Willis, Virginia

COVID-19 CLOSURE: Due to Covid-19, this trail will be closed effective April 10, 2020 at 8 PM until June 24, 2020.  A short 1.0 mile hike to the summit with 700’ elevation gain, the trail switchbacks steeply up to the exposed rocky summit. To the north you can see Sharp Top and Flat Top at the Pe...

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...

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...

This is a part of the Huckleberry Trail (which is paved), but off of it is the dirt hiking/walking trail loop. It is a really fun area to explore, and the parts that are on the Huckleberry have plaques with historical information on it which is all very interesting. It also has a beautiful wooden...

A beautiful hike through the forest of Hanging Rock State Park. Trail meanders through pines and hardwoods filled with boulders, mountain laurel, scenic views, and the occasional deer or turkey. The trail begins as gravel and dirt then turns into steps made of wood and stone. Also on the trail is...

You can through-hike or section hike.  I did it from Tory's Den to the Corridor Trail Parking Lot in about 10 hours. Check the Sauratown Trail Association's website before traveling.  It is a bridle and hiking trail so the hiking is fairly easy. A lot of it travels beside streams. In other places...

Park in the main parking lot for Hanging Rock State Park, and the trailhead can easily be found in the upper parking lot (furthest away from the main building), and is clearly marked. The trail starts off by descending, but don't be fooled, it quickly turns into a steady climb that will have you ...

Beautiful hike through the forest up to an elevation of 2000+ feet for Hanging Rock. The Hanging Rock Trail is 1.3 miles one way. It includes a moderate incline up a well-kept dirt and gravel trail then, turns into steps made of timber, rock, and boulders (330 steps to be more exact!). Well worth...

Looking for a shorter hike with stunning views, or a place to rappel with a backdrop like no other on the East Coast? Look no further than Moore's Knob, located within Hanging Rock State Park. Just North of Winston-Salem, Moore's Knob is one of the many wonders of the Sauratown Mountains. At 2579...

This unique peak, also known as the Big Pinnacle, is in Pilot Mountain State Park.  From the main parking area on top of the mountain on Pilot Knob Park Road, you can first view the Big Pinnacle from the overlook attached to the parking lot.  The prominent mountain behind the Big Pinnacle is Hang...

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...

The hike to High Rocks begins at a gravel parking lot up a long winding road, seems like forever but really is only mile or two past the quarry when your turn onto the road.  The out-and-back hike begins by passing through the two large boulders near the back of the parking lot. The trail leads d...

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...

You can park your car at the small gravel lot where VA-42 and Rt. 629 intersect. Starting from the Appalachian Trail crossing at VA-42,  head north on the AT, which winds through some grass meadows. After about 0.8 miles into the hike you will cross Rt. 630 (Northside Road) on a bridge over Sinki...

Unobstructed views with little hiking effort make Bald Knob one of the best locations to see the sunset in southwestern Virginia. Easy to access from US-460 in Giles County, take Mountain Lake Road (VA-700) for 7 miles and park in the gravel lot on the left by the intersection of VA-613 and Moun...

The 66' Cascade Falls located in Giles Count is arguably one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Virginia. This classic hike is 4.0 miles and gains 800' in elevation. Located in Pembroke, Virginia, access the trail head by taking Cascade Drive (VA-623) off of US-460 and drive 3.3 miles to the p...