appalachian trail

Mt. Rogers is worth the hike. NPS was ahead of us making sure branches were not blocking the trail. You can see several states near the top.

The terrain is smooth for walking or biking. I would recommend this trail for anyone who wants to reconnect with nature.

No matter when you go, the trail is amazingly beautiful...great for all ages.....it comes and goes through little towns and people are always friendly...you can walk, ride a bicycle, a horse, or fish along the river....every experience is nature at her best. I grew up near the trail and miss her dearly.

What can you say about the AT! Get bitten by the hiking bug & this is a must do. Would love to through hike, but sectioning is better than nothing! This section in Virginia is very nice

It was the AT, what more does one need to know. The area around Grayson Highlands is one of the best on the trail!

Anyone that loves hiking on the East coast must hike on a part of the AT. This part is a magnificent part of the trail. I have traveled on several sections from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Mass.and West Virginia. Spring here is so colorful with all the blooming plants. Fall has magnificent colors. Grab your hiking stick.

If you're a hiker, nothing beats the AT. The solitude, cleanliness and condition of the trail cannot be beat. I love the section through Grayson Highlands, but then there's Burke's Garden and Roan Mountain in NC. Around the first week in May the stretch from White Top Mt. to Mt. Rogers is fabulous for wild flowers. Also, during the months of April and May, many thru hikers are passing through NC and VA. Talking to them adds even more to the experience. I'm a day hiker within 45 minutes of the trail, and it is a joy in my life.

If you're in the area of Damascus and the Mt. Rogers National Recreational Area, don't miss the wild ponies that roam freely at Grayson Highlands State Park. Part of the Appalachian Trail, the hiking trails and beauty of the park are well worth the trip, even if the ponies are not in view.

Various sections are accessible from cross roads. Laurel Fork trail leads to a wonderful waterfall. Cross Mountain/Route 91 crossing takes you to Nick the Hermit's monument or over across Osborne Fields

Parked at Mt. Rogers Outfitters, nice shuttle to our desired start point off 421. Hiked 15 miles into Damascus. Perfect weather in May and all the vegetation was lush and green, with wildflowers lining the trail the whole way. Water source around the four-mile mark and camped at a great, large site with water about two miles from Damascus. Got to talk to some interesting through-hikers and got a pretty good brunch at the Blue Blaze Cafe in town.

Trail Days happens in May. The celebration is timed to happen when the through-hikers (who started from Georgia) arrive in Damascus. I took a few days off and started my hike to Damascus from Wautauga Lake in Hampton, TN. Hiked about 10 miles a day. Great way to meet a diverse group of hikers. What a festival that was! I highly recommend showing up in Damascus for trail days. It's a party. It's a convention. It's an education. I also recommend that Wautauga to Damascus hike for a great introduction to what it's like, the camping, the hiking, the views.

The Appalachian Trail runs for many miles and requires quite a bit of time to complete. The trail can, however, be easily broken into segments which are quite manageable. Hiking this trail will provide life-long memories of beautiful scenery and wildlife. Gives you something to brag abut having done as well.

Any hiker or person who loves the outdoors would love it! Lots of beautiful scenery and wide-open vistas!

On May 19, 2012 I joined three friends with whom I regularly hike here in Southeast Wisconsin on a trip to Virginia to hike segments of the A.T. We returned yesterday, May 23. This adventure was run by Gene Van Galder of GVG Tours (gvangalder@yahoo.com). None of us had ever hked any part of the A.T. and we were glad to have the chance to do this. We are in our 60's and 70's and in good physical condition. The trip included transport by van to Wytheville, Va. which was to be our base for the trip. There we were joined by 8 other people who had chosen to drive themselves down to Wytheville from Ohio and Wisconsin to hike with the group. The cost of the trip including transport, hotel and most meals was about $1000 for a person in a single room and about $750 for people who doubled up in a room. We were joined in Virginia by Gene's brother Kurt who has hiked the entire A.T. twice. Gene has hiked all but 200 miles of the A.T. Prior to leaving for the trip we were given an informational meeting at Gene's house in So. Beloit, WI and provided with a detailed itinerary and list of items to bring. The three hikes we took included a segment of the trail near the Grayson Highlands where we hked rocky terrain mostly found out west. This was the most challenging hike in my opinion and was about 10 miles. We learned how to follow the white blazes that mark the trail and how easy it might be to get lost in some areas if you are not vigilent. The next day wehiked up to McAfees Knob, about 7-1/2 miles up and down. The vistas at the top (about 3200 feet) are amazing and were a highlight of the trip. Another highlight was meeting and interacting with the through hikers, heading north on the way to Maine, hiking the entire trail. Many of them were glad to stop and talk to us about their motivations for hiking the A.T., their triumphs and difficulties encountered as they made their way. Some were glad to receive handouts of candy bars and trail mix that we were not going to need for ourselves. The third day of hiking was supposed to be close to 15 miles along a fairly flat and clear trail starting from the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Ranger Station. Because of impending weather issues, we hiked as far as the Holston River (about 8 miles) and did not go further. This was the first time Gene had led this hike and I was glad to have been one of the participants. For me it fulfilled a dream of hiking on the trail. I would have liked to try to hike the whole thing when I was younger (I'm 74) but unfortunately I had what I then felt were higher priorities. My fellow hikers had their own reasons for taking this trip. I felt the trip was a good value and would recommend it to anyone with at least average hiking skills. I would not recommend it for people who have never hiked or who don't have the time or desire to get in shape for these hikes.

Great way to get out and see the mountains. If you go to Damascus you will find many people who are through hikers.