Grab a friend, a bike, a paddle or a pair of hiking boots and get outside. Take your dog on a long walk around Glen Alton. Saddle up your horse and go for a day’s ride around White Cedar Horse Camp or take to the water in a canoe or kayak for a little “me” time.
Explore the New River Valley
The New River Valley of Virginia is home to the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski, as well as the City of Radford. This trail guide highlights trail adventures to explore in our region. Link to Guide
Experience the New River
The magnificent New River Water Trail glides long and clean through Giles County for 37 beautiful miles. Opportunities abound in the diversity of good wholesome family recreation. The New River is unequaled in its ability to provide a superb family vacation setting along with top quality fishing.
Bike the Backroads
More than twenty miles of fern-lined trails at Mountain Lake Conservancy are open to the public for biking year-round. The Town of Narrows has also opened the vast trails of Mill Creek Farms to mountain bikers. Or you might enjoy the beautiful back roads of Giles County. Big Stony Creek Road is a favorite among cyclists of all levels.
Check out all the rides here: http://nrvrc.org/cyclingguide/index.html
Hike the Appalachian Trail
Approximately 50 miles of the historical Appalachian Trail passes through Giles County, which offers hikers easy access to this nationally acclaimed hiking trail that runs through the county seat of Pearisburg, the Town of Narrows and Mountain Lake Conservancy.
Visit Cascade Falls
About 150,000 visitors a year visit the Cascades. Without question, Cascade Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Virginia and possibly on the entire East Coast. The 69 ft. falls crash into a large pool surrounded by two hundred foot cliff walls from which large ice formations hang in the winter.
Brave Treetop Adventures
Giles County’s new ropes adventure course is located in the forest canopy at Mountain Lake. Mountain Lake Treetop Adventures is a fun way to get outside, challenge yourself, and experience the exhilaration of climbing through the tree canopy and riding zip lines through the forest.
Hire an Outfitter or Guide
The New River is regarded as one of the top smallmouth rivers in the country and one of the best overall fishing rivers in Virginia. Giles County also boasts several top trout streams that are stocked and ready. All you need now is someone to help you get started. Our Outfitters and Guides have been voted as Best of Virginia. Check them out.
Hunt the National Forests
Giles contains 92.4 square miles of Jefferson National Forest perfect for hunting. With an abundance of whitetail deer, wild turkey, grouse, rabbit, racoon, coyote black bear and bobcat, fall is one Giles County’s busiest seasons. Hunters and sportsman come from neighboring states to enjoy the great hunting and for a chance to simply sit in the woods and drink in the peaceful beauty.
Our Not So Dismal Falls
The Falls of Dismal is a 10 foot multi- tiered waterfall on Dismal Creek. It is easily accessed from the road or from a side trail off of the Appalachian Trail. The Falls area is part of a sandstone formation that is over 400 million years old. Dismal Creek is a stocked trout stream. In the winter the frozen falls are particularly beautiful.
Camp Out Under the Stars
Whether it’s camping along the New River for paddling and smallmouth bass fishing, Big Stony for trout fishing, the Appalachian Trail for hiking, or Jefferson National Forest for just kicking back and relaxing, Giles County has something for every campers needs…including horses. Find a campground right for you.
Gear Head Moto Tours
Visit Giles for off and on road motorsports adventure. GearHead Moto Tours can be your all-inclusive dualsport trip to Giles. What this means is that your riding gear, dualsport motorcycle, meals, lodging, and fuel are provided. Whether you are hardcore and want to go on an Adventure Survival Tour or if you are looking to be pampered in one of the upscale lodging offerings, they’ve got the tour for you. More off road adventure available at the 40+ miles of trails at Kairos Resort. They have scenic vistas, camping, and birding adventures on property too!
Blue to New Agritourism Experiences
Among the experiences to discover, add to the list u-pick pumpkins, farm-to-table dining, farm tours, and farmers markets. The Blue Ridge to New River agritourism venues and experiences are bountiful in Giles County. Blue to New experiences are designed to bring you and your family closer to the agricultural community while you’re visiting. Blue to New was developed as a regional project to market the areas agritourism operations, festivals, and events. The program was funded by a regional grant through the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Development Fund. Enjoy Doe Creek apples, Spruce Ridge Tree Farm, of the farmers markets in Pearisburg and Narrows for a taste of the Blue to New – a different way to love the NRV!
Fish Virginia First
In Giles County, the majestic New River has depth ranges from a few inches to a maximum of over one hundred feet at the base of the towering Palisade Cliffs in Eggleston. The New River is home to many species of freshwater game fish including bass, trout, walleye, muskellunge, crappie, bluegill, carp, flathead and channel catfish. Current state records that have been caught in the New River include muskellunge (45 lbs. 8 oz.), smallmouth bass (8 lbs. 1 oz.), hybrid striped bass (13 lbs.), and walleye (15 lbs. 15 oz) www.fishvirginiafirst.