Mount Rogers is the highest point in VA with a summit elevation of 5,729 feet. The hike from the Massie Gap parking area within Grayson Highlands State Park to the top of Mount Rogers is a 9-mile out and back hike. And IT IS BREATHTAKING! There were moments when we felt as though we were hiking in Europe, perhaps in the countryside of Ireland. It was so green and lush, with gorgeous vistas. It was hard to believe we were in Virginia. The elevation changes everything.

The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in located in southwestern VA near the borders of North Carolina and Tennessee. Grayson Highlands State Park adjoins the recreation area on the south, near Mount Rogers, and Grayson Highlands provides the most well known access to the peak.

There are 500 miles of hiking trails within the parks, making it one of the premier hiking spots in the Appalachian Mountains. There is a 78 mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail that goes through the area.

Drew and I agreed that we wouldn’t take the kids on the entire 9-mile hike just yet. But there were plenty of families hiking and camping within the first few miles of the trail…far enough in to see the WILD PONIES!

The ponies are small and sturdy. Some are very friendly and inquisitive, while others keep their distance. Truly fun to hike and search for ponies along the way.