Fisher Peak Loop Trail

This 2.21-mile loop starts at the Blue Ridge Music Center and follows the red-blazed High Meadow Trail to the blue-blazed Fisher Peak Loop. It climbs through the forest on the Fisher Peak section, then returns to the Music Center on High Meadow; the complete mapped loop begins and ends at the Music Center. Allow about two hours for the full route and expect a moderate outing with sustained climbing on the Fisher Peak section.

The lower trail passes mixed pine and hardwoods near the stream, while higher ground brings azaleas, mountain laurel, and Catawba rhododendron. Oak, poplar, maple, and sourwood fill the second-growth forest. Spring blooms are a highlight, and the route also offers the quiet, shaded woodland character that makes the Blue Ridge Music Center trails useful beyond concert season.

The Fisher Peak section is a natural-surface footpath with an uphill opening, short steep pitches, roots, and a small stream crossing on stepping stones. Expect more rugged footing than on High Meadow, and use extra care after rain or when leaves obscure roots. The route is signed at the junctions, but carry water and allow time for the full loop rather than treating the Fisher Peak section as a quick spur.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is the preferred access for this complete loop; its visitor-center parking is near the start of High Meadow. The facility gate can be locked after closing, so finish before the posted closing time. State Route 612 also provides hiker parking, but it adds a longer, steeper High Meadow approach before reaching the Fisher Peak junction. Pets should remain leashed under Blue Ridge Parkway rules.