On the New River Trail

This spectacular southwest Virginia state park is 57 miles long but only 80 feet wide.

Sandra Wilson turns into the parking lot at Dannelly Park just off the New River Trail in Galax, her SUV loaded with bikes and kids. She wastes no time unloading the gear, and soon she and daughters Charity, 17, and Kara, 14, are pedaling into the backcountry, hoping to squeeze in 10 or 12 miles before dark.

"It's so convenient for us," says the Galax native, who favors the trail section from Fries to Byllesby. "You feel as if you're out in the middle of nowhere, but you're really not that far away."

Hidden Gem

One of the few linear state parks in the country, New River Trail stretches some 57 miles from Pulaski to Galax, which includes an additional spur to the town of Fries (pronounced "freeze"). It ambles across four counties and links together seven mountain communities, giving visitors plenty to explore.

Celebrating 20 Years

Part of the national Rails-to-Trails movement, the land for the park was donated by Norfolk Southern Railroad. The first 4 miles of trail opened in 1987. Now, in addition to miles of continuous trail, the state park offers numerous entrance points with parking, bathrooms, picnic tables, and some campsites.

The park's headquarters are located in Foster Falls, which sits on the river about halfway between Pulaski and Galax. Visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, tubes, and bikes from Foster Falls River Company. The Foster Falls Horse Livery also provides guided horseback rides on weekends April through November and daily Memorial Day to Labor Day. Call (276) 699-2460 to make reservations.

More than a million people used the trail last year, including many international visitors, which doesn't surprise Sandra. She believes she knows why the trail is so popular.

"It's great therapy," she says with a laugh. "You can ride and just let your cares slip away." -CASSANDRA M. VANHOOSER

New River Trail State Park: 176 Orphanage Drive, Foster Falls, VA 24360; www. dcr.virginia.gov or (276) 699-6778.

New Is Old

The New River is not new at all. In fact, geologists say it's one of the oldest rivers in the world, second only to the Nile. It's also one of the few major rivers anywhere to flow south to north.

left: The trail traverses three bridges. above: Chestnut Falls ranks among the trail's most photographed sites, below: Sandra Wilson and her daughters access the trail at Dannelly Park near Galax.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jun 2007
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