Mountains
Moderate
Hiking
(Part 1 of 2, read thru the end for a video) I’ve been to a number of colonial towns across the country where multi-story brick buildings and sidewalks, usually on a Main Street, are now used as working courthouses, law firms, historic theaters, coffee shops, and unique antique shops. Abingdon, Virginia seems no different on the surface but spend just a little time here and you’ll appreciate how it effortlessly blends its rich history, Appalachian hospitality, and access to outdoors adventures. It has a small thriving community supported by nearby colleges which we learned about as we noticed all the graduation celebrations. There’s an eclecticness to the town as you can tell by posters for “fiddler’s convention” and “dress like your dad party” advertised on storefronts. It was a 3 hour ride to get here from the nearest major airport in Charlotte NC, which passes by fairly quickly when you’re deeply engaged with your driver about everything from travel goals, blogging, to ghosts sightings (she had on the Queen Mary in my home state!). An hour from our destination we started weaving through the beautiful Blue Ridge Highlands. I could feel my excitement bubble especially when we entered single lane forest roads winding alongside a rushing stream. I could tell that our driver, a local Charlotteon, was also impressed by the scenery.
We pulled up to the quaint and elegant Black’s Fort Inn & BnB that has an adjacent barn with happily grazing horses. The owner Cindy was in the middle of mowing her well manicured lawn when she stopped to greet us with the warmest welcome. The moment you step inside her home you’re struck by the incredible view on the back patio that overlooks a small creek with roaming ducks and chickens. The soft humming of a small nearby waterfall that spilled into a pond immediately made you feel at peace. She baked double chocolate chocolate chip cookies which were still warm when we arrived and were happily devoured before I could think about taking a photo.
Given how perfect Cindy’s cookies were, we looked forward to her home-cooked breakfast and to getting to know her more in the morning. It was quite apparent how much she loves opening her beautiful home to visitors and getting to know everyone personally. You immediately feel her warmth and pride in her house that has been well kept through her family since the ‘40s — you can see portraits from prior generations on the walls which makes the stay feel more intimate. This is her childhood home and her animals are her fur babies. I was so excited to meet and pet the newest addition, a blonde month-old foal Samson, her super friendly barn cats, and her dog with boundless energy.
I could’ve happily spent more time but we needed to start what we were here for, the Virginia Creeper Trail. Just a few short steps and we were at the trailhead that displayed a real steam train from the N&W Railway, in use for ~50 years until it retired in the mid 1990's. The railway was converted into the Virginia Creeper Trail which the entirety is 33.4 miles and now used for biking, hiking, and horse-back riding. We biked the first ~17 miles from east to west on a gentle downhill, coasting into the neighboring town of Damascus – and wow were our minds blown away by the natural beauty and peace.
I learned a new old word: “trestle”. Per google, a “trestle” describes a structure held up by sloping legs and as a word was mostly used in the early 1900’s. In this context, all the bridges on the Creeper trail were wooden trestles over the different Holston Rivers. It’s so quiet, just the sounds of your pedaling on the crushed-stone trail, soft flowing water, and cardinals chirping in the distance. Occasionally we smelled the fresh cut grass as we passed by rolling green farmland including an alpaca farm near the beginning!
At the halfway point we got to a picturesque lunch spot at Alvarado Station (pronounced Al-va-ray-do) with swinging benches overlooking the South Fork Holston River. We were so heartbroken to learn that the winery across the river permanently shuttered just in the past week. Instead, we really took the moment to soak in the present and watched the gentle river and its happy creatures: turtles sunbathing on logs, momma ducks guiding her ducklings, and trout jumping on the surface.
It was clear we were entering the neighboring Damascus, Virginia as we started to see some rustic cabins tucked in the woods, hear the humming of nearby cars, and feel the general murmur of town life. Damascus greets you like a cozy front porch – relaxed, unpretentious, and deeply connected to the trail culture. It’s a hub for hikers, bikers, and outdoor lovers of all kinds.
My vision for this trip couldn’t have come alive if it weren’t for the incredible partnership with Adventure Damascus & Sundog Outfitters! Not only did they outfit us with solid bikes with cushier seats than mine at home, but happily supported my uniquely designed thru-bike/hike multi-day itinerary with seamless coordination including a smooth luggage handoff. It’s crystal clear how deeply connected and passionate this company, its family and employees are to these mountains and I am so grateful for this partnership. Stay tuned for Part 2 about hiking on the nearby Appalachian Trail and about Damascus.
If you want to experience this adventure, reach out to me at lily@selfguidedtrails.com. In the meantime, check out our video:
