Read Time: 5 minutes | Best for: All Hikers
The Intro The months of October and November on the east coast are prime fall foliage months. They are the period of time during the year when mountains and hillsides becomes flows of red, yellow, amber and orange. With so many options to chose from, from Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway in Southern Virginia or roaming the quiet and quaint Route 11.
What hikes do you need to know to plan a weekend around? Looking for waves of giant trees , prize winning summit views or glorious water features to heighten the foliage color display? Take a walk with us and lets discover the gems of Virginia during the fall season. |
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Trails
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Cascade Falls
Distance: 4.2 miles Trail Grade: Difficult (3) Location: Pembroke, Virginia What to know: Waterfalls, dog friendly, kids 8+, entrance fee About this trail: A magical area that is hard to qualify. This trail system is great for families with young hikers age 8+ The Cascade Falls Recreation Area is a natural masterpiece that culminates in a 66-foot waterfall. The hidden gem is the lower trail. This man-made trail rides the river with a heart and fondness that caretakes the land, bringing you within inches of the majestic Little Stony Creek. So close your eyes, imagine a trail carving through towering trees, endless rows of fern, water ledges, small falls and serenity. |
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Dragons Tooth
Distance: 4.4 miles Trail Grade: Strenuous (4) Location: Catawba, Virginia What to know: Summit view, rock scramble, kids 12+ About this trail: A member of the Virginia triple crown (along with McAfee knob and Tinker Cliffs), the most unique of the three is happy to share its fall season view with you. This trail system is short at just 4.4 miles but it's a worker bee with its rock scrambles and steadfast ascent of Cove Mountain. And the name Dragon Tooth? it too is a summit feature as a towering spire of quartzite which shuttles skyward for hikers who so choose to adventure up. Fall hikers are treated to endless views of the Catawba valley and one of Virginia's finest hikes to boast about. |
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Elliot Knob
Distance: 8.1 miles Trail Grade: Very Strenuous (5) Location: Swoope, Virginia What to know: Distance hike, rollercoaster, summit view, kids 12+ About this trail: A truly strenuous hike. and a truly misleading hike. This 8 plus miler has a little bit of everything from remote camping sites, groves of mountain laurel, steam crossings and a one of a kind summit. The sell here is the fire tower view. A relic of the 1960's , the still standing fire tower provides spectacular 360 views of the Great North Mountain range. The views are worth the crying sound from your hamstrings. |
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Hay Rock
Distance: 7.4 miles Trail Grade: Difficult (3) Location: Daleville, Virginia What to know: Summit view, geologic feature, kids 12+ About this trail: Sitting north of Roanoke lays Hay Rock with perch views of Carvins Cove. Hay Rock itself is a giant granite slab that towers from the forest for a unique climbing experience and boastful view of the cove. |
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Mount Rogers
Distance: 10.2miles Trail Grade: Strenuous (4) Location: Mouth of Wilson, Virginia (Grayson Highlands State Park) What to know: Summit view, rock scramble, wild ponies, kids 12+ About this trail: Virginia’s tallest is a spectacular day hike that easily ranks the tops on many to do lists for hikes in the state. The summit is where fairytales live, with wild overgrown roots, towering trees, a carpet of moss and not a sound to distract the Zen moment. With its big sky view , Mount Rogers is ready to capture your fall season. |
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Ravens Rock
Distance: 5.7 miles Trail Grade: Difficult (3) Location: Bluemont, Virginia What to know: Summit view, rock scramble, kids 12+ About this trail: Sitting 45 minutes from the nations capital, this trail joins up with the Appalachian Trail to provide an ever changing topography of stream crossings, small inclines, rock descents and a heavily forested feel. Ravens Rock is popular and the summit tells the story of why. The rock outcrop summit provides a gap view of the states border with West Virginia and its porous hillside and farm side landscapes. |
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Sky Meadows
Distance: Varied, ala carte Trail Grade: Difficult (3) Location: Delaplane Virginia What to know: Summit view, kids 8+, waterfalls About this trail: Sky Meadows State Park has over 22 miles of trails, the beauty is you can mix and match to bring the distance in to your liking. Sky Meadows hosts beautiful views of the piedmonts rolling hills , farms and forests. The park is also a designated Dark Sky park, perfect for a post hike exploration of the night sky. |
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St. Marys Wilderness
Distance: 5.2 miles Trail Grade: Difficult (3) Location: Steeles Tavern, Virginia What to know: Summit view, rock scramble, kids 12+ About this trail: A wonderous off the beaten path hike just south of Staunton, Virginia that will surely leave memories. This trail offers camping sites, consistent access to Saint Mary’s River and a stunning waterfall/ swim hole. Your adventure will be filled with multiple stream crossings (bring a spare pair of clothes, socks and shoes for the drive home) and boasts a towering tree canopy and rock formations. |
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The Priest
Distance: 8.7 miles Trail Grade: Very Strenuous (5) Location: Tyro, Virginia What to know: Summit view, rock scramble, kids 12+ About this trail: Hiking reviews label this as unrelenting due to its 3,000 ft. elevation gain. The trail is a consistent climber that slowly chips away at you. Have no fear, your adventure has a pay off in a large outcrop summit view towering above the Crabtree Falls area and the Three Ridges Wilderness areas. This is a full day hike worth the grit and gruel, the outcrop view is one of the finest ways to breath deep in the fall air and visually digest the colorful tapestry. |
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Tibbet Knob
Distance: 3.2 miles Trail Grade: Difficult (3) Location: Columbia Furnace, Virginia What to know: Summit view, rock scramble, kids 8+ About this trail: Talk about a middle child kind of hike. Many a visitor stroll to Big Schloss and seldom look across the parking lot at this gem. Tibbet Knob is our shortest hike at 3.2 miles but its packs fun for you in modest inclines and few rock features to traverse and a summit view that easily rivals the overcrowded Big Schloss. What’s the summit all about? The North Mountain Range is all. |
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