1949, then closed to traffic 1964. Renovated in 2000, damaged during tropical storm Gaston in 2004. 2020 / 33

I've seen many memorials dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But none so memorable and of such…read morelocal and national historical significance as this one. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge in Downtown Roanoke, formerly known as the First Street Bridge and Henry Street Bridge, features engraved quotes and a 7-foot bronze statue of Dr. King wearing a business suit with his arms outstretched overlooking the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. The granite pedestal includes a relief panel of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King marching in Washington, D.C. The statue was sculptured by the husband and wife sculptor team of Jeffrey H. Varilla and Anna Koh Varilla (whose studio is Koh-Varilla Guild in Chicago), and stands at the north side of the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge. Even before knowing the history behind this area when I first moved to Roanoke, crossing over the bridge and seating on one of the benches facing the Statue of Dr. King brought me great interior peace and hope for the future. These interactive benches near the memorial statue are equipped with speakers. One can press buttons to listen to clips of Dr. Kings iconic speeches. Historically, this crossing was a symbol of segregation, dividing Downtown Roanoke from the historically African American Gainsboro neighborhood. But today it serves as an important landmark honoring the region's rich African American Heritage, civil rights history, and acts as a gathering place to celebrate these and move forward. The statue and bridge were dedicated in 2008. This site is open to the public year-round. I highly recommend and encourage you to give it a visit whenever you're in the area, considering it is a powerful landmark for reflection on the civil rights history.

This narrow pedestrian bridge (formerly the First Street Bridge, later the Henry Street Bridge)…read morecarries people across the railroad tracks between downtown Roanoke and the Gainsboro neighborhood. Repaired and reopened to traffic in 2008, it no longer carries vehicles but only pedestrians and bicycles. At the one end of the bridge is a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King with some benches. From the bridge, you can look down into the railyard where the Norfolk & Southern and the Amtrak Northeast Regional trains pass. The bridge is 316 feet long and is a steel pony truss. It is the last steel truss bridge in Roanoke. It is in good condition though I wouldn't recommend walking barefoot across it. [Review 13794 overall, 1116 of 2020, number 1228 in Virginia.]

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.

A little bit of unique history that gets driven by and probably criticized often, but is so unique…read moreit's awesome. Now this feels like something you'd do at Disney or a theme park, but it's not that at all, because it's as real as possible right to the north of downtown Buchanan. The stone pier you see today is the original from 1851 and this bridge spans 366 feet across the James River and is 57.6 feet tall. And it sways or swings and you can not only feel it, but you can see it too. And it's all made out of wood. Seriously I was hesitant at first, good thing I had my 3 boys worn me, afraid of nothing with death not even a thought (it's not that bad). The view from the bridge are breathtaking and because of the uniqueness of it, it's just cool. You feel like you've walked into yesteryear, where the civil war raged, which it did. Apparently the original bridge was burned down as a strategy by the Confederate General McCausland. We spent about 20 minutes taking it in and our confidence grew the more we tested the old rickety bridge. Good times by one and all and we enjoyed the park and basketball hoops right next to the parking lot for the bridge. It's a beautiful downtown with lots of history. Next time your pass Buchanan, swing on by for a walk on the swinging bridge and step into history.

Currently closed, which is a shame. The 366 foot long bridge dates back to some of the stone piers…read morebeing laid in 1851. Back then, the toll to cross the bridge was five cents with an additional five cents for each additional horse, mule or oxen. The bridge was burned by Confederate forces in 1864 to prevent Federal forces from crossing the river on their way to Lynchburg but was rebuilt after the war. In 1937, the neighboring concrete bridge over the James River mostly replaced the use of this bridge but the bridge still remained. There is a free parking lot on the south side of the river. I'm a little glad that it is closed as it helped me not have to make the decision to cross it on foot. I'm not sure I'm daring enough. [Review 13772 overall, 1093 of 2020, number 1207 in Virginia.]

Amazing statue and such a fun little treat while driving around the downtown Roanoke area. Parking…read morenearby since it's an a strip mall/ shopping area.

While in the Roanoke, VA area visiting family, Kayla Beth Fields Deacon and I turned it in to a…read moreRoad Trip. We left the hotel and drove about 10 miles over to the downtown area to see the Transformer Mega Giant Optimus Prime He was so excited!!