How We Found It: Beth hiked another segment of the Tanawha Trail with her dad years ago. Also, one of Beth’s favorite spots on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway is along the Tanawha Trail: Rough Ridge at MP 302.8.
Date and Distance Hiked: 7/7/12, 6.5 miles
Find the Trailhead: Park at the Beacon Heights parking area at MP 305.2 on the BRP (milepost 305.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway). Cross a small road behind the parking area, walk up a little ways on Beacon Heights Trail and take a left on the Tanawha Trail.
Map: We were only able to find a few guides and basic maps on the internet, like here. Printing a map and downloading one to your phone is highly recommended.
Bathroom Situation: Woods, until you reach the Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center (MP 304.4), which is 1.7 miles hike from Beacon Heights. The Visitor Center has restrooms and a little giftshop.
Fees (How Much/Where): Free.
Our Route: We hiked from Beacon Heights to Wilson Creek and back, as the title of this post would lead you to believe. When we got back to Beacon Heights, we continued a quarter mile to the peak and back, just for kicks.
What Nobody Told Us: Traffic noise is a constant because the trial runs adjacent to the Parkway.
A sign at the Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center mentioned that a fatal accident in spring 2012 involving a maintenance worker meant that upkeep of the trail had been halted (for a while?). Many parts of the trail were overgrown. In some areas, it was difficult to push through the brush and/or see your feet. This slowed the hike considerably.
This is not a particularly steep trail, but it can be technically difficult, especially if you have dubious ankles.
Hike Highlights:
• Walking underneath the Linn Cove Viaduct on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain
• Peak of rhododendron season on Grandfather Mountain, which is called an “International Biosphere Reserve.”
• Boulder fields.
• Bridges so well constructed that they had to be flown onto the trail by helicopter.
• Tame deer.
• Fancy footwork: the trail was overgrown and generally very rocky.
• Another view of the Blue Ridge Parkway (from below, from beside it, from above) because the trail runs alongside it.
Blue Ridge Dayhiking 