Easy Fall Hikes, Plus!

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Editor's Note: This story was written prior to the impacts of Hurricane Helene, and much of the Blue Ridge region is still recovering. While many counties and towns remain open for visiting and welcome your much needed support in this difficult time, we urge you to verify information with individual entities in impacted areas before making any plans. If you feel able and wish to help, we invite you donate to Helene relief efforts for those in the mountain regions of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and South Carolina through the carefully vetted organizations found here. Our continued thoughts and prayers go out to all of the affected communities.

Build a great weekend around these breezy hikes to superb views, along with tasty eats and comfy stays.

The Blue Ridge region is home to millions of acres of protected public lands and more than a thousand miles of mountains. We all know and love the latter’s annual summer sendoff of vibrant reds and yellows—but finding a spot that lets you soak up the fall extravaganza without sacrificing comfort isn’t always so easy.

Lucky for us, these seven mountain destinations pair beautiful, breezy hikes to amazing views with awesome eats, drinks and overnight amenities.

Marys Rock Trail: Sperryville, Virginia

This tiny, 300-person village with a ton of heart sits nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills about eight miles east of Skyline Drive. What it lacks in size it makes up for in historic architecture, pastoral beauty and a surprising wealth of culture. 

  • Hike. Proceed to Shenandoah National Park for a fun but casual 3.7-mile out-and-back to Marys Rock Summit. The bouldery, 3,500-foot cliff brings sweeping westward views of the town of Luray, Page Valley, Massanutten Mountain Range and distant Alleghanies. nps.gov/thingstodo/marys-rock-summit
  • Stay. Treat yourself with a fabulous, suite-style stay in a five-room inn that dates to 1820. The Hopkins Ordinary Bed & Breakfast pays homage to its origins with antique décor, private porches that open onto lovely mountain views and a dark and moody basement tavern. hopkinsordinary.com
  • Eat/Drink. Eat at the Three Blacksmiths, where husband-and-wife chef duo, Jake and Sara Addeo dish up wildly good, multicourse fine-dining in an intimate, wood-rich setting. threeblacksmiths.com | Try about two dozen of what may be the East Coast’s most unique—and carefully crafted—wild-fermented beers and natural ciders a mile away at Pen Druid Brewing. pendruid.com

Fort Mountain State Park Summit: Murray County, Georgia

This small county in northeast Georgia begins just west of popular outdoors stronghold, Ellijay, and is home to both a huge swath of Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and the legendary Mulberry Gap Adventure Basecamp. Find small town charm in county seat, Chatsworth, and incredible fall views from nearby peaks.

  • Hike. Head to 4,058-acre Fort Mountain State Park where you’ll combine a trio of trails—Stone Wall, Stone Tower, West Overlook — into a 1.5-mile loop to panoramic 2,850-foot views of the surrounding Cohutta Mountains and wilderness from the park’s namesake summit. The route features multiple additional overlooks, nifty rock formations and a stone fire tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s. gastateparks.org/FortMountain
  • Stay. Enjoy cozy upscale comfort with stunning, 1,500-foot views just two miles from Fort Mountain at The Overlook Inn. The six-suite, mountain-cabin-themed bed & breakfast sits on gorgeously scenic state route 52 and offers spacious, well-equipped rooms with 12-foot ceilings and rustic touches like his-and-hers antique cast iron pedestal sinks, raw-hewn hardwood beams and more. theoverlookinn.com
  • Eat/Drink. Take a scenic drive to the small city of Dalton to feast on deliciously southern, farm-to-table fare at Cyra’s in a beautifully renovated historic downtown building. cyrasrestaurant.com | Follow with a stop at Cherokee Brewing & Pizza Company, which offers 24 house beers on tap and wine from regional vineyards. facebook.com/cherokeebrewingandpizza

Chimney Top Trail: Stanton, Kentucky

Nestled deep in northeastern Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forest is an awe-inspiring natural treasure: The nationally designated Red River Gorge canyon system. The 29,000-acre geologic preserve offers spectacular rock formations—think soaring sandstone cliffs, natural stone bridges and towers, beautiful waterfalls and dozens of miles of hiking trails.

  • Hike. The Chimney Top Trail out-and-back is less than a mile long and leads to amazing views of the gorge, surrounding national forest, and boulder-strewn Red River some 600 feet below. More advanced hikers can try the four-mile Eagle Point Buttress loop, where a 1,000-foot cliff offers some of the  best views in the park.
  • Stay. Book a cabin or treehouse with Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals. The company’s broad fleet of options range from a rustic, one-room hunter’s outpost to a dozen-room luxury lodge perched atop a 1,300-foot cliff. redrivergorgecabinrentals.com
  • Eat/Drink. Red River Rockhouse brings delicious gourmet burgers, salads, tacos, wraps and burritos paired with wine or craft beer on tap in a smartly overhauled, CCC-style stone rancher that feels more brewery than diner. It sits just seven miles from the park. redriverrockhouse.com | Find old-school, country store ambience coupled with craft brews and tunes a few miles down the road at Sky Bridge Station. facebook.com/SkyBridgeStation

Outcroppings Trail: Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Mind-boggling panoramas from a towering, 535-million-year-old stone monolith await some 25 miles southeast of Asheville at 8,014-acre Chimney Rock State Park. Better still, proximity to scenic Lake Lure, 400-foot Hickory Nut Falls and popular hikes in the surrounding Pisgah National Forest has led to ample amenities nearby.

  • Hike. Follow the .5-mile Outcroppings Trail up a stone and wood staircase that winds along the sheer cliffside over awe-inspiring rock formations—including the park’s 315-foot, eponymous monolith. Continue for another .6 miles on Skyline Trail to the 2,480-foot Exclamation Point summit where you’ll find near 360-degree views of scenic U.S. 74, the Broad River, Hickory Nut Gorge, Lake Lure and distant mountains. chimneyrockpark.com
  • Stay. The 125-year-old, 14-room boutique, Esmerelda Inn sits just outside the park in the quaint and quirky village of Chimney Rock. Expect rustic, grand lodge style décor, vast wraparound porches, spacious rooms and beautifully landscaped grounds with superb views of the granite cliffs at Chimney Rock. theesmeralda.com
  • Eat/Drink. Don’t miss the Esmeralda’s onsite restaurant. Delight in seasonal New American staples like pan-seared sea bass with lemon caper butter, wild mushroom risotto and asparagus in a woody, window-lined dining room. Take a stroll to Chimney Rock Brewing Company for killer views and brews on a river-fronting deck. chimneyrockbrewing.net

Sassafras Mountain: Pickens County, South Carolina

The Palmetto State’s best vantage for taking in fall foliage is located on the border of North Carolina’s 6,730-acre Headwaters State Forest about 15 miles south of Brevard. The Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower sits perched atop a 3,500-foot summit that offers unimpeded views of the encircling Blue Ridge.  

  • Hike. The quarter-mile trek to the tower is short but a little steep. Mind-boggling eye candy includes Table Rock State Park and 30 to 50 miles of densely forested, 3,000-foot peaks that seem to roll endlessly in every direction through three states. 
  • Stay. The quaint but cozy Laurel Mountain Inn sits on a high, wooded hillside across from the entrance to 3,083-acre Table Rock State Park. Well-equipped, motel-style rooms and suites open onto private, landscaped terraces with views of the park’s sheer, 3,100-foot granite cliffs. laurelmountaininn.com  
  • Eat/Drink. Indulge an afternoon glass of wine or a beer from partnering regional breweries on a roofed outdoor patio at Victoria Valley Vineyards.victoriavalleyvineyards.com Head to the small town of Pickens for authentic Mexican street tacos, enchiladas and more from Street Tacos restaurant. facebook.com/p/Street-Tacos-and-Seafood

Chimney Tops Trail: Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has transformed this 3,650-person town in the southeast Tennessee highlands into a booming destination for outdoor recreation. Here you’ll find big city culture with an authentic mountain twist.

  • Hike. The 3.5-mile Chimney Tops Trail out-and-back begins mild, passing through thick rhododendron groves along Road Prong Creek, then gears up for a steep, 960-foot climb with more than 350 stone stairs through spruce-fir forests. The summit delivers 4,500-plus-foot views of the vast, half-million-acre park and 6,593-foot Mount Le Conte. nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/chimney-tops
  • Stay. Book a downtown suite overlooking a rushing, boulder-strewn creek at Zoder’s Inn & Suites. The rustic-chic, Swiss chateau style boutique occupies six acres and was established in 1934. You get roomy, well-furnished digs with private balconies and a heated indoor stone pool fed by a 15-foot waterfall. zoders.com
  • Eat/Drink. Find The Greenbrier Restaurant in a restored and expanded historic cabin on the outskirts of town. The high-end steakhouse offers craft cocktails and creative but familiar Appalachian cuisine like a seared, cherry bourbon glazed duck breast over smoked cheddar grits. greenbrierrestaurant.com | Follow with brews in a cavernous taproom with floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed wood beams at Smoky Mountain Brewery. smoky-mtn-brewery.com

Long Point Overlook Trail: Fayetteville, West Virginia

This small, former coal town serves as the northern gateway to 70,000-acre New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. A post-pandemic  boom has fueled an ongoing renaissance that’s brought a blossoming restaurant and bar scene, dozens of boutique shops, and a slew of outfitters that cater to everything from whitewater rafting, to rock climbing and downhill mountain biking.

  • Hike. An easy, 3.2-mile out-and-back on the north side of town carries you to the locally beloved but nationally revered Long Point Overlook. The wide, outcrop of rock offers 2,000-foot panoramic views of the gorge and its iconic steel arch bridge against a backdrop of surrounding mountains. nps.gov/places/long-point-trail
  • Stay. The Morris Harvey House is a magnificently renovated 14-room, Queen Anne-style downtown home that dates to 1902. Expect four large guest suites, tons of period-correct antiques, seven ornate fireplaces and tastefully updated bathrooms with original clawfoot tubs. The mixologist-backed bar area with to-die-for craft cocktails is a bonus. morrisharveyhouse.com
  • Eat/Drink. Wanderlust Creative Foods offers gastronomic delights—like a char-grilled strip steak topped with oyster mushrooms cuddled against strawberry-glazed asparagus topped with sweet potato beurre blanc espuma—in a hyper-casual setting. facebook.com/newrivercurry | Pick from 20 house brews at Bridge Brew Works, where you’ll find a rustic and inviting taproom ambience, and covered outdoor beer garden. bridgebrewworks.com  

The story above first appeared in our September / October 2024 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!