Virginia

 The trail head for the South River Falls Trail is located at mile marker 63 off of Skyline Drive via the South River Picnic Area.  Loop around the picnic area until you reach the Eastern corner where you will find a sign and a map marking the beginning of the 4.2-mile trail.  Over the first mile...

Directly off of Interstate 81, headed toward West Virginia on Rt 33 is a beautiful lake only known by the locals. Switzer Lake, named because Switzer Dam was placed on the Dry River years ago to aid Harrisonburg and the surrounding area with its increased need for drinking water. The lake is seld...

This hike begins in the parking lot for Cascade Falls. Keep left at the first and second intersections to stay on the Upper Trail. At the third intersection, stay straight (don't turn right) to stay on the Conservancy Trail.Follow the Conservancy Trail for 0.4 miles, and continue on it when it br...

The trail leads along the ridge of Jones Mountain to the gorgeous views at Bear Church Rock, and it's the perfect hike for those seeking solitude - didn't see another soul the entire time on a holiday weekend.From the parking lot, head out left on the AT northbound. In .4 miles you will come to a...

There are two ways to the summit: the first is a 1.3 mile loop that starts at the Loft Mountain Wayside parking lot at mile marker 79.5 off of Skyline Drive in the southern district of Shenandoah National Park.  The second way is a 3.7 mile hike out and back from the Loft Mountain Campground, but...

Park at the Alta Mons camp parking lot, and start walking the gravel road. There will be signs throughout the trail that lead to the waterfall. Continue down the trail for 1.5 miles. Look out for the white trail markers that indicate the Stiles Falls trail. After 1.5 miles, you will reach the wat...

Just 25 minutes outside of Charlottesville, this is a great spot to take the family for the day and get some sunshine. If you are into mountain biking, you're in the right place. There are 13 miles of mountain bike trails that circle the lake. At the end of your ride, there are 2 beaches to stre...

For an awesome 2-3 day trip, start hiking at the Massie Gap trailhead, which can be reached from Grayson Highlands State Park. Take the Rhododendron Trail up the ridge to connect with the AT, keeping an eye out for wild ponies in the Massie Gap area as they like to hang out here. Some of these po...

This little known waterfall is located close to the more popular waterfall, Doyles River Falls. Staring at the Jones Run parking area turn left downhill following the blue blazed Jones Run trail. After 1.7 miles you will reach the main waterfall. You can either stay here and enjoy the waterfall o...

Explorers in Southwest Virginia run into a common problem: local hikes and waterfalls are often saturated with college students out enjoying a warm day. While it's wonderful to have so many people appreciating the beauty of the Jefferson National Forest, it can be difficult to find a remote, quie...

This 10.8 mile loop is a very demanding, but very rewarding hike that will take most of the day to complete. The hike can be started from many different locations but in this write-up it starts at the Saddle Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the loop is in the counter-clockwise direction.Fro...

If you love everything outdoors, the Hydaway Outdoor Recreation Center is the place for you! You can do almost any activity you can think of here. If you aren't affiliated with Liberty University, you can't rent their equipment, but you can bring you own to use. The main attraction is the lake wh...

After reaching the parking area, cross the road and continue up the trail for about 0.3 miles. At the kiosk, make sure to register in order to indicate that you are going into the cave. After passing the kiosk and some rocky portions of the trail, you will approach the cave entrance. The cave goe...

From the parking area at Turk Gap (MP 94.1), cross over the Skyline Drive.  The Appalachian Trail (AT) intersects right here, and take the AT south by taking the trail on the left.  After 0.2 miles you will turn right off of the AT onto the blue-blazed Turk Mountain Trail.  The trail junctions me...

For a tough hike with rewarding views, check out Angels Rest and the Wilburn Valley Overlook. Easily accessible from US-460 near Pearisburg, this hike along the Appalachian Trail gains a total of 1600’ elevation is a 4.6 mile round trip hike. Angels Rest is a large boulder that overlooks the New...

The top of Apple Orchard Mountain is easily accessible via the Appalachian Trail. Access the trail at the Sunset Field Overlook at MP 78.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The concrete path will end shortly and turn into a blue blazed trail. Follow this for 0.25 miles until it intersects the Appalachia...