I have only been there once, and it was epic. I am referring to what I like to think of as the Crown Jewel of Virginia State Parks scenery wise, Grayson Highlands State Park.

Time to add this incredible park to your Virginia State Parks bucket list

GRAYSON HIGHLANDS STATE PARK

About

First you need to know Grayson Highlands State Park is a day visit park unless you are camping there, so the hours are 8:00 a.m. to 10:00p.m. So get there early and try to spend as much time as possible, because you never know when the weather may turn and cut short your visit. 

If you can't spend the whole day at this bucket list park you will kick yourself. If you want to spend the night in a state park cabin, choose Hungry Mother State Park which is just 1 hour away (40 miles).

Hiking

Hiking is a popular recreational activity with the intense beauty at the park

I said hiking, not walking. This is not a park the car and walk to the overlook, but will include some elevation changes, and as the saying goes, what goes up must come down. You will see plenty of Appalachian Trail hikers up on Wilburn Ridge as well, as this is where it crosses over to Mount Rogers (the highest point in the state), and some section hikers really enjoy this part of the A.T. for weekend or overnight trips.

Grayson Highlands State Park has 13 hiking trails to choose from which vary from .5 to just over 2 miles in length. The trails lead to incredible panoramic vistas, scenic waterfalls and even an old 200 year pioneer cabin. The park also offers easy access to the Appalachian Trail and trails in the neighboring Jefferson National Forest. Details about the park's trails are listed right here.

Fly Fishing

Fly fishing on Wilson Creek

There are nearly 10 miles of wild trout streams within the borders of Grayson Highlands State Park. Cold mountain streams offer anglers native brook and wild rainbow trout. The streams in the park are Special Regulation Wildlife Trout Streams which require the use of single hooks and artificial lures, and all trout less than nine inches long must only be catch and release. Also note that a National Forest Permit is required when fishing national forest property, which borders Grayson Highlands State Park along Wilson Creek. More about fishing this park can be found here.

Backpacking

One of the most spectacular places to backpack in Virginia

Grayson Highlands State Park has is a gateway to the state’s highest peak Mount Rogers, as well as an easy connector to the Appalachian Trail. As the popularity of outdoor recreation has grown, so has the number of visitors to the highlands. As many as 6,000+ overnight visitors and many day hikers visit the area a year, so conservation is a consideration, to learn more about backpacking at this park click here.

Mountain Biking

Bike rentals and shuttles: Blue Blaze Bike and Shuttle Service call toll-free (800) 475-5095; The Bike Station, toll-free (866) 475-3629; Adventure Damascus Bicycles toll-free (888) 595-BIKE (2453); Bicycle Junction (276) 475-5727 and Creeper Trail Bike Rental and Shuttle in Whitetop (276) 388-3056.

Available park trails allowing mountain biking:

• Wilburn Branch Trail: mileage 2.3
• Horse Trail (east): mileage 3.2
• Seed Orchard Road: mileage 1.2
• Old Upchurch Road: mileage 3.3

Horseback Riding

BYOH and ride the scenic bridle trails at the park

You will find more than nine miles of bridle paths wandering through the park. These paths also lead to bridle trails in nearby Jefferson National Forest. There is parking available for horse trailers and overnight stables are also available at the park. Sorry but the park does not provide horses for trail rides, so you have to BYOH.

Bouldering

Grayson Highlands State Park is known as the best bouldering site in the entire state of Virginia. On the park’s mountainous slopes are four main boulder fields and three smaller fields with more than 700 named climbing routes, also known as problems. The park’s geology provides bouldering opportunities for outdoor adventure climbers of all skill levels. (Click here for Grayson Highlands State Park Bouldering Guidebook page).

Weather in the summer months is perfect for bouldering, and some boulder fields have an elevation of more than 4,900 feet. Use caution if you attempt bouldering in winter months (as it is not recommended without a guide).

Grayson Highlands State Park wants you to enjoy bouldering at the park but warns that ropes and the chipping of rocks are not allowed. Be sure to stop by the contact station or office to register as a climber in case of emergency, this is always a good practice.

Also available for rent at the park are two crash pads. For sale are chalk, chalk bags, cleaning brushes and the amazingly concise Grayson Highlands Bouldering Guidebook. For more information about bouldering at Grayson Highlands State Park, visit the Mountain Project here.

Wild Ponies

Wild ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia will steal your heart

Everything you need to know about the trails and hiking at Grayson Highlands State Park can be found here. If you are trying to find the wild ponies, they are typically in the Wilburn Ridge vicinity, which can be accessed via the Rhododendron Gap Trail. Here is a trail map.

The wild ponies were introduced to the park in 1974 to prevent reforestation of the highland balds. The pony herd is carefully managed by the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association. During the fall roundups of ponies for an auction held in conjunction with Grayson Highland State Park's annual Fall Festival.

Visitors should be cautious and not approach, feed or pet the ponies (even though they will appear quite tame). They can bite and kick when they feel threatened, and human food is bad for them. If you hike with a dog, please keep your distance from the ponies.

Festivals

Fall festivals are popular events and almost always include mountain music

Annual festivals at the park picnic area

• Wayne Henderson Festival, third Saturday in June
• Grayson Highlands Gospel Music Festival, second Sunday in July
• Albert Hash Memorial Festival, Saturday of Labor Day weekend
• Grayson Highlands Fall Festival, last full weekend in September

You can subscribe to Virginia State Parks eNews to learn about upcoming events, and search the events database 24/7. Click here for an upcoming list of family friendly park events.

Learn more about Grayson Highlands State Park here.