Pandapas Pond is a man-made 8-acre pond with opportunities for fishing. Falls Ridge Preserve offers a different highlight: an approximately 80-foot spring-fed travertine waterfall. The preserve is closed to visitors except during scheduled guided activities. Volunteer naturalists accompany visitors on guided walks, so plan your visit as part of one of these activities.

Trails with Different Route Profiles

The Poverty Creek Trail System has 20 miles of singletrack trails. The Huckleberry Trail is a 15-mile paved rail-trail connecting Blacksburg and Christiansburg. The two trails therefore differ both in their stated lengths and in the type of route described. The Coal Mining Heritage Park and Loop Trail adds another option: a 1.5-mile loop with mining artifacts. Its shorter stated distance and historical connection give it a distinct profile among the trails mentioned.

The landscapes here also offer a range of natural settings: Heritage Community Park includes habitats from lush meadows to floodplain forests. Heritage Community Park and Natural Area is also part of the Eastern Continental Divide Loop. This variety, from meadows to floodplains, offers a different perspective on nature from the trails’ clearly specified route profiles.

In Montgomery County, you can swim or float and fish on the New River. Frog Pond Pool offers a different kind of water fun: its large pool has four slides, including three tube slides and a frog slide. The pool is seasonal; check current operating information before your trip.

Local History and Culture

Historic Smithfield brings together the colonial era of America and westward expansion, the enslavement of people of African descent, and conflicts between Indigenous peoples and European settlers. These different historical connections offer more than one perspective on the site’s past. Private guided tours are available by appointment. Please confirm availability before your trip.

The grounds of the Christiansburg Institute include a small museum housed in a replica smokehouse. The Edgar A. Long Building is the only surviving structure on the 14-building campus. Another historic landmark is the Cambria Freight Depot, built in 1868. The Lyric Theatre originally opened in 1930. Live at The Lyric offers live music in an intimate setting, adding a cultural highlight alongside the historic sites.

Regional Products

The Christiansburg Farmers Market showcases locally grown and made fruits and vegetables, flowers, and baked goods. Rising Silo Farm Brewery’s brewing practices also offer a concrete example of regional production: its beer is brewed exclusively with organic malts and water from the farm’s well. Together, the market’s products and the brewery’s ingredients provide a glimpse into different aspects of local food culture.

Discover more destinations: Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, Rockbridge County, Emporia, Wythe County, Stafford, Culpeper County.

Return to the main travel overview: Virginia.