Kurt Rheinheimer
Gail stays comfy in rain under the tarp at Carvins Cove, 9/11/22.
Our hikes from February through September included our 18th annual Valentine’s Day visit to Apple Orchard Falls; and several firsts, including Virginia’s Channels and a section of the Fiery Gizzard near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
But one easy, oft-done (three times over this time period) hike stood out: The trails at Carvins Cove offer countless loops, out-and-backs and more, and that easy favorite is from the Timberview parking area, by far the smallest and least-used of the three access points to the preserve. On a threatening September 11, ours was the only car in the lot as we started down the easy Horsepen Trail, armed with full rain gear and some trepidation from the Greatest Day Hiker Of Them All. But given the rains of the recent days, she soon found an interest to pull her away from the weather threat: innumerable and variously shaped and colored mushrooms, of which she collected some nifty photos. At the end of the Horsepen, the Lakeside Trail begins along what on this day was close to full pond and then ascends fairly gently along the flank of Brushy Mountain before descending again to parallel the shoreline. We reached out favorite point of land for lunch having experienced no rain, and began to set up the lunch furniture (Helinox!) at the edge of the water, at which time—as if on cue—light rain began to fall.
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April 29: A passerby offered to take this shot of us at one of our favorite lunch spots: On Tinker Cliffs overlooking the Catawba Valley.
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September 11: Old man crosses tiny stream on Lakeside Trail at Carvins Cove.
We don’t use it often, but we’ve become fairly adept at deploying our rain tarp, quicky retreating up the bank far enough to tie its corners to four convenient trees. We are usually leisurely with lunch, and this day—with the sound of variously intense rainfall safely above us—we sat in our chairs for the usual hour or so. And when we were done, again on cue, the rain stopped.
We walked back with The Day Hiker snapping shots of mushrooms she’d missed on the way, and with not a drop falling on us as we returned to the car.
- Feb 4: Star, Woodthrush, Ridgeline, Star loop on Mill Mountain. 5.2 miles
- Feb 12: Tinker Creek Greenway from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove and back. 4.8
Feb 14: Gail enjoys lunch on the overlook above Apple Orchard Falls on the 18th annual Valentine’s Day hike.
- Feb 14: 18th annual Valentine’s Day climb to Apple Orchard Falls and back. 4
- Feb 19: Appalachian Trail from U.S 11 to Fullhardt Knob ridgeline and back. 6
- Feb 26: Bottom Creek Gorge loop 4.8
- March 4: Appalachian Trail to McAfee Knob and back. 7.8
- March 13: Appalachian Trail from U.S 220 to Carvins Cove overlook and back. 5.4
- March 18: Dragon’s Tooth, Scout and Appalachian Trail loop to Dragon’s Tooth 4.8
- March 26: First Deck, Royalty, Brushy Mountain and Gauntlet loop at Carvins Cove. 5.6
- April 2: Tinker Creek Greenway from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove and back. 4.8
- April 9: Star, Monument, Roanoke River Greenway loop with downtown Roanoke stop built in. 5
- April 15: Tinker Creek Greenway from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove with family and back. 5.0
- April 24: Star, Monument, Big Sunny loop into South Roanoke for lunch. 6
- April 29: Andy Layne and Appalachian trails to Tinker Cliffs and back. 7.8
- May 7: Star, Monument, Roanoke River Greenway loop with downtown Roanoke stop built in. 5
- May 15: Combination bike-hike via Roanoke River Greenway to Vinton and back. 10
- May 21: Buffalo Mountain Trail out and back. 2
- May 27: At Carvins Cove, Horsepen and Lakeside trails to lunch spot and back. 4
- May 29: Tinker Creek Greenway from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove and back. 4.8
- June 5: Across the top of Rock Castle Gorge Trail and back. 5
- June 11: Lick Run Greenway from 10th Street to downtown Roanoke and back. 4
- June 18: Appalachian Trail from U.S 220 to Carvins Cove overlook and back. 5.4
- June 25: Appalachian Trail from Jennings Creek south to Cove Mountain Shelter and back. 6
July 13: Our first visit to Virginia’s Great Channels.
- July 2: Tinker Creek Greenway from Plantation Road to Carvins Cove and back. 4.8
- July 8: Roanoke River Greenway to Green Goat and back. 4
- July 13: Channels of Virginia to and from. 6.6
- July 15: Fiery Gizzard Trail section near Chattanooga. 4.5
- July 22: At Carvins Cove, Horsepen and Lakeside trails to lunch spot and back. 4
- July 23: Star, Monument, Roanoke River Greenway loop with downtown Roanoke stop built in. 5
- July 30: Star, Woodthrush, Ridgeline, Riser, Big Sunny loop hike into South Roanoke and back. 6
- August 9: At Holden Beach, NC, beach walk from downtown to inlet and back. 4
- August 14: From home to Beamer’s 25 in downtown Roanoke and back. 4
- August 20: Appalachian Trail from Black Horse Gap to Wilson Creek Shelter and back. 5
- August 27: Appalachian Trail from U.S 220 to Carvins Cove overlook and back. 5.4
- September 2: Poor Mountain Preserve loop. 4.2
- September 11: At Carvins Cove, Horsepen and Lakeside trails to lunch spot and back. 4
- September 18: Hotel, Buck Brushy Mountain, HiDeeHo trails loop at Carvins Cove. 6
- September 24: Mill Mountain out and back: Walnut Ave, Loop Road, Big Sunny into South Roanoke 4