Our Associate Art Director Caroline loves spending her free time outside in the fresh air. Her first post with the Blue Ridge Country blog discusses a trail that hiking enthusiasts might like to check out!
I’m something on a weekend warrior, of the most fierce, competitive kind. I spend my weeks logging long hours behind the computer and then run off to the gym to unwind and exercise. But when I have more time on the weekends I’ll be found hiking around the Blue Ridge region.
For my inaugural Blue Ridge Country hiking post I take you to the Chestnut Ridge Loop trail on Roanoke Mountain, just past the Roanoke Mountain Campground on/near the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a easy to moderate 5.4 mile loop and with intersecting trails to shorten the trails.
I am training for a trail 10K and decided to run the Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail a few Sundays ago. Most of the time the trail is wide and even, but in places it gains elevation and snakes up the mountain side. I found that portion of the trail the most entertaining, especially when I popped up behind 3 friendly and deceivingly fast pugs.
Most of the trail is accessible by horse, which could be another fun way to enjoy the trail. I spent a lot of time dodging fresh indicators that I was not far behind a trail ride.
As I ran I stopped and patted dogs, said hello to friendly passer-bys and noted to myself that everyone out that day had superior trail etiquette. Walkers stopped an allowed me to pass when I was on an up hill climb, dog owners quickly corralled enthusiastic runners, and everyone had a kind word. It’s this kind of experience that happily keeps me chugging a long and searching for new trails each weekend.
RoanokeOutside.com has some great additional information on finding and using the Chestnut Ridge Loop. http://www.roanokeoutside.com/chestnut-ridge-trail
