Roanoke River Trail

When the trail got to the trail on the left with the steps down I kept on straight and took the path to the overlook of the river. (I didn't feel like doing steps) It was nice but nothing spectacular. A really short easy hike.

Very Beautiful. Perfect for a quick little hike or for walking the dog or even a picnic date!!

I had not been aware that this section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, long closed, had finally opened. This was my first drive on this section and my first opportunity to see the river from here. I did not have enough time to properly explore, We parked and got out and walked part of the trail. We enjoyed the view of the river and the waterfalls (fully working due to high water levels). We will return to fully hike the trails.

One of my favorite trails in Roanoke. The beginning of the hike overlooks an enormous man-made waterfall which in and of itself is impressive, but if you hike down to the river you'll get to see some rapids and a lot of rocks. If you're feeling adventurous and don't mind getting a bit wet, there's a way to get to the middle of the river over the rocks. Follow them upriver a bit to find some more interesting areas and get a better view of the waterfall.

Found this place when I was driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway going toward route 220. Not a bad hike, it is only about a 20 minute hike to the river, and once there you can walk along the river up stream, and climb over rocks and small cliffs. Use caution the rocks can get very slick. Wear proper hiking shoes with good grip. The rive is pretty, but sadly you can see a lot of trash along the rivers edge, trapped in the low lying trees and bushes. All in all, it’s a nice short hike if you live close by. However it would not be worth a long drive just for this place.