Pete’s Cave/ North Mountain

The Hike: Full disclosure 1: Pete’s Cave isn’t named after Hoppy Hiker Pete, despite his claims to the contrary. Full disclosure 2: There really isn’t a cave, just a large jumble of boulders. Despite the poetic license of “cave”, this is a great hike. Getting to the trailhead is a bit of an adventure. State […]

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Powhatan State Park Loop

The Hike: This hike combines several short trails into a pleasant trip through wildflowers, meadows and forests with some nice James River views. Stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a trail map. From the Trailhead parking area, follow the tan-blazed Turkey Trail as is meanders beside a meadow before entering the forest.  Powhatan

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Huckleberry Trail & Coal Mining Heritage Park

The Hike: We often receive requests from our readers for more urban hikes. On a recent visit to Blacksburg, we discovered the Huckleberry Trail. The Huckleberry is a 15-mile paved trail which connects Blacksburg and Christiansburg. This paved, multi-use trail is popular with pedestrians and bicyclists. The trail is well marked and well maintained. We

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Hanging Rock (WV) Observatory

The Hike: This short hike has some great views with minimal hiking effort. Located in the Potts Creek Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia, this hike climbs up Peters Mountain on the Eastern Continental Divide to a raptor observatory. The hike travels along the Allegheny Trail a 311-mile long trail stretching from Pennsylvania to West

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Tuscarora Trail: Biby to Pinnacle Overlook

The Hike: The Tuscarora Trail stretches for 250 miles from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Established in the 1960’s as an alternate route for the Appalachian Trail, the Tuscarora offers a truly unique hiking adventure. This section of the Tuscarora Trail is well marked and maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. We were joined on this

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Shenandoah River State Park Loop

The Hike: Shenandoah River State Park is located just across US 340 from its national park cousin. The park has 5 miles of Shenandoah River South Fork shoreline and over 25 miles of hiking trails. We visited on a rainy day in late March when the Virginia bluebells were at their peak. This loop hike

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Apple Orchard Falls & Cornelius Creek Loop

The Hike: We hiked to Apple Orchard Falls in the dry summer of 2021. The water level in the falls that year was just a trickle—but it was still a great hike. We wanted to go back when the water level was higher to see the 200’ falls in all of its glory.  Kathy is

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