Blue Ridge Parkway Hiking Trails: Virginia

Virginia Hiking Trails (milepost 0-179)

North Carolina Trails (milepost 180-469)

Milepost

Trail Name

Trail
Mileage*

Difficulty
5.9 Mountain Farm Trail (self-guiding, from Humpback Visitor Center to pioneer farmstead)
ScenerySceneryScenerySceneryScenery		 0.25 Easy
6 Appalachian Trail (Humpback Gap parking area to Humpback Mtn., elevation - 3650 feet) 2 Strenuous
8.4 Catoctin Loop Trail (leg stretcher) 0.3 Moderate
8.8 Greenstone Trail (self-guiding; Greenstone geology formation; oak hickory forest) 0.2 Moderate
17.6 The Priest (view) 0.1 Easy
18.5 White Rock Falls Trail Connection 2.9 Moderate
20 White Rock Falls Trail (follows stream to small falls) 0.9 Moderate
26.3 Big Spy Mountain (view into Shenandoah Valley; good for sky watching) 0.1 Moderate
34.4 Yankee Horse (to logging RR exhibit & small waterfall) 0.2 Moderate
38.8 Boston Knob (leg stretcher) 0.1 Easy
47.5 Indian Gap (to Indian Rocks; good seasonal rhododendron display) 0.3 Moderate
55.2 White Oak Flats (leg stretcher) 0.1 Easy
60.8 Otter Creek Trail (begin at Otter Creek Campground) 3.5 Moderate
63.1 Otter Lake Trail (around Otter Lake) 0.8 Moderate
63.6 James River Trail (Self-guiding to canal locks) 0.2 Easy
63.6 Trail of Trees Trail (self-guiding to James River Overlook) 0.5 Moderate
74.7 Thunder Ridge Trail (leg stretcher loop to view of Arnold Valley) 0.1 Easy
78.4 Apple Orchard Falls Trail (Sunset Field Overlook to view of Apple Orchard Falls; National Recreation Trail) 1.2 Strenuous
79.7 Onion Mountain Loop Trail (leg stretcher through Appalachian deciduous forest with rhododendron display) 0.1 Easy
83.1 Fallingwater Cascades Trail National Recreation Trail; loop to view of cascades) 1.6 Moderate
83.5 Flat Top Trail (leads to highest of three prominent peaks in area) 4.4 Moderate
Cross Rock Trail (spur off Flat Top Trail; unique geological features) 0.1 Moderate
85.7 Abbott Lake Trail (loop around Abbott Lake) 1 Easy
85.9 Elk Run Trail (self-guiding loop nature trail from Visitor Center) 0.8 Easy
85.9 Johnson Farm Loop Trail (loop to restored mountain farm) 2.1 Moderate
85.9 Harkening Hill Trail (elevation -3300 feet; begin at Peaks Visitor Center) 3.3 Moderate
Balance Rock (spur trail off Harkening Hill Trail; unique geological formations) 0.1 Moderate
86 Sharp Top Trail (from camp store to summit of Sharp Top Mtn.; elevation - 3875 feet; 360 degree panoramic view) 1.5 Strenuous
91 Appalachian Trail (VA 695 to Sharp Top Mtn. Overlook) 1.9 Moderate
92.5 Appalachian Trail (Sharp Top Mtn. Overlook to Harvey's Knob Overlook) 2.9 Moderate
95.4 Appalachian Trail (Harvey's Knob Overlook to Motvale Overlook) 0.6 Moderate
95.9 Appalachian Trail (Montvale Overlook to Taylor's Mountain Overlook) 1 Moderate
96 Spec Mine Trail (USFS Trail begins near Montvale Overlook, to State Rt. 645 in Botetourt County) 2.8 Strenuous
97 Appalachian Trail (Taylor's Mtn. Overlook to Blackhorse Gap) 0.8 Moderate
110.6 Stewarts Knob Trail (view) 0.05 Easy
114.9 Roanoke River Trail (self-guiding river loop) 0.35 Easy
120.4 Roanoke Mountain Summit Trail (view) 0.11 Moderate
120.5 Chestnut Ridge Trail (adjacent to Roanoke Mtn. campground) 1.75 Moderate
121.4 Roanoke Valley Horse Trail (begins at U.S. Hwy 220 and parallels Parkway to Milepost 110.6) 18.5 Moderate
123.2 Buck Mountain Trail (to summit view) 0.53 Moderate
154.5 Smart View Loop Trail (around picnic area) 2.6 Moderate
167.1 Rock Castle Gorge Trail (loop from campground along ridge over Rocky Knob and into gorge for 7-mile return to campground) 10.8 Strenuous
167.1 Hardwood Cove Self-Guiding Nature Trail (part of Rock Castle Loop) 0.8 Moderate
169 Black Ridge Trail (Rocky Knob Visitor Center to Black Ridge to Grassy Knoll and back to Visitor Center) 3.1 Moderate
169 Rocky Knob Picnic Loop Trail (leg stretcher around picnic area) 1 Easy
176.2 Mountain Industry Trail (Mabry Mill) 0.5 Easy
179.2 Round Meadow Creek Loop Trail (walk through a stream bottom forest) 0.5 Moderate

*approximate mileage