Read Mountain Preserve, VA

This hike took place on Sunday, August 25, 2019 in the Read Mountain Preserve, VA.

After a tough hike the day prior we chose to tackle the trails of Read Mountain Preserve in the northern outskirts of Roanoke, VA. This urban preserve protects 243 acres of land around Read Mountain and features 4 hiking trails. We also chose Read Mountain because it is a ranked peak with over 1,000 feet of prominence despite its low elevation.

Beginning at the parking area we followed the Buzzards Rock Trail around the northeast side of the mountain. Once on the ridgeline the trail turns right at a junction with the CCC Trail and ends at Buzzards Rock. This viewpoint features a series of rock outcrops on the northwest side of the mountain with northwest views of the Roanoke Valley and nearby famous peaks of the Allegheny Mountains including Fort Lewis Mountain and McAfee Knob.

From Buzzards Rock we did a quick bushwhack to the summit of Read Mountain (2,353 feet), returned to the trail, and began following the CCC Trail southwest along the ridgeline. This trail was enjoyable despite the lack of views. I imagine this ridge has nice winter views because it is covered in large deciduous trees. The CCC Trail passes Beacon Hill, Boulder Point, and Summit Ridge, three named points on the trail map that did not have views. After Summit Ridge the trail descends steeply south to connect with the Rocky Way Trail. This trail was the rockiest of the 3 trails we hiked as it wound its way around exposed rock slides and possibly an old mine. The Rocky Way Trail passes by Devil's Drop at the junction with the Crossover Trail. This spot has decent views southeast of north Roanoke, I showed a short clip of this at the end of the video. Shortly after this junction the Rocky Way Trail ends at the Buzzards Rock Trail, which we used to return to the parking area for a nice lollipop hike.

Distance - 5.3 miles
Elevation gain - 1,630 feet
Time - 2 hours and 55 minutes

Hike location
https://goo.gl/maps/Gqt7GjRoRZD9GqRN9

Read Mountain Preserve
https://www.roanokecountyparks.com/fa...

Other hikes mentioned:
Moores Knob - Hanging Rock State Park, NC
   • Moores Knob - Hanging Rock State Park, NC