Historic buildings along a loop trail, 14 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, and a museum about the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway: at Explore Park, different sides of a visit come together. The park is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 115. If you’re interested in the road’s history, you’ll find a museum about it in the visitor center. Outdoors, the park offers various activities in addition to its trails.
Hiking with views and a range of trail lengths
McAfee Knob combines a striking view with a clearly described hike. From there, the 270-degree panoramic view extends over the Catawba Valley and North Mountain to the west, Tinker Cliffs to the north, and the Roanoke Valley to the east. The trail to the summit is rated moderate. For the hike from the parking lot on VA 311 to McAfee Knob, the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club’s route information gives a distance of just under eight miles and an elevation gain of 1,400 feet. These details help you gauge the hike’s time and physical demands without specifying a hiking time.
Another option is the Catawba Greenway, which provides an alternative connection to McAfee Knob via the Appalachian Trail. The Greenway can also be used to plan shorter or differently combined routes. The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club describes a 1.2-mile accessible out-and-back hike to a picnic pavilion. Another four-mile hike links two sections of the Greenway with a section of the Appalachian Trail. The different distances and routes give you concrete reference points for choosing between a shorter outing and a longer hike.
At Read Mountain Preserve, the main trail runs for over two miles to the summit of Read Mountain, known as Buzzards Rock. The Tinker Creek Greenway begins at the Hollins Trailhead parking lot and connects to Carvins Cove Natural Reserve. In Hinchee Park, a two-mile trail runs through a wooded preserve and connects the Hanging Rock Battlefield Trail with Carvins Cove Natural Reserve. Each offers a different kind of route: one to a summit, one connecting to a greenway, and one linking two named destinations.
Riverbanks and wooded areas
The riverside landscape is another option. Green Hill Park has a mile of shoreline along the trout-stocked Roanoke River. The park also includes a paved, ten-foot-wide section of the Roanoke River Greenway. If you’re more interested in protected woodland, Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve is home to intact pine-oak forest communities. The world’s largest known population of the rare shrub Piratebush lives there. The information about the riverbank, trail and forest communities describes different ways to experience nature, rather than prescribing a single way to enjoy the outdoors.
Activities in and around Explore Park
Explore Park’s offerings go beyond hiking and mountain biking. Treetop Quest is a family adventure course with ziplines and increasingly challenging elevated obstacles. A two-hour paddle trip through the Roanoke River Gorge, with Class I and II rapids, is also offered there. The park is also home to Mayflower Hills Disc Golf Course. These experiences differ in duration and type of activity: the paddle trip has a specified duration, while the adventure course and disc golf offer other ways to shape your visit.
You’ll also find water attractions at Splash Valley, which has two 34-foot waterslides, a lazy river and a children’s splash pad. The public Green Ridge Recreation Center covers 76,000 square feet. Its facilities include an indoor track with mountain views and an indoor pool with water features. Day passes are available; as admission policies can change, check them before your visit.
Camp Roanoke offers archery and an adventure course with a 44-foot climbing tower. The camp is located right off Interstate 81 at Exit 132. If you’d rather put together your own route, the greenways, parks and hiking trails described here offer various concrete starting points.
Culture and local dining
Art and history also complement the outdoor activities. The Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University presents exhibitions spanning a wide variety of media and genres. Explore Park features historic buildings along a loop trail, and the visitor center museum focuses on the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway. For a meal, the historic Twin Creeks Brewpub in Brugh Tavern serves local craft beer, wine and cider, as well as food. These cultural places offer a different focus from viewpoints and trails: you can add art, regional history or a meal to your visit without following a set itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Roanoke, Hollins, Bent Mountain, Cave Spring, Vinton, Lancaster County, Westmoreland County, Northumberland County.
For the main travel overview: Virginia.
