We were pleased to show this hike to Dan Dennison of Roanoke’s WDBJ7 TV station, who carried a seriously heavy camera and tripod up and down the eight-mile trek, gathering footage for a coming Trail Story feature.
Dennison, who came to Channel 7 in June as news director, has a love of and long background in hiking that includes having conquered all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. So the little 1,000-or-so feet of altitude gain shouldn’t have been too bad for him. But then lugging all that camera equipment . . .
On this cool, threatening day, there were fewer people on the Cascades Trail than most any time we’ve been there, though there was a little cluster of eight or 10 – mostly in Hokie gear – at the falls itself.
Beyond the falls and on up to Barney’s Wall, we had the trail to ourselves, as is often the case.
Lunch on the precipice was nearly cold – mid 40s, I’d guess – but good-tasting and with good company. The view toward West Virginia was fairly sharp, except for that area of rain shower there to the south and appearing to head in our direction.
This walk is as good an example as any of our favorite pattern… walk up for lunch and then all down or level on the way back.
The first rain of the day began just as we reached the cars.
Cascades Trail and Nature Conservancy Trail to Barney’s Wall and back. 8 miles
How to get there: U.S. 460 west of Blacksburg to Pembroke and the right turn up to the parking lot.
