3 Best Hiking Trails in Roanoke, VA

“Mill Mountain Park is a beloved destination that offers a scenic environment for locals and tourists. The park covers an area of 568 acres, and the mountain trail is 1.55 miles in length. The regional park is also occasionally reserved for private events, including parties and weddings. The park features a beautiful wildflower garden, interactive educational exhibits, and live creatures. This park has many multi-use trails, including excellent mountain biking, hiking, and trail running. Hikers can use all of the trails. Mountain bikers are welcome to ride on all of the trails.”

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“Explore Park is a 1,100-acre (450 ha) passive recreation facility operated by the Roanoke County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Explore Park features hundreds of acres of rolling hills, pristine woodlands, hiking trails, riverfrontage, outdoor adventure, and a visitor information center. Nature lovers can hike or bike along 14 miles of trails to enjoy wildlife and scenic beauty at this park. The park contains a Treetop Quest aerial adventure course featuring zip lines and challenges obstacles for ages four and up. Visit the visitor center to browse their gift shop, which features artisan crafts and parkway memorabilia. The outdoor areas are open year-round for your outdoor fun.”

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“Read Mountain Preserve is a passive recreation area that includes a 5-mile trail system with moderate to strenuous difficulty levels. The park's main feature is a 2-mile trail to Red Mountain's summit, Buzzards Rock. The view from the top is one of the best in the Roanoke Region and is an excellent spot for a hike and picnic. Conservation easements preserve the park with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy. Most of the land, 243 acres, is covered in dense forest. Visitors can enjoy the natural environment for generations to come, and there are also parking facilities and picnic tables.”

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