Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 1, 1993 TAG: 9308030313
SECTION: DISCOVER PAGE: D-95 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BILL COCHRAN OUTDOORS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
There are ridges for hiking, hunting and skiing; streams for catching fish and canoeing; lakes for water sports; byways for biking and ranges for shooting.
Here's a look at some of the outdoor attractions, as well as the organizations designed to help you enjoy them (camping is covered elsewhere):
\ Hiking
The Appalachian Trail, that most famous footpath in the country, traverses the northern end of the Roanoke Valley on its 2,000-mile Maine-to-Georgia journey. It offers quick access to everything from an easy afternoon hike to journeys that can last for months.
One 28-mile stretch through Roanoke and Botetourt counties contains Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob, Tinker Cliffs and Hay Rock, all major attractions of this national scenic trail.
A favorite jumping-off-spot is atop Catawba Mountain, where you can leave your vehicle in a National Park parking lot along Virginia 311 north of Roanoke and hike north on the trail about 3 1/2 miles to scenic McAfee Knob. This area gets heavy use, so don't expect to have it to yourself, except maybe on a winter, mid-week day.
Most hikers return to the parking lot, but for the strong and experienced there is the opportunity to continue north, for a total of 20 miles, and reach U.S. 220 at Daleville.
Also extremely popular with Appalachian Trail hikers is Dragon's Tooth, a prominent stone monolith towering skyward on Cove Mountain. It can be reached following a 2 1/2-mile hike from a parking lot on the left side of Virginia 311 about 2 1/2 miles north of Catawba. The round-trip, 5-mile hike begins on a blue-blazed Jefferson National Forest side trail, then meets the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail, where you turn right to reach the tooth.
Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club sponsors hikes nearly every week throughout the year. The schedule is listed in this newspaper's Outdoors You Go on the Monday Outdoor Page and The Calendar in the Friday editions of the Extra section. Guests are welcome and are asked to share a modest fee for car pooling.
The club welcomes new members, especially those willing to lend a hand in trail projects. Its president is Hal Cantrill, 387-2347.
A detailed map of the trail is available from the Jefferson National Forest headquarters in the Poff Federal Building, 210 Franklin Road S.W. The cost is $5. Ask for the Glenwood-New Castle District map of the AT.
In addition to the highly touted AT, there are numerous other trails, some close by and others affording hikers a chance to escape the crowds. Most are in the Jefferson and George Washington national forests.
Maps are available at the Jefferson headquarters.
Passing through the Roanoke Valley is the Blue Ridge Parkway, a better than 450-mile stretch of scenic highway connecting the Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. There are a number of trails along the way, including a scenic climb to Sharp Top and a steep descent to Apple Orchard Falls, both in the Peaks of Otter area.
These trails, and others, are highlighted in a book, "Walking the Blue Ridge" by Roanoker Leonard Adkins. One of Adkins' favorites is Chestnut Ridge Trail, on Roanoke Mountain not far from the Mill Mountain Star. His trail guide is sold in local book stores.
Information on Blue Ridge Parkway hiking and other activities also is available from a ranger station just north of Vinton at milepost 112, phone 982-6213, or at the Peaks south of Roanoke.
\ Fishing
Urban trout fishing is available in the Roanoke River, Tinker Creek and Glade Creek, which are stocked by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries March through May and again in the fall. The trout season opens the third Saturday in March and continues through Feb. 1
Other nearby stocked streams popular with fishermen include Jennings Creek in Botetourt County, Potts Creek in Craig County, Little River in Floyd County, South Fork of Roanoke River in Montgomery County and Smith River in Henry County.
A portion of the Smith from Towne Creek downstream for three miles to Bassett is highly attractive to fly anglers as is the Jackson River below Gathright Dam north of Covington. Both are open all year. The Smith is restricted to artificial lures only and all trout caught in the Jackson must be released alive. Care should be taken not to get on private property on the Jackson.
Nearby warm water streams and lakes provide fishing for species like black bass, sunfish and striped bass. Smith Mountain Lake is the state's top spot to land a trophy striped bass, with catches above 30 pounds a reality. The lake also holds smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, walleye and an occasional muskie.
The James River, to the east of Roanoke, and the New River, to the west, are ideal for smallmouth bass and provide the best opportunity in the state for catching a muskie. The rivers accommodate canoes and johnboats nicely for float fishing opportunities.
Fishermen ages 16 through 64 must have a $13 state fishing license, valid Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. When you fish a stocked trout stream, you also must have a $7.50 trout license. On national forest streams, a $4 national forest stamp is required of fishermen ages 16 through 64. Older fishermen must have a $2 annual fishing license.
\ Biking
The Roanoke Valley offers numerous opportunities for biking, including organized rides most weekends by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club. The ride schedule and the leader's phone number is listed on the Sunday Outdoor Page of this newspaper under Outdoors You Go and in The Calendar of the Extra Section.
Participants must wear a bicycle helmet. Minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. A club contact is Mike Deardorff, 981-2942 or 562-2740.
Wiley Drive, from Wasena Park to near Roanoke Memorial Hospital, provides a flat, two-mile elementary ride on Roanoke's only marked bike trail. It is shared with auto traffic under a reduced speed limit.
Salem has a 17-mile bikeway along city streets that connect several parks. It is shared with traffic and is hilly in spots.
The Catawba Valley area, from Daleville to Blacksburg, is a favorite biking route, as is Bradshaw Road in Roanoke and Montgomery counties and the Troutville area of Botetourt County. The Catawba trip is part of the Oregon to Virginia Bike Centennial Trail.
The nearby Jefferson National Forest has trails and roads to challenge the growing interest in Mountain Biking.
\ Hunting
Both the Jefferson and George Washington national forests afford excellent deer and turkey hunting, along with decent action for species like grouse, squirrel and bear.
Maps are available for a modest fee from the Jefferson headquarters in the Poff Federal Building.
Still another public hunting spot is the Haven Wildlife Management Area in Roanoke County. This mountainous, mostly walk-in terrain is reached along Bradshaw Road and off Wildwood Road [Virginia 619]. It is managed by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
A hunting license is required of everyone seeking game in Virginia, with the exception of landowners and family members hunting on their own property. A resident license costs $13 annually.
Youngsters can purchase a hunting license for $9. Hunters age 12 to 15 must complete a safety course before they can purchase a license. Those under 12 must be accompanied by a licensed adult.
Information on safety course and other hunting subjects is available from a field office of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 209 E. Cleveland Ave., 857-7704.
Hunters seeking deer, bear and turkey must have a $13 big-game license in addition to their regular license. Bow and muzzle loading licenses costs $13 apiece. Hunters on national forest property must purchase a $4 national forest stamp.
Hunting licenses are valid July 1 through June 30. Like fishing licenses, they may be purchased at most county clerk offices and at numerous tackle and gun shops in the area. Digests of hunting and fishing laws are available from license agents or they may be ordered from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, P.O. Box 11104, Richmond 23230.
Boating
The area's major boating attraction is 20,000-acre Smith Mountain Lake, which offers opportunities for powerboating, sailing, water skiing and personal watercraft.
The lake's 500 miles of shoreline contain numerous full-service marinas, where boat sales, repairs, mooring, launching, fuel and rentals are available.
In addition to the marina facilities, there are several state launching ramps on the lake. The nearest to the Roanoke Valley is at Hardy, reached by traveling east from Vinton on Virginia 636.
The open-water areas of the lower section of the lake provide the best opportunities for sailing. There are two major sailing clubs, the Virginia Inland Sailing Association [VISA], with facilities on the lower Roanoke River arm of the impoundment, and Blackwater Yacht Racing Association [BYRA], which operates out of the the Pelican Point Yacht Club. Both organizations have a racing schedule Ray Ferree of Salem is the commodore of VISA, 387-5005. The BYRA commodore is Bill Cox of Ridgeway, 703-956-2741.
The Smith Mountain Lake Water Ski Club promotes family and competitive skiing. The organization has a slalom course and ski jump for its members. A contacts is Dave Maitlan, 703-721-8464.
Water sport activities also are available at Claytor Lake, in Pulaski County; Philpott Reservoir, near Bassett and Moomaw Lake, northeast of Covington.
In addition to their fishing opportunities, the James and New rivers provide excellent canoeing. There are numerous public launching sites listed in a tabloid titled "Virginia Boating Guide free from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, P.O. Box 11104, Richmond 23230. Information on the next state boating safety course is available from the Safety Council of Southwest Virginia in Roanoke, 344-4676.
Canoe rentals and shuttles are provided on the upper James by the James River Basin Canoe Livery in Lexington. The livery is on U.S. 60, about seven miles west of the Blue Ridge Parkway and 1.5 miles east of I-81 Exit 51. The phone number is 703-261-7334.
On the New River, canoes can be rented and shuttles are available from New River Canoe Livery in Pembroke, 703-626-7189.
The Roanoke Valley Chapter of Float Fishermen of Virginia provides a format for people intereted in canoeing and conservation. Bob Leonard, of Roanoke, is the state president, 344-7188.
Shooting
The largest private shooting organization is the Roanoke Rifle and Revolver Club, which has range facilities and a clubhouse in Franklin County east of Roanoke (cross Windy Gap Mountain on Virginia 116, then left on 678, go one mile and turn left on gravel road across from white church).
Established in 1934, the club sponsors matches for rifles, shotguns and handguns which are open to guest shooters. These are listed in Outdoors You Go on the Monday Outdoor Page. A good way to view club facilities and meet members is to show up for a match. The organization's mailing address is P.O. Box 8252, Roanoke 24014.
The Sherwood Archers club maintains target facilities and competitive events for archers and bowhunters on club property in the Hanging Rock area. The facilities include three outdoor ranges and an indoor range. A contact is Steve Smith, 345-4945.
Snow sports
Less than a four-hour drive from Roanoke are a dozen skiing resorts. The most popular include Snowshoe-Silver Creek, near Marlinton, W.Va.; Wintergreen, near Waynesboro; The Homestead at Hot Springs and Winterplace Ski Resort in Flat Top, W. Va.
The Roanoke Ski Club caters to the interests of skiers in the valley, with meetings, socials and organizes trips. The president is Tom Gibson, 366-1114.
Sportsmen who are interested in snowmobiling, either locally or northward trips, are invited to join the Virginia Snowmobile Association, P.O. Box 1444, Salem 24153. A club contact is Mac Grisso, 774-3869.
Bird watching
The Roanoke Valley Bird Watchers Club holds monthly meetings and sponsors events like the Christmas Bird Count, hawk watching on the Blue Ridge Parkway and a bluebird house project.
A contact is Peggy Spiegel, owner of For the Birds on the City Market, 345-9393.
by CNB