Roanoke Valley as seen from the summit of Roanoke Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway

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The Roanoke Mountain Loop Road has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2018 and will most likely remain closed. Pedestrians and cyclists can still access the road.

View: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ / 5
Trails: Roanoke Mountain Loop Trail
Picnic Tables: None

The best views of Roanoke, Virginia, from the Blue Ridge Parkway are along the 4-mile Roanoke Mountain Loop Road, a side road that leads to the summit of Roanoke Mountain. There are a few overlooks along the road and a trail at the top of the mountain.

The road has been closed to vehicle traffic for some time due to deteriorating conditions, but hikers and bikers can access it from either end. There is parking along the road for a few cars, with the largest parking area being at the southern entrance near Mill Mountain Parkway. The top of the mountain is near the middle of the road, so there is no distance advantage to parking at one end over the other.

View of Roanoke, Virginia, from the Mill Mountain Overlook on Roanoke Mountain Loop Road off of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Panoramic view of Roanoke Valley from the top of Roanoke Mountain, Blue Ridge Parkway

Roanoke Mountain Loop Trail

Trailhead for Roanoke Mountain Loop Trail just off the Blue Ridge Parkway on the Roanoke Mountain Loop Road

Length: .4-mile loop
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate

I lived in Ukraine for a while and used taxis for transportation. Rates were always negotiated, and most of the time I knew how far I was going and what the rate should be, but I will always remember the one time I had no idea how far I was going (keep in mind the taxi drivers are always trying to rip you off). I negotiated a fairly high rate, maybe $10 or so, a lot of money for the time. I got in and the guy drove me down the street a few hundred yards. There I was at my destination. I never really felt that ripped off again until I hiked the Roanoke Mountain Loop Trail.

My disappointment with the trail stems from an assumption, though it is a perfectly reasonable assumption: a trail near the top of a mountain only serves the purpose of leading to a view from the summit. With that in mind, I followed the trail sign and began my hike down the sidewalk and into the woods. The hike is moderately strenuous. It climbs up and down small hills, aided at times by stairs. It crosses some very interesting rock formations that make for nice photos. This would ultimately be the highlight of the hike.

Roanoke Mountain Loop Trail just off the Blue Ridge Parkway on the Roanoke Mountain Loop Road

And then it comes out at the summit as predicted—50 yards up the road from where I started! I had just walked four tenths of a mile to see some rocks.

Now, let’s take a look at that trailhead photo one more time.

Summit of Roanoke Mountain is circled in red

As mentioned earlier, there is no view at the summit; get your photos from the parking area. If all you want to do is to get to the summit so you can add Roanoke Mountain to your list of conquered peaks, just walk up the road. The trail is for exercise purposes only.

For information on other trails in the area, see the Roanoke Valley Hiking Trails web page.

Next Stop South | Next Stop North | Roanoke Valley Recreation Area | Scenic Overlooks

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