EAGLE ROCK, Va. – About six miles off of 220 north lies Roaring Run. The hike is an out and back 1.7 miler that is dog friendly and a popular trail year round.
To access the hike, park in the lot and walk along the gravel road until you see the information board. There’s options to do a few different routes, but we went with the most popular one and followed the arrows to Roaring Run Falls.
The beginning of the trail is a moderate incline and eventually dumps out to a path along the river. You’ll cross over several bridges on your way to the top.
About midway there, there’s a bench to stop and take in the scenery.
In the summer, some of the smaller falls turn into water slides, which is a cool treat in the hot weather.
You’ll know when you’re almost to the top when it gets a little steep and when you start to see a little mountain run off on the side of the trail.
After a set of stairs, you’ll be able to see the falls in the distance. A sign at the top explicitly states to not climb on the rocks.
And there’s no need, the view is beautiful from the overlook, nestled between brown rocks, moss, and trees.
Follow the trail back the same way you came in, but at the bottom, take a left and follow the signs to the historic iron ore. A cool history lesson on the way out!