18 Jun Outdoor Recreation in Southwest Virginia
No matter if you have never been to Southwest Virginia or you plan to come by, Outdoor Recreation is our middle name. Our backyard includes mountains, lakes, rivers, trails, and so much more. Today, we wanted to share with you some very fun Outdoor Recreation ideas you can try! Rather you enjoy hiking, biking, boating, or camping, we’re sure to have what you are looking for.
Keep in mind that many locations are often evolving and changing. It’s ideal to check with localities prior to visiting. Also be mindful of high traffic hours and that parking may be limited in some outdoor locations. If you notice parking is limited, please consider visiting the location at another time. In the event that happens, we encourage you to visit other local attractions! Each of these listed locations are surrounding with a lot of amazing things to do and places to go! Sometimes a sudden turn of events can lead to a great adventure!
Biking in Southwest Virginia
If biking is your area of fun, we have a ton of great biking trails anyone can enjoy. These trails range from mild to difficult, so no matter your skill, we’ll help you find what you are looking for. We have everything from virtually pedal-less riding down the Virginia Creeper Trail in Damascus to an expert Dragon’s Back trail in Salem. We have provided a shortlist of trails below with their difficulty.
- Virginia Creeper Trail – Whitetop, Damascus, Abingdon (Mild)
- Iron Mountain Trail – Damascus (Advanced)
- Seven Sisters Trail – Wytheville (Intermediate)
- Heart of Appalachia Trail – Tazewell, Wise (Difficult)
- New River Trail – Grayson, Wythe, Pulaski, Galax, Carroll (Easy)
Camping in Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia is home to many camping opportunities. Options like RVs, tents, yurts, luxury cabins, and more to suit your needs. We have beautiful state and national maintained parks as well as private campgrounds at your request. Rather you enjoy the “roughing it” style of primate camping or full-blown luxury, there’s a lot of options out there. We actually comprised a list of ten different camping locations in Southwest Virginia, you can read that list here.
A few locations not on that list include:
- Riverside Campground – Abingdon
- Hurricane Campground – Sugar Grove
- Deer Trail Park & Campground – Wytheville
- Jessie Lea RV Park – Big Stone Gap
- Damascus Creekside RV Park – Damascus
Boating in Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia has a lot of boating options from kayaks, canoes, fishing, and more. Don’t worry though, you don’t need your own boat! Many parks and campgrounds offer boat rentals. The following list includes locations with various boating options as well as some rentals.
- Hungry Mother State Park – Marion (Swimming, Fishing, Self-Propelled – Rentals available)
- Hidden Valley Lake – Abingdon (Swimming, Fishing, Self-Propelled)
- South Holston Lake – Abingdon & Bristol (Fishing, Swimming, Self-Propelled, Gas Motor – Rentals available)
- Smith Mountain Lake – Roanoke area (Fishing, Swimming, Rentals available)
- Beartree Lake – Damascus (Swimming, Fishing, Self-Propelled)
Hiking in Southwest Virginia
Much like other options, we have plenty for Hikers as well! Rather you want a casual stroll on the Virginia Creeper Trail or even take a small part on the Appalachian Trail, we have options!
- Grayson Highlands State Park – A beautiful park located in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia that is full of hiking adventures! These trails are full of scenic views of the landscape and include wild ponies! The Appalachian Trail runs through here and is said to be one of the best parts of the entire trail by many AT hikers.
- The Channels – The Channels includes a beautiful day hike where you will see a lot of natural beauty. Sights to see are distant landscapes and mountain ranges. An old fire tower, and natural maze-like sandstone crevices to explore.
- The Cascades – Located in Pembroke, this trail ends at a breathtaking waterfall. A relatively mild to a moderate trail full of SWVA beauty and the good old outdoors.
- Devil’s Bathtub – The Devil’s Bathtub in Duffield is another hike with some natural wonder at the end. A slightly difficult hike, but well worth it for hiking fans.
We hope you got some good options for outdoor recreation in the region! Although we shared a lot, we have so much more to offer! Be sure to check back on our blog as we add more outdoor reaction ideas for you!