Parking
Use the upper Roanoke Mountain summit parking area along Roanoke Mountain Loop Road; the loop starts on one side of the lot and returns on the other.
Overview
About Roanoke Mountain Woodland Trail
Why go
- Big valley views for a 15-minute walk
- A compact loop adds stairs and rock interest
Heads up
- Very short if you are seeking a full hike
- The summit parking area can feel tight when busy
The 0.4-mile loop is a quick summit outing from Roanoke Mountain’s upper parking area. Allow about 15 minutes, plus time to pause at the openings and look over the valley. It is a good leg-stretcher when you want a real trail without committing to a longer Blue Ridge Parkway hike.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation2,093–2,175 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 Roanoke Mountain Woodland 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 area
Mill Mountain Star: Roanoke’s Neon BeaconListen
“That giant glowing star on the mountain is the Mill Mountain Star, and it has a bit of a funny origin. It was built in 1949 as a temporary Christmas decoration to boost holiday shopping.”
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
- The Road as the Destination
- Roanoke River Overlook and Dam View
- 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 Roanoke Mountain Woodland Trail
Follow the loopThe path makes a compact wooded loop around the summit, starting on one side of the parking…
The path makes a compact wooded loop around the summit, starting on one side of the parking area and returning on the other. Rocky steps, slabs, and small rises give the short walk more texture than its mileage suggests. The mapped line is about 0.35 miles; the visitor distance is the full loop, including the short parking-area connection.
Look for the viewOpenings along the crest look toward the Roanoke Valley and Mill Mountain.
Openings along the crest look toward the Roanoke Valley and Mill Mountain. For a useful phone photo, include the nearby rocks or pines in the foreground and leave space beyond them for the valley; that gives the small summit a sense of scale.
What to expect underfootUse the upper Roanoke Mountain summit parking area on Roanoke Mountain Loop Road.
Use the upper Roanoke Mountain summit parking area on Roanoke Mountain Loop Road. Expect a natural surface with uneven rock and steps that can be slick when wet or icy. The route is not wheelchair or stroller friendly. Leashed pets are allowed, and no permit is required for this short loop.
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.
