We love the fact that our cabins are only 18 miles from Grayson Highlands State Park, located in nearby Virginia. Start the day with the beautiful scenic drive through fertile farmlands passing by some beautiful vistas on the way to the State Park.
You can choose from the number of moderate trails in Grayson Highlands State Park ranging from 2 to 29.9 miles and from 1,955 to 5,482 feet above sea level. Established in 1965, this mountain park is next to Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in the Jefferson National Forest.
One of our favorite hikes is the Rhododendron Trail. This is a very popular hike at the park because it leads to where you can frequently see the Grayson Highlands wild ponies. These wild ponies live year -round at 4,000 foot elevations and there are about 110 of them at Grayson Highlands. The easy hike up to the see the ponies is just a bit more than .6 miles one way. It is mostly uphill, but with switchbacks making it a relatively easy hike with nice view out over the Appalachians. Please note that these are wild ponies and they may kick or bite if they feel threatened. Views from the trail over the Appalachian mountains are lovely!
Another favorite hike is the Cabin Creek Trail - an easy 1.8 mile hike along a series of small waterfalls through the woods. While this is a fairly easy hike, you will have to step over rocks along the trail.
The Twin Pinnacles Trail, located behind the visitor's center is a loop of 1.6 miles with spectacular mountain views. This trail goes through a section of boreal forest, a type of forest normally found in Canada or Alaska, thriving here because of the high altitude and subsequent lower temperatures.
For a more challenging hike, try Wilburn Ridge via the Appalachian Trail to the top of Mount Rogers!
Grayson Highlands State Park hosts two different festivals every year, the Wayne Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition in June and ever popular Grayson Highlands Fall Festival featuring live music and pioneer living demonstrations.
Visit the park for yourself and let us know what you think :)