Find the top rated trails in Pulaski, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Southern Virginia's New River Trail is one of America's premier rail-trails and has been designated as an official National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. It is also a state...
The Roanoke River Greenway will one day span 25 miles between Roanoke and Salem along its namesake waterway. Currently, much of the paved pathway is already in place and runs through a wide variety of...
In the early 1900s, a train line nicknamed “the Huckleberry” was built to transport coal and provide mail and passenger service to Blacksburg. The line was also used by the Corps cadets at Virginia...
The Mill Mountain Greenway provides residents and visitors to Roanoke with a nice connection from the city's downtown to Mill Mountain Park. Within the park, you can explore numerous hiking trails,...
Lick Run Greenway begins in downtown Roanoke and heads north just over 4 miles to end between Huff Lane Park and Valley View Mall. Along the way, the paved pathway traverses two parks: Washington Park...
The Greenway Trail is a one-mile path of finely crushed limestone that is located just outside of New Castle. The trail runs mostly on Craigs Creek Road (VA-615), but starts at a kiosk mimicing a...
Opened in 1999, the Hanging Rock Battlefield Trail in Salem (just outside of Roanoke) is associated with Southern Virginia's impressive Civil War history. The northern trailhead at Hanging Rock was...
In the early 1900s, a train line nicknamed “the Huckleberry” was built to transport coal and provide mail and passenger service to Blacksburg. The line was also used by the Corps cadets at Virginia...
The Potts Valley Rail Trail is built upon an abandoned corridor of the Norfolk and Western Branch rail line. Called the Potts Valley Branch, it operated between 1909 and 1932 and was built to haul...
The Mill Mountain Greenway provides residents and visitors to Roanoke with a nice connection from the city's downtown to Mill Mountain Park. Within the park, you can explore numerous hiking trails,...
The Greenway Trail is a one-mile path of finely crushed limestone that is located just outside of New Castle. The trail runs mostly on Craigs Creek Road (VA-615), but starts at a kiosk mimicing a...
Lick Run Greenway begins in downtown Roanoke and heads north just over 4 miles to end between Huff Lane Park and Valley View Mall. Along the way, the paved pathway traverses two parks: Washington Park...
The Roanoke River Greenway will one day span 25 miles between Roanoke and Salem along its namesake waterway. Currently, much of the paved pathway is already in place and runs through a wide variety of...
Southern Virginia's New River Trail is one of America's premier rail-trails and has been designated as an official National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. It is also a state...
Lick Run Greenway begins in downtown Roanoke and heads north just over 4 miles to end between Huff Lane Park and Valley View Mall. Along the way, the paved pathway traverses two parks: Washington Park...
The Potts Valley Rail Trail is built upon an abandoned corridor of the Norfolk and Western Branch rail line. Called the Potts Valley Branch, it operated between 1909 and 1932 and was built to haul...
In the early 1900s, a train line nicknamed “the Huckleberry” was built to transport coal and provide mail and passenger service to Blacksburg. The line was also used by the Corps cadets at Virginia...
The Mill Mountain Greenway provides residents and visitors to Roanoke with a nice connection from the city's downtown to Mill Mountain Park. Within the park, you can explore numerous hiking trails,...
Opened in 1999, the Hanging Rock Battlefield Trail in Salem (just outside of Roanoke) is associated with Southern Virginia's impressive Civil War history. The northern trailhead at Hanging Rock was...
The Roanoke River Greenway will one day span 25 miles between Roanoke and Salem along its namesake waterway. Currently, much of the paved pathway is already in place and runs through a wide variety of...
Southern Virginia's New River Trail is one of America's premier rail-trails and has been designated as an official National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. It is also a state...
The Greenway Trail is a one-mile path of finely crushed limestone that is located just outside of New Castle. The trail runs mostly on Craigs Creek Road (VA-615), but starts at a kiosk mimicing a...
We chose this ride after reading about it on the Traillink website and decided to make it into a Galax mini-vacation. We stayed in a cabin at Fiddler's Roost, a wonderful retreat about 15 minutes from the Galax trailhead. Had BBQ at the Smokehouse on Main St., picked up sandwiches for our ride from Macado's, and played Trivia at Creek Bottom Brewery. Met lots of friendly people on the trail and in town. Oh, and the ride was great.
57.7 miles of beauty, much of it shaded. Stayed at the cabins in Galax - great choice!
On the evening of our arrival, we did the Fries spur. Then divided the rest of the trail over 2 days. Best and cheapest shuttle service was found at the state park in the middle.
I have ridden this trail at least 10 times. It is beautiful and well maintained. It and the GAP in Pennsylvania are my favorites.
I rode from Galax to Pulaski in early October 2016. The trail conditions were great for most of the route. The only exception being a couple areas that were moderately rough due to higher horse traffic. My bike is a Surly Disc Trucker with 47mm tires, though I think most would be fine with narrower. I'd like to thank the woman who gave me half a sandwich on the trail. I'd thought there was a place to get something to eat at Foster Falls, but it turned out to be closed on that Monday. Despite not giving this trail 5 stars, I still highly recommend it and would have given it 5 if not for the horse damage. I was aware that horses were allowed on the trail before I went and some of the negative comments I'd read about horses seemed too negative. However, after witnessing the damage they cause, I now believe they shouldn't be on the trail.
Started my New River Trail ride on August 29th at 7:00. The ride was awesome following along the New River absolutely beautful scenery along the trail. The trail surface is made up of rock dust, dirt, and some gravel however it was extremely smooth. I rode a Giant Road Bike stocked up on bananns, trailmix, and a number of 20 0z bottles of water. It was one of the most enjoyable trail rides I have ever riden. The trail crosses over the New River. The trail was was flat mostly just a stead spin of the peddles. This time on the ride was bragging right to say i rode the trail so proud after the ride going into one of the stores to buy a New River Trails Hat and a 57.7 mile sticker that I placed on my rear glass of my pickup. If you are looking for a great ride the New River Trail is one you should consider. Next time I will take my time and enjoy the beautiful scenery that God has given us to enjoy.
This is a very nice trail. Well maintained, great views, good mix of terrain. Thanks Virginia.
Fine gravel trail suitable for MTBs or Gravel/Cyclocross bikes.
Beutiful scenery, with views of the New River, creeks, pastures, forest, cliffs, a few cabins, farms or homes.
Mostly wooded but some open sun light areas.
Two tunnels. Bring a light or ride slowly!
Nice long bridges high above the water.
Wildlife; deer, squirrels, birds, snakes, turles, etc.
The Ranger station at Foster Falls (near Interstate 77) has water and nice restrooms. There is little to no drinking water available anywhere else but there are some restrooms and sheltered benches along the trail.
I've been here four times and my most recent ride was awesome. I went on a Wednesday. I counted 12 people in 45 miles. I was able to maintain a 16 mph pace with the light traffic. The weather was perfect with some T-Storms brewing nearby. I had a tree fall over a section that I returned to 30 minutes later but I never felt any rain or wind. The scenery around the little town of Draper is stunning. One of my favorite long trails. Highly recommened!
I have read the previous two years' reviews and then used Google earth to select many sections of the NRT to bike this year. I have several observations. First, if you want the feel of a wide river valley with vistas of the mountains and not much development, in my opinion, the Fries to Byllesby Dam section is the best. Second, if you like trails with the long green tunnel feel, bike the Draper to Hiwassee, Austinville to Ivanhoe or Cliffview to Gambetta sections. Third, the trail sections either side of Ivanhoe where the horses predominate, has less to offer than other sections and highway access from anywhere to that trailhead via VA 94 is long. Finally, the Virginia Creeper Trail, even with crowds, is the Crown Jewel of all the Rails to Trails in Virginia.
Just returned from a two day round trip bike ride on the NRT. Scenery was magnificent, most of the surface is in excellent shape, but you have to watch out for the horse poop and rocks and branches. Drove from Wash DC Sunday to Dublin, VA and began trip Monday morning from Dora's Junction. Encountered several maintenance crews and grass cutting crews on Monday, but none on Tuesday. Only saw a handful of trail users until about 5 miles from Galax. Stayed at the Doctor's Inn - highly recommend it. There are only one or two water fountains the entire trip, but there is a water pump at Foster Falls that I dunked my head under. It rained on the return to Pulaski from mile marker 9 to 5. Suggest you keep a towel in the car. I had to drive home in my socks
Just rode a total of 70 miles on the New River Trail around Foster Falls, Fries, and Galax. I was very impressed! Lovely views of the river, nice park staff, friendly horse riders and bikers, and great campgrounds. The trail I rode was bumpy at times but overall in good condition. It is relatively flat throughout with barely noticeable up/down grades. It was more than I expected and I will surely go back. One of the nicest features were the frequent stops with covered picnic tables (to escape summer storms).
PULASKI TO THE HIAWASSEE TRESTLE BRIDGE - 27 MILES ROUNDTRIP - This looked like a good trail on the map. It is slightly downhill all the way to the bridge. O.K. if you do hills, but we do mostly flat rails to trails so it was a little effort going back to the town. Nice ride thru woods - mostly shade. Only the last three miles were along the river. There aren't many restaurants on the rest of the New River trail so this ride has the advantage of the lovely Mercantile restaurant in Draper. Good food. We biked on a Fri. in June and were were surprised that were so few people. Pulaski has a free parking lot next to the train station that is for bikers. We learned a lot about the area at the excellent museum which is right across the street from the train station. trail in very good condition - no problems.
GALAX TO BUCK DAM - A lovely ride that is mostly along the water. The river is particularly pretty in this area. Mostly flat - slightly downhill until the dam. Well kept trail. We went on Sat. in June and were surprised that there were so few people. Nice little deli restaurant on the river two miles outside of Galax. Good sandwiches. Plenty of free parking in Galax.
We also did a ride starting at the Foster Falls State Park. We didn't mind the small parking fee. From here you can bike either direction and there is plenty of parking, restrooms and snacks. Park your bike at the bottom of the shot tower steps (with lock) and take the quick very interesting tour of the SHOT TOWER.
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