Virginia hiking trails are some of the best and most well known outdoor adventure resources in the country. Hiking in Virginia can be as easy or as challenging as you desire depending on your choice of Virginia hiking trails and terrain. You can plan a Virginia hiking vacation along the famous Appalachian trail and spend the entire summer exploring Appalachia, or you can take a day trip on one of the many Virginia hiking trails and be back in time to enjoy supper.
Virginia hiking on the Appalachia trail is perhaps the most well-known of the Virginia hiking trails. Hike from Chester’s Gap to Harper’s Ferry or enjoy northern Virginia hiking on the AT for an easier Virginia hiking experience. Spring or fall is usually the best time to enjoy Virginia hiking trails on the Appalachia trail as winter can be bitterly cold and dangerous for unprepared hikers. You’ll be amazed at the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and giddy at the opportunity to explore abandoned dirt roads, fields, meadows and stream hollows. There are many resources for Northern Virginia hiking trails along the Appalachia trail, including a number of published travel guides available at local bookstores. The majority of Appalachia Virginia hiking trails are not intended for the elderly or out-of-shape, so be prepared before you hike and take plenty of water.
Another great place for hiking in Virginia is Whiteoak Canyon Falls. This Virginia falls hiking experience will take you through six sequentially numbered falls, starting from the Blue Ridge and ending down at the base of Whiteoak Canyon. You don’t have to hike all six falls if you’re not up to it, but choose a few for a lovely Virginia falls hiking excursion and enjoy the views of the Shenandoah Park. One hiker suggests hiking the trail from bottom upward so as not to get the hard part out of the way. This trail can be a tough one, so be prepared with appropriate hiking gear before taking on the Whiteoak Canyon Virginia falls hiking circuit.
Fraser Preserve, located in Fairfax county, is also a great place to experience Virginia hiking trails. This Virginia hiking experience encompasses a 220-acre tract of mature woodlands and floodplain some 14 miles northwest of Washington DC. A single-lane paved road links the Preserve’s gated entrance to a cleared area containing the camp’s lodge and a caretaker’s cottage. While enjoying the Fraser Preserve Virginia hiking trails you’re apt to see about 110 species of birds, including the bald eagle, and 300 varieties of wildflowers. The Preserve hosts about 2.25 miles of walking trails within the preserve, making it an ideal choice for a Virginia hiking day trip.
No matter where you choose to go to experience hiking in Virginia, whether it be Virginia falls hiking, Northern Virginia hiking, or Appalachian Trail hiking, you’ll want to bring along plenty of water, a map, compass, and dress in layers for changing weather conditions. Also please be sure to notify your hotel or lodging of your hiking plans and make sure you’re physically up to the challenge of Virginia hiking trails. You may also want to bring the camera along, as Virginia hiking allows visitors the opportunity to experience a part of Virginia that many never get to see: the splendor of its wild and natural beauty.
