Retire VA 24 - 18

Golden
Trails
WRITTEN &
PHOTOGRAPHED
BY DAN SMITH
Regardless of your
physical or mental
condition, there are
likely trails that will
fit your needs in this
corner of the world.
P
eople live in the Roanoke
Valley for many different
reasons, primary among
them the glorious scenery
and abundant opportunity
to walk through it and smell the mountain
laurel.
Says Diana Christopulos, a leader in
the Appalachian Trail Club, " You can hike
a different trail every weekend for a year
within 90 minutes of Roanoke and make
it as hard or easy as you like. Green Hill
Park's Paw Paw Trail is one of the easiest
and most beautiful in the region. Always
great, but best in May when you will see
not only the Roanoke River but lots of
trillium and mayapples in bloom. "
The Appalachian Trail, with its worldfamous
Triple Crown in the Roanoke
Valley (McAfee Knob, Dragon's Tooth and
Tinker Cliffs, all difficult hikes), stands
out, but it is hardly alone, either as a
trail system or as a source of splendid
exercise for those in the Social Security
18 Retire-VA.com / RETIRE-VA 2025
crowd. The Blue Ridge Parkway offers
a number of hiking trails, including the
popular Sharp Top.
Opportunities range from relatively
flat and easily accessed greenways (and
blueways, if water is your preference) in
the Roanoke Valley to tough and easy
climbs with waterfalls as the payoff.
There are a number of access points to
Top: Stiles Falls at Camp Alta Mons
Bottom: Sharp Top
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Retire VA 24

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