mount rogers national recreation area

I spent a lot of times in Mount Rogers Virginia while growing up. The place never gets old. While I wouldn't recommend going in the november/december time period, I managed to even have fun when freezing with my little brother last December.

This is a magnificent mountain top national recreation area, and Mount Rogers is the highest place in Virginia. Extensive hiking and horseback riding trails, 40 mile views, and wonderful scenery. We thorougly enjoyed driving on the winding country roads and only took a short hike, as it was getting late in the day. Next time we will schedule several days....closest towns of Marion and Chilhowie have very good Visitors Centers for maps and several lodging choices are available for tired travelers and hikers.

Tho' crowded for Memorial Day weekend, plenty of parking, friendly staff and CLEAN bathrooms! Intend to return to watch the pony auction during the last weekend of September. Visitor's Center is one of the best in the area!

We visited the Beartree Campground Area of Mt. Rogers. There's a nice lake with a .7 mile, mostly paved trail around. Also a beach for lake swimming. Clean shower house near the beach has cold showers and bathrooms. Nice picnic areas too. Good for a half day if you're in the area.

Highest peak in Virginia...also see Whitetop Mountain...can drive to the top! Lot's to do including the nearby Virginia Creeper Trail for more hiking and biking...and camping. Just love the SW Virginia area, especially Trail Days, Ramp Festival and Maple Festival.

I attempted this hike in November with three other guys. We left from Massie's Gap in Grayson Highland State Park. The weather was excellent, and the trail was uncrowded. We received a map upon entering the state park, and assumed that would get us up to the peak of Mount Rogers. We were mistaken - make sure to bring your own map! We went about a mile or two out of the way because of our mistake. The hike is extremely scenic, and not strenuous. This hike would be great for anyone, whether or not they are into hiking. The views along the way are work the drive. The 'wild' ponies are a neat addition too, and we saw two different herds of them (the first not more than a mile in along the path - they were fairly domesticated by the look of it.)The peak is in a neat alpine forest which is unlike any other portion of the hike. There is no view from the peak, but that didn't matter to me. It was however rather cold at the top, so dress warmly.

About 60 miles of the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail run through Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. And this section is among the more scenic stretches of the long-distance trail, traversing open balds and alpine meadows with beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. One particularly nice section that is doable as a day hike with a shuttle or as a short backpacking trip is from SR-601 below Beech Mountain northbound to Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands State Park. The trailhead is between Independence and Damascus. Heading west on US-58, just past the small community of Whitetop, turn right on Beech Mountain Road (SR-601) and go about a mile to the AT parking area. This hike is about a 14-mile trip, but can easily be made shorter to suit your needs. From the parking area, the trail starts up Beech Mountain. This is the steepest part of the trail, gaining about 1500 feet in elevation over about 3 miles. Near the top, the trail departs from the dense forest to a beautiful open meadow between Beech Mountain and Whitetop. Buzzard Rock, an outcrop facing south, provides fantastic views into North Carolina and Tennessee. The trail continues around Whitetop Mountain, the second highest point in Virginia, and there is a parking area just below the mountain you could start at to shave off about 3 miles of the trip. Past Whitetop Mountain is Elk Garden, with another parking area and restroom, and starting here would take off about 5 miles from the total trip. From Elk Garden, the AT passes through another open area, before heading back into the forest around Mount Rogers. Although the trail itself doesn't go up Mount Rogers, there is a half-mile spur trail that leads to the summit. Due to the think forest on Mount Rogers, there's no scenic views and you only really know you're at the time when you see the US Geodesic Survey marker. Past Mount Rogers, the trail opens up again as it heads to Rhododendron Gap, a beautiful rocky formation among a dense forest of rhododendron. In early to mid June, when the rhododendron blooms are at their peak, the entire landscape is dotted with pink flowers and is an incredible site. Past Rhododendron Gap, the AT crosses Wilburn Ridge and heads into Grayson Highlands State Park, which makes a convenient place to end the hike. If you're planning to backpack and stay overnight, I'd suggest leaving cars at Grayson Highlands. There's a small fee, but your vehicles will be much safer.

Mt. Rogers is a great place to take your horses! Whether you stay up at Grayson Highlands State Park horse camp or down @ Fox Creek, you will love the scenery and trails. The rangers who work @ Mt. Rogers NRA are very horse friendly and they welcome us. The views are amazing and if you go during June/July when the rhododendron are blooming, you are in for a very special trip.

This is a beautiful place for anyone to visit, the ad.ission prices are very reasonable, there are plenty of activities, the trails are well maintained.

VA creeper trail... 18 mile or so down hill run from whitetop station to damascus VA. take your time, pack a lunch, a pole and a swimsuit .... excellent fishing and swimming holes along the way.... stop at Green Cove station.Bear Tree Lake.... secluded small mountain lake with great short trails for kids and adults.... swim at the beach (wear dark trunks)... the water is orangish due to iron content... (dah...Iron MT)... many days it is your own private beach.... great picnic area....Greyson Highlands Park (Mt Rogers).... grat picnic and hiking... (Little secret that is not advertised... home to the Va Highlands wild horses....ponies... Take some carrots hike up the mt and feed the critters... sping is a great time to find colts w mothers...Trip to Marion Lincoln theatre for Song of the Mts... if performing.... check schedule.... good old time blue grass or sometimes more modern w an irish twist... OR REX theatre in Galax on a sat night for live radio performance of bluegrass....Try Hungry Mother State Park.... Grat lake for swimming, canoes etc.... more commercialized then hanging up in the mts.Hike the Apply Trail....ITS ALL GOOD.... BUT TAKE YOUR TIME TO ENJOY... Rainy day?!!?? Hang out at the library in the Whitetop Community

Mt. Rogers is the highest mountain in VA, and Whitetop is second. They stand side by side in this pristine area, crossed by the Appalachian trail. This is a huge area with many outdoor recreational opportunities. Naturalists go wild over it. Motels and grocery stores are miles away, but it's worth the effort to visit. Some like to find a campground and spend a week. One thing is for sure--you won't see it all in a day.

We visited in the Creep Trail in southern VA and camped (pop-up camper) at the Grinstone Campground in Mt. Rogers. The site was secluded but close enough to our friends that we could enjoy each others company, visit each other for shared meals and still have privacy at night. My kids enoyed the paved roads for riding bikes. We did not get to see much of the park but it looks there would have been lots of trails to explore. We were able to arrange a shuttle to take 18 of us and our bikes to the Creeper Trail for the day.