Roaring Run Hike

We went for a lovely hike last weekend!

No, really, they enjoyed it!

It was at Roaring Run Furnace, just south of Alleghany in Botetourt. The hike to the falls was about 3/4 of a mile at an easy grade. Abbo walked most of the way up; Andy carried her some of the way because she was slow and her legs got tired. But Hannah made it the whole way.

The best part of the hike was that it is almost wholly right beside the creek (Roaring Run), so its cool, moist and pleasant, with lots to see and do.

(like threatening your parents with a stick while perched on a rock over the creek)

(or playing Indian in the cave)

There are two sets of falls - well, one cascade and one falls, I guess. There's also a special trout management area, and while we saw several fishermen, we didn't see anything in their creels. But we did see a couple fish in the deep holes.

(upper falls)

On the way back, we took the Woodland Trail, which is exactly what it says: a trail through a mostly deciduous forest with some piney sections, especially at higher elevations. There was one fairly steep grade with an overlook.

The rest was downhill from the falls back to the furnace and the parking lot area.

We'll definitely go back and do this hike again....but with more than corn chips for a snack at the top!

And afterwards to celebrate? The girls put Pull-Ups on their heads and said they were fire helmets....then dressed up all their stuffed animals with the same. Argh.