Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 9, 1993 TAG: 9305100333
SECTION: DISCOVER PAGE: 16 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: SU CLAUSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Or do your ears pick up more human sounds - the whining of an ATV, the shrieking of tired children and the pulse of a boom box?
While the Cascades' falls are beautiful and Claytor Lake's cool water enticing, if serenity is what you're seeking perhaps you would do well to tramp the not-so-beaten paths during vacation season.
Some of the best hiking in the New River Valley has not yet been discovered by the masses. These scenic, not-so-public public lands are not far from town, but seem miles away from civilization.
\ Kelleys Knob, Giles County: This Appalachian Trail section near Newport takes you past a mountaintop bog to a rocky outvcropping for views of Salt Pond Mountain. The round trip is about 4 1/2 miles.
To get there, take U.S. 460 west 10 miles from Blacksburg to Newport, turn right onto Virginia 42 and, after a mile, turn left onto Virginia 601. Follow this curving road 6 1/2 miles up Piney Ridge to the intersection with the Appalachian Trail, marked with white blazes. The pavement ends as you approach the mountain, so be prepared to drive at least two miles on a rough road.
Park your car and take the trail to the right. You will immediately start to climb on an old jeep trail. In 1 1/2 miles, you reach Big Pond Shelter at about 3,700 feet, where you can take a short trail to the bog.
Continue past the shelter a half-mile along rhododendron thickets to the Kelleys Knob cliffs. Take blue-blazed side trails for views of the valley. On clear days, you can see over Brush Mountain into Montgomery County.
\ Alta Mons, Montgomery County near Shawsville: This easy 4-mile trail snakes through a ravine to a spectacular waterfall. The trail is on the property of Alta Mons Methodist Camp, so you need permission by calling 268-2409. In the summer, you may be able to cool off in the camp pool for a small fee.
To reach the campgrounds, take U.S. 460 east from Christiansburg five miles to Shawsville. Turn right on Virginia 637 after Meadowbrook Nursing Home, go four miles past the village of Alleghany Springs to the Alta Mons entrance on the right.
Park across from the caretaker's house and follow a jeep trail through the lodge area, across the stream and up a narrow valley.
You will have to cross the stream three times on stepping stones. The hike is fairly level until the last hundred yards, which climb to a boulder just below the waterfall. You can relax in the spray before walking to an overlook just above the falls.
\ Barneys Wall at the upper end of Cascades, Giles County: The 4-mile Cascades loop is the most popular area trail, but few venture a 1 1/2 miles beyond for the panoramic view from Barneys Wall. This sheer bluff rises 1,200 feet out of the Little Stony Creek bottom to an elevation of 3,640.
To get to Cascades, take U.S. 460 west 17.5 miles from Blacksburg to Pembroke. Turn right onto Virginia 623 at the sign pointing to the Cascades Recreation Area. Drive four miles north to the parking lot at the end of the road.
You can take the steep, rocky trail along the creek bottom or the old logging road up to the falls. From there go left on an unmarked trail to Butt Mountain fire tower. This trail goes north for about a half-mile, then curves west a half-mile to the Barneys Wall spur.
\ Wildwood Park, Radford: Located off Norwood Street behind Charter Federal, this is the ideal hike for the tenderfoot, the busy Radford student who just wants a short break or the serious birdwatcher.
This narrow gorge is home to finches, towhees, indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers and several woodpecker species. It also has a variety of wildflowers, including trillium, wild geranium, fire pinks, anemones, Solomon's seal and bloodroot.
Park in back of the bank, follow the path along Connellys Run and take any of the sidetrails either left up behind Tyler Inn or right behind the high school. Birds tend to congregate on the left; the flowers are everywhere.
by CNB