Hiking the Trails of Charlottesville

Skye Scott, assistant editor

The sun was golden, creating a soft light in the sky; however, it was rapidly sinking behind the mountains. The cold wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves that had dared to grow so early in March. People balanced on a cliff that seemed the edge of the world, their breathe heavy in their lungs.  Dogs pulled eagerly on their leashes, lapping at the puddles of water settled in nooks in the rock.

These hikers were on top of Humpback Rock, a two mile round-trip trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Charlottesville, ending at an outcropping with a 365-degree view of the surrounding mountains and land. While this is one of the shorter hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway, it can be difficult for some people because of the steepness of the hike.

The Blue Ridge Parkway contains many hiking areas around Charlottesville. The Parkway is 469.1 miles, according to the official Blue Ridge Parkway website. This website provides a list of all Virginia hikes available along the Parkway, as well as their location, mileage, and difficulty. Humpback rock is named on the website as one of the highlight hikes. It says that the longest hike is the Roanoke Valley Horse Hike, which is 18.5 miles long, but only moderately difficult. The most difficult hikes, according to this website, are the Apple Orchard Falls Trail, Sharp Top Trail, Spec Mine Trail, Rock Castle Gorge Trail, and the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail begins in Georgia and stretches 2,160 miles through the United States, where it ends in Maine, according to the official Appalachian Trail website. The trail runs for 554 miles within Virginia, ranging between the elevations of 265 feet-5,500 feet, according to their website.

“More of the A.T. [Appalachian Trail] passes through Virginia than any other state,” it says.