Parks and Trails Archive - Visit Patrick County

Trails of Rotary

Grace Cooper — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 16:07:38 +0000

This trial system is located at the Stuart Rotary Club. There are multiple short loops hikers can take. The Rotary Trails are open daily from dawn till dusk.

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Patrick Springs Park

Sarah Sheppard — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 19:00:42 +0000

Patrick Springs Park features a walking trail, ball fields, picnic shelters, playground, and community building. The picnic shelters and the community building are available for rent.

2 Ball Park Rd, Patrick Springs, VA 24133

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Pinnacles of Dan Trail

David Stanley — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:42:57 +0000

Permit required.

Pinnacles of Dan Trail is a 5.4 mile lightly trafficked out-and-back trail that features a waterfall and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best from April until November.

This is a difficult and potentially dangerous off-trail scramble that requires navigation skills. Do not attempt if you are looking for a regular hike.

This starts at the Dan River Hydro Facility where a permit must be obtained before going beyond the powerhouse. The trail follows the river upstream for about 1/2 mile where it forks. The right fork continues to follow the river while the left-hand fork starts heading almost straight up the mountainside.

Few switchbacks make this a very strenuous hike. Once you have gained the ridge, go right along the crest and continue to the top. Beautiful views of the peaked Pinnacles of Dan, the start of the Dan River, are a sweet reward for your efforts on this extreme hike.

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DeHart Botanical Gardens Trail

David Stanley — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:04:56 +0000

This 172 acre natural area is on the north side of a mountain range near Fred Clifton Park in Patrick County, VA. Although a private preserve, it is open to the public by permission as a day-use facility for hiking a 3-mile loop trail from the top of the ridge to a waterfall at the base of the mountain. Evidence of a pioneer mountain home is along the way. Hiking to the ridge-top provides a scenic view of Smith River Valley and the only complete view of Rocky Knob anywhere from US 58. About 400 species of flora and fauna have been cataloged. The entire loop is strenuous.

For permission and release forms please contact the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Ferrum College at 540-365-4370.

A tour may be arranged or for more information and images, go to website at: https://www.ferrum.edu/school-of-undergraduate-studies/projects/dehart-botanical-gardens/

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Round Meadow Trail

David Stanley — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:54:16 +0000

Take an easy 20-minute walk on the Round Meadow Creek loop trail at milepost 179.3 on the Blue Ridge Parkway and view the Round Meadow Overlook of the massive 20th-century parkway bridge. Take the right fork at the start of the trail to gradually descend into a hollow. Walkthrough a grove of giant white pines, see colorful flowers and patches of ferns and walk along a creek that is deep enough to wade in (and cool in the summer!). Continuing on the loop, you will pass under the bridge at the bottom of the trail, and then once again as you near the trail’s end at the top of the hill. This second pass under the bridge lends an amazing “underlook” of this engineering marvel. Short on time? Skip the walk and take the left fork at the beginning of the trail to quickly arrive at the overlook.

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Mountain Top Park

David Stanley — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:49:18 +0000

This community park features a baseball field, concession stand, restrooms, three different playgrounds, two tennis courts, a basketball court, horseshoe pitching area, picnic shelter, paved walking path, and one of the Trail H.A.N.D.S. sculptures.

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I.C. DeHart Park

David Stanley — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:36:02 +0000

The park has a picnic shelter, playground, two tennis courts, walking trail, baseball field, horseshoe pitching area, natural wetland wildlife area, Trail H.A.N.D.S sculpture, and mountain bike trails.

Park History

I.C. DeHart Memorial Park was named after local resident Isaac “Ike” Dehart. Before becoming a destination for hikers and mountain bike enthusiasts, the land was home to a grist mill and legal distillery. Over the course of his life, Isaac and his brother Joseph built a thriving business that took advantage of Virginia’s rich soil and ran a farm, raised cattle, operated a roller and grist mill, and ran a legal distillery that shipped corn and rye whiskey to markets throughout the state and beyond.

Like all good things, distilleries came to a close in the early part of the twentieth century when prohibition took over the state. The alcohol business gave way to other endeavors, and ultimately, Ike DeHart’s heirs donated the land that is now the park, to Patrick County.

Wetland Area

I.C. DeHart Memorial Park supports a beautiful reclaimed wetland site with a boardwalk and extensive interpretive information. Numerous signs in the area provide information about the insects, reptiles, birds and plants found in the wetland as well as documenting the history of its creation and ongoing community involvement in studying its ecology. The wetland serves as an obvious focus for the wildlife watcher to search the reeds for red-winged blackbirds in summer, swamp sparrows in winter and perhaps a common snipe during migration. The surrounding sports fields support open country species such as eastern bluebird and killdeer, while the bordering woodlands support chickadees, titmice and the occasional red-bellied and downy woodpeckers. Search the wetland in spring and summer for a variety of amphibians including red-spotted newt and perhaps a turtle or water snake. Dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies abound in the varied vegetation.

Mountain Bike Trails

The mountain bike trails at I.C. DeHart Park are a true piedmont style trail system. Almost entirely singletrack, this flowy trail system does have some great rock gardens, moderate climbs, and fun technical trail features scattered throughout the system. There are several signed loops rather than trail names, white loop, blue loop, etc. so be sure to check the map and know your bailout points if you are looking for a shorter ride! Otherwise, enjoy the scenery, remoteness, and fun of Woolwine!

Woolwine East Loop: 8 miles

Woolwine West Loop: 5 miles

The USA Cycling Mountain Bike Virginia State Championships, Bootlegger’s Blitz are held here annually.

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Stuart Dehart Park

Grace Cooper — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:27:27 +0000

This community park features a swimming pool for summertime recreational and competitive swimming, 3 ball fields, 2 tennis courts, a basketball court, walking & fitness trails, 3 picnic shelters, a Hospice Garden, and a playground.

Contact the Patrick County Recreation Department at (276)694-3917 or the swimming pool office at (276)694-3001 for private group reservations.

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Dan River Park

Grace Cooper — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:24:06 +0000

The Dan River Community Park offers a fully functional baseball diamond with a score board, lights, restrooms, and concessions. The park also features a tennis court, playground, horse shoe pits, a soccer field, paved walking path, and a pavilion filled with picnic tables for parties and reunions.

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Rock Castle Gorge National Recreation Trail

David Stanley — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:20:15 +0000

This 10.8 mile intensive loop hiking trail starts easy at the entrance to the Rocky Knob campground around milepost 167 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then the trail descends over three miles into the backcountry camping area in the bottom of the gorge. The strenuous and rugged nature of the trail reveals part of the reason this pathway was given National Recreational Trail status.

Also, in the springtime to early summer, nearly 200 varieties of wildflowers are visible along the trail area. The rest of the trail is a 7.3-mi ascent back out of the gorge on the return trail. You’ll see tunnels of rhododendron and other thick mountain foliage, a splashing stream, and high open meadows.

The elevations range from 1,700 to 3,572 ft. A few small historic structures are visible along the trail, including a Civilian Conservation Corps camp.

The lower, flat part of this trail is named Rock Castle Creek and includes it’s own parking lot.

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Fred Clifton Park

David Stanley — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:16:37 +0000

At an elevation of 2930 feet, Fred Clifton Park provides breathtaking views of the northern Blue Ridge Mountains and Valley of Patrick County. A beautiful, densely wooded area surrounds the picnic and parking areas. Lovers Leap Scenic Overlook is located adjacent to the park. Remember: Don’t feed the bears!

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Mayo River Rail Trail

Grace Cooper — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:14:15 +0000

The Mayo River Rail Trail is in downtown Stuart, VA, just off Commerce Street following the path of the Danville and Western Railway. This 1.8 mile trail is good for walking and bicycling. It has an asphalt smooth level surface. The trail also follows the Mayo River with an additional spur leading to the Blue Ridge Therapy Connection Landmark Assisted Living Center.

Parking lots on both ends of the trail, with handicap accessibility parking. It is great for families with children strollers and wheelchairs. The Mayo River is almost always in view.

Near the middle of the trail you will find one of the Trail H.A.N.D.S. sculptures, made by a local artist.

At the end of the trail you will find a kiosk with information about Bull Mountain and a telescope from which you can get a better view.

The Danville and Western Railway grew out of the Richmond and Danville RR. A narrow-gauge line was extended from Danville to Martinsville in 1882, then to Stuart in 1883, where there was a turntable to head the locomotive back to Danville. In addition to passenger service, the D&W served the wood products and agricultural businesses in Patrick County. This meant people could buy a ticket to Danville and beyond, and farmers, loggers, and sawmills in Patrick had a much wider market for their products. Sadly, roads and cars were the demises of passenger service. Later, the D&W freight business in Patrick dwindled, and the line from Martinsville was abandoned in 1942.

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