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 Reporter |
Summary: A wonderful hike. In the Grayson Highlands, you get a lot of feel that you're above treeline, with some rugged and rocky terrain, and wind-swept areas. The hike itself is pleasant and not too terribly tough. In the SP, you're treated to seeing some wild ponies all around, and once you leave the park, you get to take on some of the Appalachian Trail. To reach the peak of Mt Rogers, you must take a spur trail off of the AT, but the peak is wooded and has no views. Shortly before this point, you'll run into a trail shelter, recently reviewed by BackPacker magazine as having one of the top "scenic" back-country outhouses (go figure!). Trailhead: The park is on U.S. 58 midway between Independence and Damascus and is reached from I-81 at Exit 45 in Marion; turn south on Route 16 and travel 33 miles to US 58 in the community of Volney. Turn right onto US 58. Travel eight miles to the park's entrance. From I-77, take Hillsville Exit 14 to U.S. 58. Travel west on U.S. 58, 40 miles to Volney. Turn left to stay on U.S. 58 and go eight miles to the park entrance. (Lat:36.64443 Lon:-81.52024) Trail Guides for Grayson Highlands hike to Mount Rogers, VA: Virginia State Parks Website by Virginia () Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses, Ranger Contact: VA State Parks - 1-800-933-PARK Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Andrew Hall, who has posted 7 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by TD on 6/8/2008 Great hike. Feels like you are above tree line. Only down side is that you are stopping every 5 minutes to check out the spectacular scenary.
Reviewed by jtp on 5/11/2008 GREAT HIKE, A LITTLE SHORT, BUT GREAT VIEWS.
Reviewed by MSC on 2/23/2008 i did this hike in the early '80's. it was wonderful! saw the ponies! i am now planning a trip back with my husband and two kids (age 11 and 16) 
Reviewed by bruce on 2/18/2008 soft hike great views.
Reviewed by Rodney on 2/12/2008 Spent two cold nights on the bald. Reminds me of the Rockies. Awesome views! Hard to keep a fire going. Take lots of fleece. You need a good tent and bag. Winds were tremendous and stargazing was unbelievable
Reviewed by Traci A on 1/5/2008 This is a great hike. I took the hike up it and spent the night up there in June of this past year. However, be careful. 20 minutes into our hike we ran across 3 bear cubs as we were climbing up some rock stairs after the first campsite on the trail. Thankfully we did not see the momma bear as we SLOWLY went back down the trail to wait. This is very rare from what other hikers have told us..just take caution up there. It is very beautiful and the groups of wild ponies are really cool to see.
Reviewed by Emmett and Jenn on 10/17/2005 We went from the parking lot in massy gap (sp?) to the parking lot on Rt 600. Its something like 8 miles on nice soft terrain with incredible view after incredible view. Incredible! Lots of water! Windy and chilly! Wild Ponies with attitude. Not steep. Lots of sites to camp. And you get to go to the top of Mt. Rogers, the highest point in VA. Without a doubt, do not miss it. AT trail is easy to follow.
Reviewed by Bob on 3/1/2005 I've been hiking this area since I spent 8 days criss-crossing it and the Iron Mtn. Trail in 1977. I've been first to arrive at Thomas Knob Shelter after a blizzard with snow above my knees. I've cooked fresh blueberrie fried pies for breakfast and dinner over a camp stove. I've pushed wild ponies out from under my tarp early in the mornings. I've watched deer and rabbits play while I had my morning coffee. I've been on Katahdin and Springer. It doesn't get any better than Mt. Rogers. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Virginia Hiking, Virginia Trails, Virginia Hikes, Grayson County Hiking, Grayson County Trails, Grayson County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||