Length: 3-mile loop
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Mainly easy with a few moderate hills to climb
The Smart View Loop Trail circles the Smart View Picnic Area and can be accessed in a number of places, including the parking lot that you come to as soon as you exit the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is where I began the hike. You can start next to the information panel and hike in the clockwise direction or on the opposite side of the parking lot for a counterclockwise trip. I don’t think it makes any difference, but the most obvious starting point is at the sign.
The trail starts off across an open field for a short distance before entering the forest. The path is wide and level but filled with what I call rubble rocks. These are small, loose rocks the size of your hand that you would expect to find in a bombed-out building, and they were hard to see since I was hiking in October and the trail was covered with leaves. They aren’t much of a problem until you come down on one the wrong way and twist an ankle.
In .2 mile is the intersection with a trail that connects to the Smart View Picnic Area. Keep straight to remain on the Smart View Loop Trail. By this time the rubble rocks have largely disappeared, so you can make good time on the level terrain. For a trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the surface is about as smooth as you’ll get.
The next intersection, .2 mile from the first one, is with a trail that leads to the Smart View Overlook, a pullout on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s not worth driving to, let alone hiking to, so make a right to stay on the Smart View Loop Trail. The path narrows, and you will find yourself on a ridge as you gradually descend towards a small creek at the bottom of a ravine. After crossing via a footbridge, the trail follows the creek for a short distance before starting an uphill climb along another ridge. The creek gets farther and farther below as the trail ascends until the route turns south and leaves the water behind for good.
The climb is gradual for the first tenth of a mile, but then it hits a 500-foot section with an average grade of 22%. Most hikers agree that a 15% grade is the start of strenuous hiking, so needless to say, this might even get those in good shape huffing and puffing. Luckily the climb doesn’t last long. When you reach the summit you will have hiked approximately one mile.
Once at the top, the Smart View Loop Trail levels out and proceeds along a narrow ridge. If you make a false step you may find yourself tumbling down the hill. When the trail was first cut, there may have been a nice view of the mountains, but now trees and other vegetation block any chance of seeing a scenic vista.
After a short hike across level terrain, the trail begins a steady descent for the next .4 mile. At the bottom is an open field within sight of the picnic area road, and a couple minutes after that, a cabin built by W. J. Trail back in the 1880s and a nice view of the mountains. (Note: you can drive to the cabin and park right next to it, so you don’t have to hike the Smart View Loop Trail just to see it.)
W. J. Trail cabin and view of the mountains from the Smart View Loop Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Smart View Loop Trail continues behind the cabin, again heading gradually downhill along the ridge for a few hundred more feet before hitting another small creek. This marks the end of the descent, and immediately after crossing the creek the trail begins to climb to the highest point on the hike at 2,645 feet in elevation (the first mountain was at 2,600). This is accomplished through a series of short climbs followed by short, level reprieves.
At the top of the first hill is an intersection with a trail that leads to the picnic area in one direction and a pond in the other. No distances are given, and though I would have liked to check out the pond, I wasn’t about to start hiking towards it without knowing how far away it was. Therefore, I made a left to stay on the Smart View Loop Trail. A directional sign is at the intersection.
The trail then continues up another small hill. At one point the trees and brush clear and there is a view of the mountains. I was hiking the trail in the morning, and the view faces due east. The sun shining directly in my face coupled with the smog (a huge problem on the Blue Ridge Parkway) washed out any chance of getting a decent photograph.
Just past the clearing is one last intersection. If you wish to end the hike early, take this back to the parking lot. Hiking farther takes you south on a long, narrow loop. The draw is getting to the top of the mountain for a great view of the surrounding area, but in truth, the view has long since been overgrown, and you won’t even know you are at the top until you start hiking back down the other side. I continued on—it’s my job—but unless you just want some more exercise, you might as well turn here. It’s 1.50 miles back to the parking lot if you opt to complete the entire Smart View Loop Trail.
Intersection with the Smart View Loop Trail and a shortcut trail back to the parking lot near the Blue Ridge Parkway
From the intersection it is a pleasant .3 mile hike to the top of the mountain, but as mentioned, there are no more scenic views.
The hike down the mountain is more of the same and lasts for roughly .4 mile. Other than a somewhat steep stretch for a tenth of a mile, the trip is easy. I have bad knees and dread downhill hikes, but most of the time I didn’t even need my hiking poles to help take the stress off my knees on the way down (though I did have them with me). When you reach the bottom you will be at the far end of the loop and ready to begin the turn back towards the parking lot. This comes 2.25 miles from the start.
The final leg of the journey is along a fairly level stretch of terrain with perhaps a few small hills here and there. The only fly in the ointment is that the rubble rocks return. In fact, I took a face-down fall hiking along this level terrain despite using my hiking poles. It just goes to show that no matter what the terrain and no matter how careful you are, if you come down wrong on the smallest rock, you can do some serious damage.
The Smart View Loop Trail eventually comes out on the opposite side of the parking lot. The National Park Service claims it is 2.6 miles in length, but according to my GPS, that’s not even close—it’s three miles. I definitely enjoyed the hike, but it’s nothing you need to go out of your way for. If you are at the Smart View Recreation Area and have time on your hands, there’s certainly worse things that you can do.
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Last updated on December 13, 2023