Grayson Highlands

Area/Range

Grayson Highlands

Page Type: Area/Range

Location: Virginia, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 36.65970°N / 81.5447°W

Activities: Hiking

Season: Fall

Elevation: 5729 ft / 1746 m

Page By: Wiktoria Plawska

Created/Edited: Feb 5, 2009 / Feb 7, 2009

Object ID: 486713

Hits: 1271

Page Score: 86.16% - 11 Votes

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Table of Contents

Overview

The Grayson highlands hold the state's highest peak. This peak is Mount Rogers. It is a spruce filled forest which from far does not really look like a peak but a big forested hill. The peak offers really no views what so ever, all there is are some large boulders with the metal circle on them.

The rest of Grayson is amazing. Barren hills are all throughout the state park. Where there are no grassy hills there are short tangled up rhododendron forests. It is literally impossible to bushwhack through such a forest. The branches are to thick to cut and it is just a huge tangled mess. There are huge boulders and rocky outcrops everywhere which are good for starting climbers.

There is a lot of wildlife in Grayson, the most popular are the wild ponies. They roam almost every part of the more grassy areas. Sometimes you might find these grazing about near your tent. This place is popular but not as popular as the Smoky Mountains in the Appalachian mountains. There are many tourists during the more beautiful parts of the year. When the rhododendrons bloom, which is in June. Also during the early-middle fall when all the blackberries and blueberries are ripe. If you came here for solitude and just to be with the wilderness you should stay off the Appalachian Trail, Mount Rogers Trail, Virginia Highlands Trail, and the Mount Rogers Spur Trail. Most of all the other trails are much less commonly used and you will be able to enjoy the wild wildlife more. Some of the ponies there are sadly domesticated and I have even see people petting them and feeding them.

Getting There

" Mount Rogers is most easily accessed from Interstate 81. Take exit 45 at Marion onto State Route 16 and go south. Proceed a 33 miles to the junction with US 58 at Volney. Turn right (west) onto 58 and in 8 miles turn right into Grayson Highlands State Park.

From I-77, take Hillsville Exit 14 to U.S. 58. Travel west on U.S. 58, 40 miles to Volney. Turn left to stay on U.S. 58 and go eight miles to the park entrance. "
From a SP member- mutant1

Red Tape

There is an entry fee per car to enter Grayson Highlands State Park

The gate to the park is opened only from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

One car for the weekend during peak season, $2.00

One car for the weekend day during peak season, $3.00

Dogs must be on a leash at all times.

"All national forest trails are open to foot and horse travel except the following foot only-trails: Appalachian Trail, Mount Rogers Trail, Mount Rogers Spur Trail, Cliffside Trail, Pine Mountain Trail, and Lewis Fork Spur Trail."
SP member- mutant1

When to Hike

Information from www.weather.com

You can come and travel here anytime but some months are better then others depending on what kind of person you are. Because these are higher altitudes you can keep away from the awful summer heat. During the summer (June-August) The temperatures can range from 34 to 13 degrees Celsius during the day but most likely it will be about 24 degrees Celsius during the day. During the summer night the conditions are much cooler. The temperatures range from about 17 to 2 degrees Celsius, the average is about 14 though. I would recommend hiking in either June, when the rhododendrons bloom and look absolutely beautiful.Or you can hike during the fall when the berries are ripe. If you are more of a solitude-finder, come during the winter. Most tourists will want to avoid the freezing winds and ice-covered boulders.

Fall (September-November) Averages-

Day- 17 degrees Celsius

Night-3 degrees Celsius

Winter (December-February)

Day- 5 degrees Celsius
Night- -6 degrees Celsius

Spring (March-May)

Day- 15 degrees Celsius

Night- 3 degrees Celsius

Camping

There are very beautiful campsites all over the hills of Grayson. Some very nice ones are about 30 minutes away from Mount Rogers Peak. There are no fees or permits needed for backcountry camping. You are not allowed to camp or have campfires on the summit. The state park camping is only allowed in developed sites. Even these sites are grass-filled and have great views of the hills around. There is a shelter, the Thomas Knob shelter. I prefer to sleep on grass, but during bad weather this shelter may have to be used.

Information