23 Hikes Near Roanoke: The Ultimate List

Apple Orchard Falls makes the list of best hikes near Roanoke Va because it's a combination of a waterfall hike, a Blue Ridge Parkway getaway, and a stream-side nature trail, all of which Roanoke is well known for. 

Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve is located on Bent Mountain on your way to Floyd, Va. This preserve has a waterfall, a gorge, and 4.8 miles of scenic nature trail on the way to your destination...

Buffalo Mountain Trail is located 20 minutes outside of Floyd, Va in Willis. My favorite part was to be able to see Sharp Top Mountain from the summit of Buffalo Mountain trail about 65 miles away as the crow flies. It was a bit of on incline and snow was on the ground at the time so it was highly slippery and my shoes haven't fully dried to this day. Click here to see the entire hike in Under :59

Cascade Falls is one of the larger falls located near Roanoke. The trail also continues past the falls to get to Barney's Wall overlook.

Chestnut Ridge Trail is centrally located to Downtown Roanoke and is a great nature hike near Roanoke Mountain Picnic Area...

Devils Marbleyard is a one-of-a-kind rock crawl hike that's as dangerous as it is scenic located in the James River Face Wilderness.

Dragon's Tooth is the first of three sections on the Virginia's Triple Crown Loop and is an iconic overlook on the Appalachian Trail.

Fallingwater Cascades Trail is one of the lesser known waterfalls near Roanoke Va, in part I believe, because it is overshadowed by the incredible hikes near Peaks of Otter. This loop trail is well worth the drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Flat Top Mountain Virginia is the second of three hikes at Peaks of Otter. The trail is a little more on the difficult side but has a great view of Sharp Top Mountain at the summit.

Fulhardt Knob Trail has a great knob overlook right at the beginning of the trail and winds through mountains and forests to get to Fulhardt Knob. 

Hay Rock Hike is the best view of Carvins Cove Natural Reserve you can see without getting into a helicopter...

Harkening Hill Trail is the third summit of the Peaks of Otter including Sharp Top Trail and Flat Top Mountain Trail. Managed in part by the National Parks Service, Harkening Hill is an easy-to-moderate trail which showcases many balanced rocks and a memorable overlook at the top. Click here to see the entire loop trail in Under :59

Jack -O- Lantern Branch Trail is an easy 1.5mi loop trail at the Booker T Washington National Monument. This is one of the few hikes that has a closing time, open 10-4p Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Monday and Tuesdays. Please check their site here for any closing time updates before heading to the Monument. 

McAfee Knob Hike is a must-see if you're in the Roanoke region for any amount of time and easily one of the best hikes near Roanoke Va. 

Star Trail at Mill Mountain  is located in Roanoke, Va and reaches the summit at the Mill Mountain Star. Also known as the Roanoke Star Trail it is managed by Roanoke Parks and Recreation and is probably among the few of trails in North America that has a animal zoo at the summit. Click here to see the entire trailhead to summit in Under :59

Poor Mountain Trail is a great loop hike situated close to Bent Mountain. It has an incredible overlook and even a small waterfall at the base of the loop. 

Read Mountain Hike is often an overlooked when it comes to hikes around Roanoke. The trail to the peak has several spur trails and even talks of an expansion...

Roaring Run Loop Trail and Roaring Run Falls is located in Eagle Rock, Va and managed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.  Roaring Run Falls reminds of a smaller scale Cascade Falls Va and has day use facilities such as a picnic area and walking trails leading to Roaring Run Falls. Click here to see the entire loop trail in Under :59

Rock Castle Gorge Hike is a one-of-a-kind hike located near Floyd, Va. One of the many Rocky Knob Hiking Trails operated by the National Park Service, Rock Castle Gorge Hike is a 11.2 mile loop hike that starts at the Blue Ridge Parkway, descends into the canyon and returns to the top. Click for more information about Backcountry Camping.  

Sharp Top Trail is one of the three famous Peaks of Otter Hikes including Harkening Hill & Flat Top Trail. Operated by the National Park Service, this hike is a beautiful 50 minute drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Downtown Roanoke. Click here to see the entire hike from trailhead to summit in Under :59

Tinker cliffs is the third of three sections on Virginia's Triple Crown Loop and has one of the better views of McAfee Knob.

Wind Rock Va is a package deal of a short hike and a great view located in the Mountain Lake Wilderness of Pembroke Virginia.

Virginia Triple Crown is the collection of Dragons Tooth, McAfee Knob & Tinker Cliffs hiked in sequence. It can be finished by either exiting out at US 220, the Tinker Cliffs parking lot, or looping back along down North Mountain back to Dragon's Tooth...