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. (more…)

Have you wanted to hike the Rock Castle Gorge loop near the Floyd-Patrick county line, but you’re not up to full 10.8-mile circuit with its steep, rugged climbs? Try a bite-sized chunk of this route that is doable for kids and fun for grown-ups: the one-mile stretch that climbs from Rocky Knob Campground (3,080 feet) to the summit of Rocky Knob (3,572 feet), the high point of the Rock Castle Gorge trail. (more…)

Join the National Committee for the New River (NCNR) and fellow volunteers and get dirty for the New River this Saturday, September 26. Meet at Shelter #1 at the Foster Falls Access of the New River Trail State Park at 9 a.m. Get in the river and get trash out until 1 p.m. Then join NCNR and your fellow volunteers for a lunch party back at Shelter #1.

Come dressed to get down, get dirty, and get wet. Wear closed-toe shoes—no flip-flops or Crocs—for safety’s sake.  You may want to bring a change of clothes for the lunch party. Call NCNR for more information:  336.982.6267 or e-mail courtney@ncnr.org.

NCNR envisions a permanently protected New River as a treasured natural resource.  The mission of NCNR is to advocate for successful protection of the New River, to restore eroding river and stream banks and enhance riparian habitat, and to permanently protect land along the River. NCNR works in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia’s New River watershed. The organization has protected over 5,500 acres of land important to the River’s water quality, scenic and natural values, and has restored more than 69 miles of river and stream bank.

Several things make our very own New River unique. For one, many geologists say that it is the second oldest river in the world. (They say the Nile River is the oldest). Also, it is one of the few rivers in the world that flows north, as opposed to the opposite. Finally, it is the meeting place for not only a variety of wildlife, but college students from Radford University and Virginia Tech, as well as locals of the New River Valley. (more…)

Memorial Day begins an unofficial start to summer, and now post-Memorial Day and with warm weather in the New River Valley, it opens the door for people to take advantage of the area’s natural abundance and get outside.

“For an outdoor business I think the quality of life is really nice,” said Shawn Hash, owner and guide of Tangent Outfitters. “It makes just a good place to be and to be healthy. We have so many options such as the river and the New River Trail.” (more…)

Leaves provide luscious color to many of our homes and stores. After highlighting their display of life, the hassle of cleaning the leftovers can be pain we all have to burden. However, who says it’s all a chore with no fun? This Saturday, Nov. 8, Pathways for Radford is holding its Sixth Annual “Rake Leaves, Eat Pie,” down at Wildwood Park.

Raking leaves off the nature trails through Wildwood Park will help to ensure paths will be less slippery during the winter months. Elizabeth Altieri, a member and event organizer for this Saturday has been working with Pathways for Radford with her husband for years now. “We support all things green … environmentally and nature,” she said. After six years, the event has gained local support from nature enthusiast residents. Around 25-40 people show up to pave the way to mother nature’s eloquent scenery.

After clearing the paths, everyone gathers for festive pie eating. Usually 10-15 pies are readily made for everyone to share. “Pumpkin pie pecan crunch” is Altieri’s favorite. It seems to hit the spot after an hour of raking leaves. Other refreshments, such as hot chocolate, coffee, donuts, and other heart-warming goods, are supplied by Pathways for Radford prior to the raking.

This event comes as the last of the season for this busy group. Earlier this summer, they opened a new mountain bike trail in Radford on July 19. Throughout the summer they hold an educational forum and lectures on nature at the Outdoor Classroom at Wildwood Park. Much of their work takes them through the commonly used Riverway path that extends from the Dedmon Center, through Bisset Park and into Wildwood Park. Their goals are clear and simple, to educate and promote maintenance and use of all trailways that run through Radford.

Wheatley Stefan is an intern at the New River Voice.