27.ROCK CASTLE GORGE

WHY GO?

This strenuous loop begins innocently enough: in the cow pasture and mountain balds that flank the Blue Ridge Parkway. Its true nature soon reveals itself as you descend some 1,800 feet in just 3 miles to the edge of bubbling, rock-strewn Rock Castle Creek. The hillsides and stream valley of this national recreation area harbored a sizable community of mountain settlers leading up to the Great Depression; evidence of their homes—vine-encased foundations, clearings, and fruit trees—are visible throughout the trip. After a walk along the lush streambed, the return to the Parkway will be sure to prompt that age-old hiker question: Which is more difficult, hiking uphill or downhill?

THE RUNDOWN

Start: Rocky Knob Campground, milepost 167 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Distance: 10.6-mile loop

Hiking time: About 7 hours, with option of an overnight

Difficulty: Strenuous due to steep grades

Trail surface: Dirt footpaths, old fire roads, and streamside paths

Land status: National recreation area

Nearest town: Floyd, VA

Other trail users: Anglers and hunters (in season)

Accessibility: None

Canine compatibility: Leashed dogs allowed, but make sure they are in good shape for the steep and rocky portions.

Trail contacts: Blue Ridge Parkway Headquarters, (828) 348-3400, www.nps.gov/blri; Visitor Information recorded message: (828) 298-0398; Rocky Knob Contact Center, (540) 745-9661

Schedule: The Blue Ridge Parkway and trails are open year-round, but trails and the Parkway may close in inclement weather. The Rocky Knob Contact Center (milepost 167) is open weekends only, late May through Oct.

Fees/permits: No entrance fee. A free permit is required to use the backcountry campsite along Rock Castle Creek. Obtain permit at the Rocky Knob Campground (540-745-9664), or the Rocky Knob Contact Center (540-745-9660), both at milepost 167. For permits by phone, call the Contact Center.

Facilities/features: None on the trail. Rocky Knob Contact Center has a gift shop and restrooms. For Rocky Knob Campground (milepost 167), make reservations at www.recreation.gov.

NatGeo TOPO! map: Woolwine

Other maps: Rocky Knob hiking map is available in the hiking section of www.nps.gov/blri.

FINDING THE TRAILHEAD

imageFrom Floyd, drive south on VA 8 for 5.8 miles. At Tuggle Gap, turn left onto the southbound entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway and go 1.8 miles to the entrance of the Rocky Knob Campground. Park along the roadside near the entrance to the campground; park with all four wheels of vehicle off the pavement. Alternate parking is available at Saddle Overlook, on the northbound side of the Parkway 0.9 mile south of the campground entrance. A leg of the Rock Castle Gorge Trail links Saddle Overlook with the trailhead described in this hike. If the Parkway is closed, hikers can access the streamside section of Rock Castle Gorge Trail via CC Camp Road off VA 8, 3.5 miles south of Tuggle Gap. Rocky Knob Campground Trailhead GPS: N36 49.878′ / W80 20.658′. DeLorme: Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 25, B7

THE HIKE

Coves are some of the most sheltered, protected pockets of the Appalachian forests, found on steep mountain terrain and infused with rich flora. While famous for its profusion of spring wildflowers, by late summer the gorge’s mesic habitat sports a single color— green—albeit with many subtle variations to be found between club moss, ferns, laurel, trees, and grass.

Add to this thick vegetation rain-dripping mistiness, and a journey up Rock Castle Gorge can take on a near Middle Earth quality. Combine this with the pastoral beauty of its mountain bald meadows, and you get the sense that the 10.6-mile loop has all the ingredients for a classic Blue Ridge adventure.

The hike off the ridge begins gently enough, but soon demands full attention. The slope to the left drops off with cliff-like severity and the trail narrows into a billy goat path. Tree roots become steps and handholds that help prevent hikers from tripping.

When it’s over, treat yourself to a good, foot-numbing soak in Rock Castle Creek. Measuring about 15 feet wide, this stream in late summer doesn’t show the strong flow that once enabled it to power six sawmills in the gorge. Around 1910, upwards of seventy families lived here along the creek or in smaller hollows up in the hills.

A locally published memoir, Little Boy Blue, recounts Robert Blue’s years growing up in this gorge, or “hollow,” as locals referred to it (the term gorge was tacked on by the US Park Service). Blue’s family grew fruit trees on the hillside and sold the harvest in the surrounding towns. While lore and legend play up the famous Appalachian lawlessness of moonshiners and their ilk, I like Blue’s stereotype-busting image of a hardworking family. Judging by the ruins we found, homes in the gorge were small, basically a place to sleep and eat, with time in between spent scraping out a living, or in the case of the young boy Blue, exploring nature in a beautiful hollow.

A foggy day hiking amongst cattle on Rock Castle Gorge Trail

The gorge is a perfect place to spend a day with a good book, lying in a hammock slung up by the creek. Camping is limited to this one spot along the river, which leaves 2-night campers a whole day for exploring hillsides for specimens of the stream’s namesake—quartzite rock formations that early settlers thought resembled rock castles. Rock Castle is a catch-and-release trout stream as well; two fly fishermen passed by camp and gave good reports from the small pools higher up.

The hike out of the gorge is all uphill. Euphoria wouldn’t be too strong a description of how it feels to pass out of the cove environment into cow pastures that flank the Blue Ridge Parkway. The scene is reminiscent of the famous mountain balds along this same parkway in North Carolina’s high country.

The final climb up Rocky Knob (elevation 3,572 feet) is a fitting ending to the hike, offering a majestic view of the gorge you’ve journeyed through. Rock Castle Gorge viewed from this height looks like a deep gash in the mountain, wrapped in clouds of mystery.

MILES AND DIRECTIONS

0.0Start from the Rocky Knob Campground (milepost 167). Cross the Blue Ridge Parkway and pass through a fence stile. Turn left and follow signs for the green-blazed Rock Castle Gorge Trail. Note: If you are starting from alternate Saddle Overlook parking area (milepost 168), it is a 0.7-mile hike north to this start point.

2.3After a long descent, begin paralleling Little Rock Castle Creek.

3.0Your 1,800-foot descent off the Blue Ridge Parkway ends at Rock Castle Creek. Turn right on the green-blazed Rock Castle Gorge Trail, which now follows an old fire road up the stream valley.

3.2Pass a backcountry camp on the right. Note: A permit is required to camp here. See “Fees/permits” in the hike specs.

4.5Pass through a private inholding in the Rocky Knob Recreation Area. This is the site of an abandoned but well-cared-for two-story home.

5.6Veer right off the fire road and descend a singletrack woods path to the water’s edge. Cross Rock Castle Gorge Creek and begin a long ascent to the Parkway.

5.8Pass through a boulder field of large, house-size rocks.

7.0Pass through a fence and enter a cow pasture. The trail here is marked by posts with arrows.

8.7Continue straight at a junction with the blue-blazed Black Ridge Trail on the left.

9.3Veer right and follow green blazes as you begin climbing Rocky Knob. Note: The trail straight ahead at this junction returns to the Saddle Overlook parking area in 0.5 mile.

9.8Reach the summit of Rocky Knob.

10.1Pass the Saddle Overlook on the left.

10.6Arrive back at the fence stile across from the entrance to Rocky Knob Campground.

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HIKE INFORMATION

LOCAL INFORMATION

The great little town of Floyd has a general store that doubles as a bluegrass venue, the Floyd Hotel, and cute shops. Floyd County Tourism Office, 109 E. Main St., Floyd; (540) 239-8509; www.visitfloydva.com

LOCAL EVENTS/ATTRACTIONS

The picturesque and historic Mabry Mill is a working gristmill with adjacent blacksmith shop and cabin, picnic area, and visitor center, just 9 miles north at milepost 176. There’s also a restaurant and gift shop, (276) 952-2947, www.mabrymillrestaurant.com, open seasonally.

LODGING

Rocky Knob Campground, milepost 167, has tent and RV sites, restrooms, but no hookups or showers. Open May through Oct. Reservations: (877) 444-6777, www.recreation.gov

RESTAURANTS

Floyd Country Store, 206 Locus St., Floyd; (540) 745-4563; www.floydcountrystore.com. A true Appalachian experience of food, shopping, and live music.

ORGANIZATIONS

Friends of Blue Ridge Parkway, (800) 228-PARK, www.friendsbrp.org

OTHER RESOURCES

Hiker registration and maps are available at Rocky Knob Contact Center, milepost 169, (540) 745-9660.