Life Outside Fall 2018 - 39

ishing 1,600-foot climb is near legendary among
southbound trekkers. After a grueling two-hour,
1.7-mile climb, hikers have earned the right to sprawl
over a flat rock and enjoy a magnificent view of the
New River and most of Giles County.
Mill Creek Nature Park in Narrows isn't completely undiscovered-a Bigfoot flick and a shaving
cream commercial were filmed here-but this ferny
glen retains its wild vibe. Mill Creek tumbles over
several cascading waterfalls before flowing through
old reservoir pond. The park trails fan out to join 16
miles of hiking/mountain biking paths in Jefferson
National Forest. With names like Wheezer and
Catwalk, they comprise a natural fitness challenge.
A blue-blazed trail to the southeast joins up with
the AT in four miles.
The Great Eastern Trail, the nation's newest long
distance path, stretches along the western New
River to join the AT near Narrows. From the Glen
Lyn bridge, hikers can trek a section of the riverside
trail, called the Mary Ingles Trail, up to Shumate
Falls rapids and into West Virginia.

HIKES TO WATERFALLS
Giles County's three waterfalls lure day hikers,
especially 69-foot Cascades with its brain-numbingly
cold pool. Cascades trail is located off U.S. 460 near
Pembroke at the end of Va. 623. Dismal Falls is on
a spur of the AT, while Mill Creek's four cascading
falls flow through the town of Narrows's nature
park at the end of Northview Street.
In Montgomery County, Stiles Falls of Purgatory
Creek is accessed by an easy 1.5-mile hike from the
headquarters of Camp Alta Mons on Allegheny
Springs Road (VA Route 637). The trail to the 40foot water fall is open to the public every Saturday
and on other days when camp is not in session.
The Nature Conservancy's Falls Ridge Nature
Preserve boasts a spring-fed, travertine waterfall
nearly 80 feet in height. Instead of eroding, the
rocks in this falls are growing outward as the calcium
carbonate dissolved in the water is deposited on the
rocks. This is one of the largest exposed travertine
deposits in the nation. A fault line runs through the
preserve; limestone predominates on one side, shale
and sandstone on the other. The preserve features
two fairly easy trails totaling 5 miles. The preserve
is located on Falls Ridge Road, off Va. 603 about 7
miles west of I-81's Exit 128.

CANOEING/KAYAKING/TUBING
The New River winds 37 picturesque miles
through Giles County past limestone cliffs, mountain views, and a restaurant serving local trout and
goat cheese ice cream. These river miles are part of
the New River Water Trail™, a series of boat landings, campgrounds, and dining options along the
scenic river (see newriverwatertrail.com).

"Our water trail makes the New accessible," says
Cora Gnegy, county tourism marketer. "Landings
every 5-8 miles allow paddlers to camp, relax, and
visit shops and restaurants."
The county's two main outfitters-Tangent
Outfitters (540-626-4567) and New River's Edge
(540-599-8382)-shuttle paddlers and rent canoes,
kayaks, tubes, and stand-up paddleboards from their
central location in Pembroke. Tangent also rents
stand-up paddleboards and gives lessons. To learn
where the fish are biting, contact Tangent and New
River Outdoor Company about guided float trips.
The New River's beauty is world-class," says Tangent Outfitters owner Shawn Hash. "Its entertainment level is superb-on a half-day float trip, two
clients can catch 80 to 100 fish."
As it flows through Giles County, the New River
-actually one of the world's oldest rivers-ranges
in depth from half a foot to 100 feet at the base
of Palisade cliffs. New River's pool-drop ripples
keep paddlers alert, but most sections are easy on
novices. Freshwater game fish found here include
smallmouth bass, trout, walleye, muskellunge,
crappie, bluegill and catfish.
Paul Moody, owner of New River's Edge, specializes in short float and paddle trips from Pembroke
to his downstream beach, not far from a riverside
campground. For only $15 a person, guests can
borrow a tube, kayak, or canoe and shuttle back and
forth over the 1-mile run
SU CLAUSON-WICKER
all day long, picnicking
at Moody's landing.
About 15 miles of
the New River border
or flow through Montgomery County, from
near the Peppers Ferry
Bridge to the Big Falls
of McCoy. The Big Falls
aren't really big; they're
a rocky two-foot ledge.
But the resulting Class
II-III rapids make it a
grand finale for New
River Junction's 1-mile

Giles
County's'
three
waterfalls
lure day
hikers,
especially
69-foot
Cascades
with its
brainnumbingly
cold pool.

THE CASCADES
The two-mile hike
up Little Stony
Creek is one of the
most popular in the
Virginia mountains.

LifeOutsideMag.com // Fall 2018

http://www.newriverwatertrail.com

Life Outside Fall 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Life Outside Fall 2018