Life Outside Fall 2018 - 6

FROM THE EDITOR

THE WOODSY/URBAN LURE OF . . .

MILL MOUNTAIN

Our trail-laden municipal treasure is the perfect nearby spot to get outside,
get the exercise and build in forays along the edges for greats eats and sips.

E START WITH SOME TRIANGULATION,

with the three spots being Fork in the
Alley, Athens Corner Grill and Blue Cow
Ice Cream.
Once you have those plotted in your
head, see, you can start to plan your attack
of our very own trail-littered mountain. And

MILL MOUNTAIN PARK TRAIL MAP
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MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

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BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
PROPERTY
(NATIONAL PARK SERVICE)

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CHESTNUT RIDGE TRAILS
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INFORMATION
RESTROOMS

H
BLAZE

6

TRAIL

MILES

DIFFICULTY

Big Sunny

0.73

More Difficult

Multi-Use

241 ft

Crystal Spring

0.61

Easy

No Horses

104 ft

Multi-Use

553 ft

Ridgeline*

1.26

More Difficult

Multi-Use

416 ft

Riser

0.31

More Difficult

Multi-Use

137 ft

Sidewinder

0.53

More Difficult

Multi-Use

224 ft

Monument
1.55 Magazine
More Difficult
Fall 2018
\\ LifeOutside

USAGE

ELEV. CHANGE

HOSPITAL

-KURT RHEINHEIMER

TRAIL ETIQUETTE
- Please share the trails and have respect for others
- Please stay on the trails to minimize damage
- Keep your pet on a leash and pick up after your pet
- Camping and motorized vehicles are prohibited
- Kindly pack out all trash
CONTACT INFORMATION
To report trail conditions or for more information

establish minimum distances to be covered
to earn the ingestion.
Our favorite these days is pretty simple: Park
at the Woodthrush/Star Trail parking lot on
Riverside Drive; walk the Woodthrush to its end
at Mill Mountain Parkway; cross the parkway,
climb the short social trail to the Ridgeline Trail;
walk it to a left onto Riser, followed by a left
onto Big Sunny, which dumps you onto Robin
Hood Road and a pleasant walk through some
South Roanoke to Fork in the Alley.
Where the Mediterranean salad and a cold
Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager make the four
or so miles well worth it.
The way back is usually back through SoRo,
onto the Big Sunny to the Loop Road, and then
down onto the Roanoke River Greenway for
some Red Rooster Coffee with Chocolate Chip
on the way back to the parking lot.
Variations include going up to the Star and
down over Walnut to the wonderful Greek
offerings at Athens Corner Grill; the location
and deliciousness of the offerings usually
preclude the Blue Cow stop.
Point being: With nearly 10 miles of trails-
most of which are open to hikers, runners,
bikers and horseback riders-plus the Loop
Road, there are countless ways to get your
exercise in and do it with a great meal or treat
built in.
And who says you can't combine modes . . .
from where we live, it's a few blocks on the bikes
to get on the Roanoke River Greenway near
Grandin Village. From there, it's an easy, flat,
fun ride to the western base of the mountain,
where you can park the bikes and start the
hike part. We've biked to GOFest some years,
parked the bikes and done a walk up and down
the mountain before taking on the festival fun.
Mill Mountain Park is no less than a unique
municipal treasure. It looms there--Star-topped,
green and inviting-and ready to be attacked
from all angles, with many modes and with
great rewards.

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Life Outside Fall 2018

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