WILLIS, Va. – Buffalo Mountain is a 2.2 mile loop just outside of Floyd that offers gorgeous 360 degree views from its peak.
You’ll park in the lot for Buffalo Mountain Nature Preserve. There’s two ways to get up, we took the Oak Trail, which is a little longer and less steep. This trail is marked by red blazes.
It starts out very narrow with plants growing on all sides. There’s a steady incline that’s a little rocky. My tennis shoes were just fine.
After about 15 minutes you’ll start to see a little ridge through the trees. There’s even a rock to stand on and take a break. At about half a mile you’ll hit the first traverse. And I was already just about done with the heat.
A few yards later will be the second traverse. I liked this part of the trail with its nice cover and then it opened up into huge trees and greenery. And you can’t forget the mountain laurel!
At the one mile mark, take the trail to the left this is definitely the steepest part, but within five minutes, you’re at the top.
The initial opening is gorgeous and faces North Carolina. Continue walking down the ridge, and make sure to stay within the black rope. On the other side you’ll face Virginia, with Peaks of Otter in the distance.
We kept walking and climbed up on the big rock to take some pictures and drink water. The breeze was so nice and it was the perfect spot to chill.
On the way back, we took the Ridge Trail, which loops back to the parking area. This hike is the perfect day trip, picnic spot, or photo op and anyone can do it.