Recreational Opportunities

Nestled in Virginia’s spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains, the Roanoke Valley offers abundant recreational opportunities, from sailing, boating and fishing on Smith Mountain Lake to hiking the Appalachian Trail to scenic drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Because of our milder climate, golfing is available most of the year, but for winter sports enthusiasts, there are numerous ski resorts close by. Not to mention shopping, antiquing, youth sports and many other activities for all lifestyles.

Franklin County Blueway Opens
Franklin County’s first “Blueway,” an eight-mile canoe trail that runs from Waid Park to the new Vernon Lee Lynch II Riverside Memorial Park in Rocky Mount on the Pigg River has opened. Lynch Park, located at the intersection of Scuffling Hill Road and Old Fort Road, was made possible by a gift from the Lynch Family Land Trust in honor of Thomas Harrison Lynch and Alma Lynch. The Pigg River was an important part of Franklin County’s early transportation system and the eight-mile canoe trail is now a part of its recreational future.