Day 2 of May 2022 Virginia Trip, Hiking Angel’s Rest

The second day of my 2022 Memorial Day weekend trip. After waking up in Blacksburg, I would try out more hiking trails in the towns nearby, most notably Angel’s Rest Trail in Pearisburg.

Angel's Rest


Angel’s Rest

After some unexpected delays the previous day (mostly due to mud on the hiking trail), I only reached my overnight hotel in Blacksburg at 10pm. So I took a good night’s rest, and set off at a reasonably late 11am this morning. After grabbing some breakfast, I first set off for Mountain Lake in Jefferson National Forest, with a short hike to Bald Knob.

Clover Hollow Covered Bridge

 Clover Hollow Covered Bridge
Clover Hollow Covered Bridge
A stop I made along the way. Built in 1916 as a way to cross the Sinking Creek, renovated in 2000 as a community project.

After that, I took Virginia State Route 700 up into the mountains. The twisty mountain road was great fun to drive, with the following dashcam video.

Observation Deck along SR 700

Along the way I made a brief stop on a roadside observation deck, with views of rolling mountains.

  • Fields and Mountains
    Fields and Mountains
  • Distant Mountains
    Distant Mountains
  • Distant Mountains
    Distant Mountains
  • Distant Mountains
    Distant Mountains
  • Fields and Mountains
  • Distant Mountains
  • Distant Mountains
  • Distant Mountains

Click here to display photos of the slideshow
Fields and Mountains


Fields and Mountains

Distant Mountains


Distant Mountains

Distant Mountains


Distant Mountains

Distant Mountains


Distant Mountains


View of Mountains


View of Mountains
View of Mountains
From my drone (top) and from observation deck (below).

Then, I continued towards Mountain Lake, which featured a resort hotel and gift shops. At the intersection of VA700 and VA613, there was a gravel field for day-use parking for free.

Bald Knob

From the parking lot, Bald Knob was a short 700m stroll away, with 140m elevation gain. The trail was in great condition, but sort of steep. Alternatively, one could use the longer Bald Knob Tower Road for a more gradual ascent.

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    Trail
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Click here to display photos of the trail to Bald Knob.
Trail


Trail

Trail


Trail

Trail


Trail

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Trail

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Trail

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Trail

Trail


Trail


Bald Knob was made of a series of boulders that were slightly higher than the surrounding trees, offering views of surrounding mountains and villages. It’s just like Tinker Cliffs that I visited the previous day, without the steep dropoff.

  • Mountains from Bald Knob
    Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Mountains from Bald Knob
    Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob
    Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob
    Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Doe Mountain
    Doe Mountain
    Beyond which were Cascades Falls, a popular site in Jefferson National Forest.
  • Overlooking Bald Knob
    Overlooking Bald Knob
  • Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob
  • Doe Mountain
  • Overlooking Bald Knob

Click here to display photos from Bald Knob.
Mountains from Bald Knob


Mountains from Bald Knob

Mountains from Bald Knob


Mountains from Bald Knob

Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob


Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob

Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob


Fields and Mountains from Bald Knob

Doe Mountain


Doe Mountain
Beyond which were Cascades Falls, a popular site in Jefferson National Forest.

Overlooking Bald Knob


Overlooking Bald Knob


In line with my tradition, I commemorated the moment with a drone video:

2x playback speed, 22 seconds, 2160p60fps, 54MB file size.

Valleys off Bald Knob


Valleys off Bald Knob

And I also took a brief video of my drone flying through the valleys.

2x reversed playback speed, 28 seconds, 2160p60fps, 15Mbps/77MB for H265, 17Mbps/85MB for H264.

After I got back to my vehicle, I set off for Pearisburg. But along the way, I made a stop at Pembroke Boat Landing first. It’s a public dock where New River made a hairpin turn, with some exposed rocks on the opposite side making for a perfect backdrop.

Pembroke Boat Landing

  • New River
    New River
  • Cliff along New River
    Cliff along New River
  • Cliffs along New River
    Cliffs along New River
  • New River
    New River
  • New River
    New River
  • New River
  • Cliff along New River
  • Cliffs along New River
  • New River
  • New River

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New River


New River

Cliff along New River


Cliff along New River

Cliffs along New River


Cliffs along New River

New River


New River

New River


New River


Overlooking New River


Overlooking New River

In addition, I used my drone for a tour along the New River. With yesterday’s heavy rain, the river’s flow was murky and strong.

After that, I set off for Angel’s Rest Trail.

Angel’s Rest Trail

This was a relatively popular section of the Appalachian Trail outside Pearisburg, with two overlooks along the way. Its upper trailhead was along Virginia Route 793, a country road that saw few traffic, about 80m west of the Appalachian Trail crossing. The small roadside turnout had space for about 3-4 vehicles, which was amazingly empty by the time I arrived. From this trailhead, Angel’s Rest and Pearis Mountain (the two overlooks) was an 8km out-and-back with 540m elevation gain. If this parking lot was full, there was additional parking along Virginia Route 100, which would add about 2km of distance each way.

After some warmup, I started my hike at 2:45pm.

Most of the initial hike was in dense forest, with canopies of soaring trees, just like yesterday on Tinker Cliffs Trail.

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    Trail
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    Trail
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  • Creek
    Creek
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    Trail
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    Trail
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    Forest
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    Trail
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Click here to display photos of the trail.
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Trail

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Creek


Creek

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Forest


Forest

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Trail in Forest

 Trail in Forest
Trail in Forest

Unfortunately, just like yesterday, I suffered greatly from the mud condition along the trail. In particular, the few switchbacks about 1km from trailhead was muddy as hell (even worse than the worst of mud that I encountered yesterday at Tinker Cliffs Trail). Despite it’s only along a small portion of the trail, the intensity of such mud certainly took away much of the enjoyment.

  • Muddy Trail
    Muddy Trail
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    Muddy Trail
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    Muddy Trail
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    Muddy Trail
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    Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail
    Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail
  • Muddy Trail

Click here to display photos of the muddy trail.
Muddy Trail


Muddy Trail

Muddy Trail


Muddy Trail

Muddy Trail


Muddy Trail

Muddy Trail


Muddy Trail

Muddy Trail


Muddy Trail

Muddy Trail


Muddy Trail


Finally, I reached Angel’s Rest at 4pm, which was some rocks at the end of a tunnel of flowers, with views to the north, of the winding New River and the numerous towns it crisscrossed.

Mountains and Villages from Angel's Rest


Mountains and Villages from Angel’s Rest

I wasn’t too content with experiences earlier today, of having to tread through the unpleasant mud, of having to do that again on my return trip. So the views in front, although beautiful, felt at the same time distant, as if the negative experiences were an invisible barrier between us. In the end, Angel’s Rest was a small opening in the trees, a peephole, as if not designed for the full immersion into the sceneries ahead.

  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
    Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
    Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest
    Towards the direction of Bald Knob where I was earlier today.
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
    Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest
  • Celanese Corporation Factory
    Celanese Corporation Factory
  • Cliffs along New River
    Cliffs along New River
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
    Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest
  • New River
    New River
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
  • Celanese Corporation Factory
  • Cliffs along New River
  • Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest
  • New River

Click here to display photos from Angel’s Rest.
Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest


Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest

Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest


Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest
Towards the direction of Bald Knob where I was earlier today.

Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest


Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest

Celanese Corporation Factory


Celanese Corporation Factory

Cliffs along New River


Cliffs along New River

Towns and Mountains from Angel's Rest


Towns and Mountains from Angel’s Rest

New River


New River


After about 35 minutes at Angel’s Rest, I continued on to Pearis Mountain Overlook, which was 1km away on a mostly flat trail. To cheer me up, this section of the trail was lined with a dazzling display of wildflowers in bloom.

  • Trail
    Trail
    Leading to Angel’s Rest, like a tunnel of flowers.
  • Trail
    Trail
    A short uphill section, lined by boulders from Angel’s Rest, before the trail flattened out.
  • Trail
    Trail
    Between Angel’s Rest and the viewpoint, the trail was lined with flowers.
  • Trail
    Trail
    Between Angel’s Rest and the viewpoint, the trail was lined with flowers.
  • Trail
    Trail
    There were also patches of flowers below Angel’s Rest.
  • Trail
    Trail
    There were also patches of flowers below Angel’s Rest.
  • Trail
  • Trail
  • Trail
  • Trail
  • Trail
  • Trail

Click here to display photos of the slideshow
Trail


Trail
Leading to Angel’s Rest, like a tunnel of flowers.

Trail


Trail
A short uphill section, lined by boulders from Angel’s Rest, before the trail flattened out.

Trail


Trail
Between Angel’s Rest and the viewpoint, the trail was lined with flowers.

Trail


Trail
Between Angel’s Rest and the viewpoint, the trail was lined with flowers.

Trail


Trail
There were also patches of flowers below Angel’s Rest.

Trail


Trail
There were also patches of flowers below Angel’s Rest.


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    Flowers
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    Flowers
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    Flowers
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    Flowers
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    Flowers
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    Flowers
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    Flowers
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    Flowers
  • Flowers
    Flowers
  • Flowers on Ground
    Flowers on Ground
  • Budding Flowers
    Budding Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers
  • Flowers on Ground
  • Budding Flowers

Click here to display photos of the slideshow
Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Fields and Mountains

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

Flowers on Ground


Flowers on Ground

Budding Flowers


Budding Flowers


Finally, I reached Pearis Mountain Overlook in about 15 minutes. The overlook wasn’t marked, but it was right next to the trail with open views towards the east, that’s impossible to miss. It’s about 300 meters short of “Pearis Mountain” on OpenStreetMap though.

Mountains and Villages from Pearis Mountain


Mountains and Villages from Pearis Mountain

Here it’s a different view towards the east, where small villages and farmlands replaced the industrial complex as seen from Angel’s Rest. Also missing in view was the winding New River (thus in my opinion it’s less exciting). On the good side, the views here were less obstructed. In the afternoon, the overlook was in the shade, and the villages were in the light, making it great conditions for photography.

  • Overlook on Pearis Mountain
    Overlook on Pearis Mountain
  • Fields and Mountains
    Fields and Mountains
  • Fields and Mountains
    Fields and Mountains
  • Fields and Mountains
    Fields and Mountains
  • Mountains
    Mountains
  • Village
    Village
  • Ranch
    Ranch
  • Overlook on Pearis Mountain
  • Fields and Mountains
  • Fields and Mountains
  • Fields and Mountains
  • Mountains
  • Village
  • Ranch

Click here to display photos from Pearis Mountain.
Overlook on Pearis Mountain


Overlook on Pearis Mountain

Fields and Mountains


Fields and Mountains

Fields and Mountains


Fields and Mountains

Fields and Mountains


Fields and Mountains

Mountains


Mountains

Village


Village

Ranch


Ranch


I spent about 20 minutes at Pearis Mountain Overlook, before heading back down to the trailhead. After going through the misery of muddy trail, I was back in my car at 6:40pm, spending just shy of 4 hours on the hike.

After that, I made my way to the town of Wytheville where I would be spending the night, and called it a day.

Road

 Road
Road
Pulaski Giles Turnpike, along Walker Creek.

END

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Day 2 of May 2022 Virginia Trip, Hiking Angel’s Rest by Huang's Site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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