rocky knob recreational area

We hiked the Black Ridge Trail in mid-Oct, and it was beautiful! It is accurately described as moderate. You'll experience lots of different terrain and scenery, from open meadows to forests to grand vistas. You even cross over the Parkway during the hike. There are small ladders to help you over the wooden rail fences that line the Parkway. My husband and I enjoyed this trail immensely. We're in our 50's, in decent/okay shape, and were able to complete the trail with no problems. We were very tired at the end, though! This is a great side trip from Floyd VA if you're visiting there. Highly recommend.

The portion of Rocky Knob Recreational Area I spent time in on this trip was the campground & trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although spending the night camping just before the end of the season in late October, the campground was really nicely situated. The campsites were spaced enough from each other that even though I was camping with my dog I didn't have to worry about neighbors keeping her up all night. I stayed in a tent, and there were pads that were level and spacious enough to settle down nicely. In particular, I was located in a lower campsite on the A loop and the evening became very windy. I could sit in this campsite listening to the wind blow the leaves and trees while continuing to be protected from any of the main gusts as they came over the blue ridge. Exactly like you want a campsite to be, at the heart of the recreational and wilderness opportuniites but secluded enough to be able to endure any weather conditions. Even with some rain, this campground's forested location handled it extremely well.Additionally, there are many trails that head out from this region of the park along the Parkway, and these were extremely enjoyable and filled with the colors of fall foliage during this last week of October.

Heading south stop at the first overlook in the REcreation area. You can take a short hike up to the top of Rocky Knob for even better views than what you see from the overlook. Mabry mill also nice. Huge picnic area.

Even though our politicians are systematically destroying our national parks by logging, mining or just failing to budget the money to keep them in operation, this is STILL a beautiful place to enjoy outdoor camping - tent or RV.Sites are inexpensive ($16 night, $8 if you have one of the National Parks Passes). There is a loop for RVs which I believe has hookups. Rates may be higher.There used to be 3 loops for tents but thanks to budget cuts, only one was active. Unfortunately, it is NOT the best one. Loop C has large sites with just enough trees to provide pleasant hardwood shade. Plenty of distance between the sites makes this a pleasant place to camp.Loop B and C are currently (since 2012) closed. Only loop A remains open for tents. It's still very nice but C was much better.Some things to note:Each loop has restroom facilities (mens and womens) but no showers. They no longer sell firewood and collecting firewood from the ground may not be an option if it has rained. You can buy it in Meadows of Dan which is very close. Chateau Morrisette Winery is close by and there are lots of hiking trails and short day trip options if you stay here including: Mabry Mill (see TripAdvisor for info), a covered bridge, Blacksnake Meadery, Buffalo Mountain and lots of local music options.

We stopped by the Rocky Knob Outlook after seeing Mabry Mill just down the road. We didn't realize that there was so much more than just the outlook but the outlook itself is just breathtaking. There is a large lawn where people were sitting to enjoy the view.

Beautiful and accommodates all fitness levels. Close to floyd and toggle gap. Quiet , lots of wildlife.

Great campground run by the National Park Service located on the Blue Ridge Parkway just 9 miles from town of Floyd, VA (see separate reviews). RV and tent sites. Bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks but no showers. Water is available at central locations but no electrical/water hookups at individual sites. All sites have picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook. There is adequate space between campsites and it is very wooded. An elevation of 2800 feet means it stays fairly cool during summer. You can hike a 10 mile loop trail or take shorter (1-2 mile) hikes to overlooks. The area also has a visitor center/picnic area for day use a mile or so from the campground. Mabry Mill historic area is 6 or so miles south on Blue Ridge Parkway.

Rocky Knob embodies low impact camping at its finest, from the superb hiking, to the friendly staff who take time to help first-time visitors feel at home, to the clean facilities and respectful rangers who go about maintaining the park without unduly disturbance. We have visited Rocky Knob overnight for several different summers, choosing this park for it's location, but returning because of the exceptional peaceful ambiance. The campground is small--very simple, pleasant, and rural. As a launch point for a one or two-day bicycle ride, Rocky Knob is perfect, or for several days of relaxing dry camping with day hikes, some challenging, others suitable for the city-bound, this camping area will attract the visitor who treasures access to some of the East Coast's most beautiful scenery. On our ridge line day hike, we discovered an Appalachian Trail hut left from the 50s when the trail cut through this area, and still in perfect condition with rough-hewn framing and stone floor. Even as a tenderfoot, I would sleep in that hut! The high pastures of this area of the Blue Ridge Parkway hum with wildlife and birds of all kinds, co-existing with the local cattle herds. The nearby restaurants are friendly and good. The motorcycling in the area is among the best we found, though our adventure this year on foot equalled the riding for woodland paths interspersed with views of the Blue Ridge folding away, quiet and stately in the morning sun.