Sunday, October 26 hikes

• Roanoke Valley Greenway walk lead by Roanoke Valley Greenway Coordinator Liz Belcher-Meet at the Hotel Roanoke at 8:15 am
   
• Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve Hike lead by Mike Leahy with Department of Conservation and Recreation.  See below for details.

Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve Hike

What: A short and moderately strenuous hike of three-quarters of a mile with the option for those interested in a very strenuous additional 2 mile hike. This natural area preserve is 925 acres of rugged mountainous terrain, and hosts the world’s largest known population of a globally rare shrub called piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla). The property is owned and managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation – Division of Natural Heritage. All hikers will get an opportunity to see the rare piratebush as well as chestnut oak and table-mountain pine forests and views of rugged Blue Ridge mountains terrain. We will see an array of fall colors of black gum, red maple, striped maple, huckleberries and oaks. If we’re lucky we might spot some resident birds such as the Common Raven, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker and Tufted Titmouse. Amazingly this rugged preserve is only 10 air miles from downtown Roanoke.

When: 9:30 am on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Where: Meet at the Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve parking lot at 9:30 am. This preserve is an hour’s drive from downtown Roanoke. Directions are as follows:

Directions: See directions below; maps of the preserve will be available at the conference.

From I-81 near Roanoke take Exit 137 onto Route 112 East into Salem. Go 0.5 mile to Main Street (Route 460). Turn left (east) and go 0.8 mile to Mill Lane on the right. Turn right and go 0.4 mile - across railroad tracks and the Roanoke River - to West Riverside Drive. Turn left and go 0.8 mile to 12 O’clock Knob Road (Route 694) on the right. Turn right and go 4.8 miles to the preserve entrance on the right.

From Downtown Roanoke get onto I-581/Hwy 220 south and take this to the intersection with Hwy 419 (Electric Rd). Go right (north) onto Hwy 419 (Electric Rd) and take this to the intersection with Hwy 221. Go left (south) onto Hwy 221. Go 4.9 miles south on Hwy 221. Turn right onto 12 O’clock Knob Road (Route 694) and go 3.6 miles to the preserve entrance on the left.