Parking
Park at Cold Prong Pond Overlook (Milepost 299) on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A signed path at the edge of the lot leads to the Cold Prong Pond Loop.
Overview
About Cold Prong Pond Loop
Why go
- Easy, compact loop with a signed start at the Parkway overlook.
- Seasonal wildflowers and a quiet former-pond meadow add interest to a short walk.
Heads up
- Rooty and sometimes overgrown, with wet footing near the small stream.
- The named pond may be a former pond basin or meadow rather than open water.
A good leg-stretcher between Parkway stops, an easy family-friendly walk, or a warm-up before continuing toward the nearby Tanawha access. The loop is compact and nearly level, but roots and uneven footing make it a trail walk rather than a paved stroll.
Parkwolf’s verdictWho it’s forMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation3,596–3,704 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts
- ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
- ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to Cold Prong Pond Loop, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tourRecorded for this area
Boone Fork Trailhead: Choose Your Grandfather Mountain HikeListen
“The parking area ahead is for Boone Fork, and it serves as a major gateway into the Grandfather Mountain backcountry. This spot offers two very different hiking experiences.”
Plays on the road 0.9 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Beavers of Price Lake: Comeback Engineers
- Price Lake Boat Rentals: Get on the Water
- Julian Price Park Campground: Lakeside Basecamp
- Julian Price Park and Lake Activities
- 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking Cold Prong Pond Loop
What to expectThis is a short, easy 0.
This is a short, easy 0.4-mile loop from Cold Prong Pond Overlook at Milepost 299 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Allow about 15 minutes. A signed path leaves the edge of the lot and joins the loop, which passes through rhododendron, forest, and an open meadow with a small stream. The former pond may be absent; think field and stream rather than a reliable pond.
Trail character and conditionsThe route follows a basic, sometimes overgrown footpath around the former pond area, with…
The route follows a basic, sometimes overgrown footpath around the former pond area, with rhododendron thickets, short forest sections, meadow, and a small stream. The mapped walk includes the short connector from the overlook parking area and returns along that connector to complete the visitor loop. Expect modest scenery rather than a large open-water view.
TipsStart at the signed path at Cold Prong Pond Overlook and follow the loop rather than wandering…
- Start at the signed path at Cold Prong Pond Overlook and follow the loop rather than wandering onto the nearby Tanawha route.
- Watch for roots, wet footing, and brushy sections.
- Manage expectations: the named pond may be a meadow or former pond basin with a small stream instead of open water.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
