Area Attractions Blue Ridge Parkway (800) 228-PARK The parkway follows the Appalachian Mountain chain for 355 miles. It's a beautiful drive any time of year, with scenic outlooks, historical sites, restaurants, and campgrounds. Call for more information. Open year round. Chateau Morrisette Winery & Restaurant (540) 593-2865 Black Dog Jazz Festivals, second Saturday of the month, June through October. $15.00 per person for wine tasting and jazz music from 12:00-5:00. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, 1-1/2 hours from Blacksburg. Claytor Lake State Park (540) 674-5492 Features a 4,500-acre lake created by Claytor Dam. Camping, swimming,   waterskiing, fishing, boating, and hiking are available. Located in Dublin, 30 miles from Blacksburg. New River Trail State Park (540) 699-6778 This recreational area is a 51-mile linear park offering a trail for bicycles, hikers, and horseback riders. Located near Austinville, the area is less than an hour from Blacksburg. Dixie Caverns (540) 380-2085 Explore the only caverns in southwest Virginia. Located directly on Route 460 in Salem, 30 miles from Blacksburg. Jefferson National Forest (540) 552-4641 A 690,000-acre forest with 950 miles of hiking trails. Features fishing, boating, and bird watching in 11 wilderness areas. Located ten miles from Blacksburg. Smithfield Plantation (540) 231-3947 An official Virginia Landmark and home of two Virginia governors, Smithfield Plantation was built in 1773 on what is now the Virginia Tech campus. Open for tours April through the first weekend in December, Thursday-Sunday, 1:00-5:00. Admission is $4.00 for adults and $1.50 for students. Cycling Huckleberry Trail (540) 552-4503 The Huckleberry Trail is a unique rails-to-trails project that brings recreational use to the site of an old railroad spur. The six-mile trail is open to bicyclists, walkers, strollers, joggers, and skaters during daylight hours. It starts at the Blacksburg Public Library and ends at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg. Camping Blue Ridge Parkway Claytor Lake State Park Dixie Caverns Jefferson National Forest White Pines Horse Camp White Rock Recreation Area (540) 921-5000, 552-4503, or 800-288-4061 Features a remote wooded campground with excellent opportunities for viewing wildlife. Forty-nine camp sites with central water fountains, garbage containers, and flush toilets. Open May 1 to October 1. Located off Route 613 in Giles County. Canoeing New River Canoe Livery (540) 626-7189 Enjoy the beautiful New River from a canoe or kayak. Day trips and packages available May through October. Located in Pembroke, 20 miles from Blacksburg. Call for rates and more information. Tangent Outfitters (540) 674-5202 Guided canoe trips as well as canoe, kayak, and inner tube rentals. Located in Bisset Park under the Memorial Bridge in Radford. Open weekends in June, every day in July and August. Located 15 miles from Blacksburg. Call for rates, reservations and more information. Golfing Auburn Hills Golf Course (540) 381-4995 An 18-hole course located in Riner, 13 miles from Blacksburg. Length: 6,534 yards; Course Rating: 71.9; PAR: 72 Open to the public Blacksburg Municipal Golf Course (540) 961-1137 A nine-hole course located at the end of Graves Avenue in Blacksburg. Length: 2,731 yards; Course Rating: 33.1; PAR: 35 Open to the public Draper Valley Golf Course (540) 980-4653 An 18-hole course located in Draper, 38 miles from Blacksburg. Length: 7,046 yards; Course Rating: 73.3; PAR: 72 Open to the public Virginia Tech Golf Course (540) 231-6435 An 18-hole course located in Blacksburg. Length: 6,448 yards; Course Rating: 69.7; PAR: 70. Open to the public, 9 am to 5 pm. Hiking The Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail is the nation's premier hiking trail. Stretching 2,155 miles from Georgia to Main, the trail passes within ten miles of the Virginia Tech campus. Many entry points to the trail can be found in the New River Valley. Check the web site or a local map for details. Cascades National Recreation Trail The Cascades waterfall, located about 20 miles from Blacksburg, is one of the New River Valley's favorite hiking destinations. The trail is a four-mile round-trip hike to the 66-foot waterfall, the highest in the area. Follow Route 460 West to Pembroke in Giles County. Turn right onto Route 623. Travel four miles to the Cascades parking lot. There is a $2.00 fee per vehicle. Dragon's Tooth Four miles round trip, this trail leads to a unique rock formation and wonderful views. Take Mount Tabor Road (Route 624) or Harding Ave. (Route 785) to Route 311. Turn left and look for the sign about a quarter-mile after the intersection of Mount Tabor Road and 311. Located 30 miles from Blacksburg. Macaffe Knob A seven-mile round-trip hike with breathtaking panoramic vistas. Take Mount Tabor Road (Route 624) 15 miles to Route 311, or take Harding Ave. (Route 785) to Route 311. Turn right and drive two miles to the Appalachian Trail Crossing at the top of the mountain. The trail head is across the road from the parking lot. Located 30 miles from Blacksburg. Mountain Lake Wilderness Area This 11,113-acre wilderness area contains the only natural lake (privately owned by the Mountain Lake Hotel) in western Virginia. Two popular hiking trails, the Warspur Overlook and Wind Rock, offer magnificent views. From Blacksburg, take Route 460 west to Route 700 and follow the signs. For Warspur, drive past Mountain Lake. After the road becomes gravel, follow the signs at the fork. Parking and trail head are on the left, two miles past the lake. Wind Rock is 3.8 miles beyond the trail head for Warspur. Parking is on the left and the trail head is on the right. Pandapas Pond An eight-acre manmade pond, Pandapas features fishing and canoeing and is popular with hikers, cyclists, and environmentalists. Located three miles west of Blacksburg in Montgomery County off Route 460 and Forest Service Road 808. Horseback Riding Claytor Lake State Park White Pines Horse Camp (540) 552-4641 Features numerous horseback riding trails, loading ramps for horses, hitching posts, a central corral, and camping. Open all year. No fee. Located off Route 201 in Giles County, 40 miles from Blacksburg. Swimming Most local apartment complexes and neighborhoods have outdoor pools. Many offer summer memberships or day passes to non-residents. Call around for information. Virginia Tech Swimming Pool (540) 231-6916 Located in War Memorial Gym, open to students, faculty, and staff. Call for more information or visit http://www.recsports.vt.edu Blacksburg Aquatic Center (540) 961-1852 Indoor recreational swimming, hot tub, sauna, and water aerobics classes are available. Call for more information or visit http://www.blacksburg.va.us/parksrec/aquatic.html Frog Pond (540) 382-6975 Outdoor recreational swimming, open May through Sept., 11:00-6:00 daily during the summer. Call for more information. Tennis Virginia Tech Tennis Courts (540) 231-5908 Twenty-two courts located beside Cassell Coliseum. Call 231-5908 for more information. Virginia Tech Pavilion and Field House (540) 231-5908 Six outdoor courts and six indoor courts. Open to the public. Blacksburg Parks and Recreation (540) 961-1135 Six courts located behind the ball field between Turner St. and Patrick Henry Dr. at the City Park. Tubing New River Junction (540) 639-6633 Rent tubes and spend a lazy day floating down the New River. Prices are $4.00 for tube rental during the week, $5.00 on the weekend. $1.00 parking fee. Shuttle provided back to Junction. May through September. 15 miles from Blacksburg.

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