Memorial Day weekend allowed us to celebrate both our fallen soldiers and the unofficial start of summer with barbecues, pool openings, and the start of consistently warm weather. With the holiday weekend having come and gone and local schools now out for summer, we can now enjoy all the outdoor recreation that the New River Valley has to offer with the new-found freedoms of the season.

For those who want to go to a place with a little bit of everything, Claytor Lake State Park has an abundance of outdoor activities for almost any interest or age group. If you’d like a relaxing getaway, the park offers cabins, lodges and campsites with hookups for RVs. While you’re there, you can explore the four miles of easy-to-moderate hiking trails, cool off with a swim in the lake, or go fishing for bass, catfish, muskie, walleye, and striped bass, the most abundant fish found in the lake.

If you just want to make a day of it, parking is $3 on weekdays and $4 on weekends. Boat launch fees are $2 every day. Swimming is $2 on weekdays and $3 on weekends for ages 3-12, $3 on weekdays and $4 on weekends for ages 13 and over and free everyday for children under 3. Parking, boat launch, and swimming are free if you’re camping or renting a cabin. For local residents, an annual pass is available for $36 that allows you to come and go from the park as you wish without paying parking fees each time.

If you’re looking for a place to hike or bike, New River Trail State Park has 57 miles of continuous trail that parallels 39 miles of the New River. There are trails for hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. You can either bring your own horse or rent from the Foster Falls Horse Livery.

The New River Trail also offers fishing and kayak and canoe rentals. If you want to rough it, the park has four campgrounds where you can set up tents and sleep amongst nature. There are numerous entrances to the trail including in Galax, Cliffview, Draper, and Pulaski/Xaloy.

Parking is $2 on weekdays and $3 on weekends. Boat launch fees are $3 everyday. Horse trailer parking is $3 per trailer everyday. Horse trailers must be parked at the Allisonia, Cliffview, Fries, Draper, Pulaski, or Jackson Ferry Horse Complex entrances. If you want to rent a horse or arrange a guided horse ride, contact the Foster Falls Horse Livery at 276.699.2460.

For those looking for a place to picnic and enjoy a scenic walk, try Pandapas Pond, an 8-acre man-made pond located in the Jefferson National Forest. A one-mile gravel trail runs along the perimeter of the pond with picnic tables and benches along the way. There is also access to some other trails in the Jefferson National Forest such as Poverty Creek and Gap Mountain. Pandapas Pond also provides fishing and canoeing and is open from dawn until dusk. There is no entry or parking fee.

On up the road in Giles County is Cascade Falls, a great place for a day hike. With a lovely forested view along a moderate hike up to the waterfall, you can get in a hike of approximately 5 miles round-trip. Located off 460 in Pembroke, take a right (driving west) onto Cascade Drive (next to Tangent Outfitters) and it’s about 4 miles to the trail head. A parking donation of $2 is appreciated.

Voice columnist Charles Smith offered a recent piece on Radford’s Wildwood Park, which connects to Bisset Park via a trail known as the Riverway (PDF map). Walkers, joggers, and bicyclists can go from Radford’s West End near Wadsworth Street through Wildwood and Bisset all the way down to Radford University’s Dedmon Center. Through parks and with much of the trail near the New River, it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors.

If you’d prefer a splash in the pool or relaxing in the sun, the New River Valley has a few different family-friendly options for you to choose from. Randolph Park in Dublin is home to the Evelyn Alexander Water Park, which includes an eight-lane lap pool and a 38-foot-long water slide.

Through this weekend, the water park is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. From June 14 to Labor Day, the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Admission for infants is free, children under age 2 and seniors age 55 and up is $2, and ages 2 to 54 is $4 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. If you’re a Pulaski county resident, you can purchase discount pool passes with 20 visits being $40 and 10 visits being $20.

Another area option is The Frog Pond in Christiansburg. This park includes a pool with a maximum depth of 8 feet, a children’s pool, and five slides, including four tube slides and a frog slide. Frog Pond is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Admission for infants is free, children ages 2 to 4 and seniors age 55 and up are $2, and ages 5 to 54 are $4. You can also purchase various pool merchandise such as goggles, nose plugs, and swim diapers.

Last but not least is the Huckleberry Trail, which is a paved trail that follows an old railroad route, connecting the Walkway System of Christiansburg and the Blacksburg Bikeway.

With the abundance of outdoor activities in the New River Valley, there’s surely something for everyone to enjoy. For more information on parks in this area, visit the Virginia State Parks website.

Lindsey Macdonald is an intern for the New River Voice.