Once the longest railroad tunnel in the United States, the Blue Ridge Tunnel is now an easy rail trail for walking or biking.

This weekend is far from a waste - get out and enjoy if you can!

Botetourt County first responders assisted Roanoke County while rescuing a hiker who sustained a traumatic injury at the Read Mountain Preserve.

Multiple crews at work to locate lost hiker on Appalachian TrailROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. – UPDATEFirst responders have rescued an injured hiker who fell from the icy Appalachian Trail, making this the third rescue like this along the trail over the weekend. Crews said the hiker fell about 200 feet off the mountain while hiking with a group. While a helicopter rescued the hiker, a few crews stepped through the snow to treat them on the ground. ORIGINAL STORYEmergency crews are working to locate a lost hiker Sunday afternoon in Rockbridge County. At about 3:15 p.m., the Big Island Volunteer Fire Company and Bedford County Special Operations Command were dispatched to another emergency rescue on the Appalachian Trail.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Mountain overlook is about a 2 mile round trip hike that is a great way to start the morning! You’ll park off the Blue Ridge Parkway right at the Roanoke Mountain Road intersection. With each turn up the road, the view through the trees got prettier and prettier. As we came upon the overlook, you can see the mountains start to pop up in front of you. The view was amazing, and the overlook had photos that showed what mountains were where- you could even see the tip of the Mill Mountain Star from the top.

ROANOKE, Va. – McAfee Knob is one of Roanoke’s hot spots for hiking, but with a high-volume of visitors comes issues with parking. Roanoke County wants to remind hikers that there are limited spots for parking in the area and parking in the wrong place can result in vehicles being ticketed or towed. Here are a few reminders from officers to visitors about parking:Parking in a way that restricts or blocks traffic is prohibited on all roads regardless of a “No Parking” signIf there’s no “No Parking” sign, you can park off the roadwayIf there’s a “No Parking” sign, parking there is prohibited and you may be ticketedVehicles improperly parked may be subject to towing at the towing companies' ratesPolice recommend to use the park and ride lots at:Intersection of Route 311 and Route 360Intersection of Route 419 and Route 11Interstate 81, Exit 140Other parking is available at Catawba CenterOver the next several weekends, VDOT will place portable message boards in the area to keep vehicles off the roadway.