Southwest Virginia and the Blacksburg area offer a number of outdoor activities, from hiking, rafting, road trips and caving to visiting wineries. We have organized the activities in two sections: outdoor activities that require a car to reach the destination, and activities that are within walking distance from the Inn at Virginia Tech (reference point) and the Virginia Tech campus.
1) Outdoor activities that require a car to reach the destination
* The Appalachian Trail runs from Georgia to Maine along the eastern portion of the United States. Around 50 miles of the trail are in Giles County, Virginia, about 20 miles from Blacksburg. For information about hiking along the Appalachian Trail please visit: https://virginiasmtnplayground.com/appalachian-trail/
* The Blue Ridge Parkway can be reached by a 1.5 hour drive from Blacksburg. The Parkway meanders from North Carolina to Virginia. Details and information can be found at: https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/. In Nelson County, Virginia, you can see Virginia’s highest waterfall: https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/poi/crabtree-falls/
* The New River Gorge can be reached by a 1.5 hour drive from Blacksburg, towards West Virginia, https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/whitewater.htm, where in addition to hiking you can also enjoy white water rafting.
* New River Valley State Park can be reached by a 1 hour drive from Blacksburg. The New River Trail is a 57-mile linear park trail that parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles and passes through four counties. The trail's gentle slope makes it great for visitors of all ages to hike, bike, canoe and ride horseback. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/new-river-trail
* The Cascades National Recreation Trail is located in Pembroke, which is a 30 min drive from Blacksburg: https://www.virginia.org/listing/cascades-national-recreation-trail/6927/. This is a very popular trail, with wonderful waterfalls and a hike along a river. The full loop is somewhat long: first cascade, main huge cascade, upper cascade, then Barney’s Wall (worth the view). It is a rather long but easy walk to the first cascade, the most popular hike in the area. Distances: 3 to 4 hour loop to/from the first cascade (following local map recommendation: going up along the river, down through the forest), 4 to 5 hour loop for the second cascade, 5 to 7 hour loop to reach Barney's Wall.
* Pandapas Pond Park, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gwj/recarea/?recid=73877 is around 9 miles from Blacksburg. The park has many trails, and most are easy.
* Stiles Fall is 22 miles from Blacksburg, in Shawsville: https://www.altamons.org/hike.html. The hike culminates in a waterfall. It is a moderate hike if you don’t climb the waterfall. This hike is open from July 19 onward.
* Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve is 38 miles from Blacksburg, and offers spectacular scenery and views of the second highest waterfall in Virginia: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/bottom-creek-gorge/.
* McAfee Knob, located 27 miles from Blacksburg, is one of the most photographed sites along the Appalachian Trail. The knob features a 270-degree panoramic view of the Catawba Valley and North Mountain to the west, Tinker Cliffs to the north, and the Roanoke Valley to the east. There are hikes of different difficulties. https://www.roanokecountyva.gov/2935/McAfee-Knob. Other trails in the general Roanoke area include the Dragon's Tooth Trail and the Hay Trail.
* Natural Bridge State Park is around 70 miles from Blacksburg. At the center of the park, the 200-foot tall Natural Bridge is situated in a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek. The park also has lush forests and rolling meadows showcasing the area's karst terrain and vistas of surrounding mountains, as well as the James River valley. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/natural-bridge.
* Recreational Caving in the area. The area around Blacksburg offers numerous opportunities for caving: e.g. Dixie Caverns (Salem VA, about 24 miles from Blacksburg), Island Ford Cave (Covington VA, about 86 miles from Blacksburg), Luray Caverns (Luray VA, about 170 miles from Blacksburg), Shenandoah Caverns (Mount Jackson VA, about 170 miles from Blacksburg) … We suggest you look online for caving opportunities of interest to you. Caving is a popular local activity for visitors, students, and residents alike.
* Wineries and Breweries. The region is well known for its many wineries and breweries. Stop by one of them for a taste of local wines and brews. Some local ones are: Beliveau Farm Winery (Blacksburg), Chateau Morrisette Winery and Restaurant (Floyd), Blue Ridge Vineyard (Eagle Rock, beyond Roanoke), Parkway Brewing Company (Salem), Rising Silo Brewery (Blacksburg), New River Vineyard and Winery (Fairlawn) ...
2) Outdoor activities that do not require a car to reach the destination
Around the town of Blacksburg, there is the Huckleberry Trail: https://huckleberrytrail.org/. The trail starts in the town of Blacksburg and leads to Christiansburg, an adjacent town. Yet, you can also walk branches of the trail that skirt the Virginia Tech campus. The trails are suitable for walking, jogging and biking. There are several bike rental shops in town. The Huckleberry Trail and its branches are perfect for walking, jogging or biking close to the university.
On the campus of Virginia Tech, there are numerous trails. Please see the following map: https://hokiewellness.vt.edu/content/dam/hokiewellness_vt_edu/doc/file_walkingmap.pdf
Notable walking trails close to the Inn at Virginia Tech:
1. The Duck Pond Trail is 0.8 miles from the Inn at Virginia Tech and provides seating areas and a walking loop around a pond. Adjacent to the Duck Pond, you will find the oldest structure on campus, a building named Solitude, about 200 years old.
2. The Hahn Horticultural Garden is 1 mile from the Inn at Virginia Tech and is open to any visitor, please see https://hahngarden.vt.edu/. The garden offers short nature walks, seating areas and water features to enjoy.
3. The historic Smithfield Plantation is around 1 mile from the Inn at Virginia Tech. The plantation consists of several buildings and a home garden. The plantation house is open to visitors as a museum. It is also a significant site in the Civil War era history of Virginia. https://civilwar.vt.edu/historic-smithfield/
For golfers there is the Virginia Tech Golf Course adjacent to the Inn at Virginia Tech: https://recsports.vt.edu/facilities/golf.html. Members of the general public can reserve time to play. Clubs, balls, tees and carts can be rented.
