April 12: Tinker Creek Greenway from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove and back. 5 miles
Carvins Cove is a pretty spot when it’s at full pond, and on this warm day it was not only full of water but also full of people in kayaks and other boats, heading out from the boat area near the destination point of this hike from near Exit 146 of I-81. We ate lunch along the shoreline and took the easy walk back.
How to get there: Exit 146 of I-81 at Plantation Road
April 20: Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail. 5.4 miles
Another easy day at the hiking office, with a nice lunch complete with picnic table and a pleasant, near-to-home walk.
How to get there: Up the Mill Mountain Spur from Roanoke to Chestnut Ridge Overlook parking on the left.
April 26: Salt Pond Road, Appalachian Trail to Wilson Creek and back. 7.4 miles.
Well, there ought to be one semi-demanding hike during the month, and this AT section, not well-remembered by us, revealed quickly why our impressions were fuzzy: Because it goes down and up, down and up, down and up. And that last long up is a killer for a hike with no real mountains. The multiple stream crossings are good for the dog, and the last one–Wilson Creek .7 from the shelter of the same name, was our lunch spot.
On the way back, hiking south, we crossed a few sets of thru-hikers, most notably a young man from New York who looked like he just walked out of an Abercrombie ad. Â
How to get there: Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 101.5 (Curry Gap); small parking area ahead of gate blocking Salt Pond Road.
