Parking
Park at Little Glade Mill Pond Overlook at milepost 230.1. The pullout has space for about six cars and five picnic tables.
Overview
About Little Glade Mill Pond Trail
Why go
- Two connected pond basins make a compact reflection-photo stop.
- Picnic tables and parking sit beside the overlook.
Heads up
- The shoreline section has uneven footing and can be muddy after rain.
- Not wheelchair accessible despite the minimal elevation change.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation2,699–2,706 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Little Glade Mill Pond Trail, 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 trailhead
Little Glade Mill Pond: A Quick, Serene WalkListen
“The pullout for Little Glade Mill Pond is just ahead. This is an ideal spot if you're looking for a simple, quick break from the car. A very short, serene trail makes a loop around the historic mill pond here.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- From Flax to Linen: Brinegar's Mountain Cloth
- Stone Mountain Overlook and its Granite Dome
- Bullhead Mountain and its Namesake Ridge
- Raptor Highways in the Sky
- 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 Little Glade Mill Pond Trail
A quick Parkway breakThis is a 0.25-mile loop around Little Glade Mill Pond at milepost 230.
This is a 0.25-mile loop around Little Glade Mill Pond at milepost 230.1, with parking and picnic tables at the overlook. I'd keep it for a quiet leg stretch, a picnic, or reflection photos. Allow about 10 minutes to walk, plus time to look around.
Follow the pond edgeThe level circuit passes two connected basins, then returns through short paved approach paths…
The level circuit passes two connected basins, then returns through short paved approach paths and an unconstructed shoreline section. The pond was created by damming Little Glade Creek for a grist mill; a turbine-type mill operated here in the early 1900s. It's a small walk with a bit more history than its size suggests.
Keep the footing in mindThe shoreline can be uneven or muddy after rain, and mosquitoes are common in warm weather.
The shoreline can be uneven or muddy after rain, and mosquitoes are common in warm weather. Basic shoes are fine when dry; waterproof footwear helps when wet. The route isn't wheelchair accessible. For photos, pause where both basins fit in the frame and include a little shoreline. Leashed pets are generally allowed unless posted otherwise.
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.
