Hike to Bald Knob
Details
Distance
1 miles
Elevation Gain
403 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Added by Elyse Clark
Bald Knob offers stunning views of the New River Valley and perfect sunset photo opportunities. There is also a large rocky outcrop to explore.
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 Mountain Lake Outfitters. Cross VA-700 and begin your hike up the gravel road. After 0.1 miles turn right onto the well-marked "Bald Knob" Trail. This trail is a direct and very steep ascent of 403' in 0.4 miles. You will emerge from the woods onto the rocky summit of Salt Pond Mountain (4365') with views of the New River Valley and West Virginia.
Bald Knob faces southwest, so find a perch and watch the sunset over the mountains directly in front of you. For the 0.5 miles back to the car simply follow the Bald Knob trail back down and turn left on the gravel road.
For an added bonus, you can also explore Mountain Lake, where the movie "Dirty Dancing" was filmed during the 1980's, which is easily accessible from the Bald Knob parking lot.
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Reviews
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Clean spot for photos
Came up here for sunset and wasn't disappointed. Bring along your tripod and wait til the light gets really low. Its a beautiful spot! Bring a headlamp so you can see back to your car!
5.0
Bald Knob Hike
Loved this hike and views! Added bonus to visit the lake basin at the site where “Dirty Dancing” was filmed.
5.0
Take Your Time...it's Worth It!
Worth the walk. I'm really out of shape, so I was for sure the 400' climb in 4/10 of a mile was gonna kill me. Had to stop to catch my breath about 8 times. But even with all those stops, it was short enough that it didn't take too long. The view at the top was worth every step, and the walk back down was a lot easier lol.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.
