Best of the Mountains

The story below is an excerpt from our May/June 2018 issue. For the rest of this story and more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!

In conjunction with our year-long 30th anniversary celebration, we asked our readers to vote on their favorite things in the mountains. Here, based on voting that took place during December 2017 and January 2018, are the results. (For full list, please see print or digital editions.)

BEST MAIN-STREET LOCAL SHOPPING TOWN

1 Blowing Rock, North Carolina

2 Waynesville, North Carolina

3 Lewisburg, West Virginia

BEST ARTS TOWN

1 Asheville, North Carolina

2 Front Royal, Virginia

3 Rocky Mount, Virginia

BEST RETIREMENT TOWN

1 Asheville, North Carolina

2 Wytheville, Virginia

3 Roanoke, Virginia

BEST REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN

1 Wytheville, Virginia

2 Roanoke, Virginia

3 (tie) Asheville, North Carolina

3 (tie) Johnson City, Tennessee

TOWN ON MY BUCKET LIST

1 Asheville, North Carolina

2 Roanoke, Virginia

3 Floyd, Virginia

FAVORITE STATE PARK

1 Hungry Mother, Virginia

2 Douthat, Virginia

3 Grayson Highlands, Virginia

BEST ATV TRAIL

1 Hatfield-McCoy, West Virginia

2 Spearhead Trails, Virginia

3 Brown Mountain OHV Trails, North Carolina

BEST BIKING TRAIL

1 New River Valley Trail, Virginia

2 Virginia Creeper Trail, Virginia

3 Greenbrier River Trail, West Virginia

BEST FISHING LAKE OR RIVER

1 Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

2 New River, Virginia

3 Claytor Lake, Virginia

BEST HIKE TO TAKE THE DOG ALONG

1 New River Trail State Park,Virginia

2 Greenbrier River Trail, West Virginia

3 Appalachian Trail, Georgia/North Carolina/Tennessee/Virginia/West Virginia

BEST HIKING TRAIL (NON-AT)

1 New River Trail, Virginia

2 Sharp Top Trail, Peaks of Otter, Virginia

3 Bays Mountain Trail, Tennessee

BEST STRETCH OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

1 McAfee Knob, Virginia

2 Max Patch Mountain, North Carolina 

3 Damascus, Virginia area

… The story above is an excerpt from our May/June 2018 issue. For the rest of this story and more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!