Slowing Down In the Blue Ridge Mountains

Taking a couple of weeks “off” and staying at Utt’s Campground in Fancy Gap to rejuvenate surrounded by mountains and trees has been amazing. We only spent one night in this place passing through on a prior trip (see the blog linked in the name, or find the campground in the list below), but fell in love with it, and the community.

Being near the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mount Airy, and at a higher elevation to avoid the summer heat made it a great spot, and as an added bonus, a friend recently bought a home nearby, and it’s only a few hundred miles from where our oldest lives–it’s pretty perfect.

We’ve enjoyed walks, drives and hikes on nearby trails. Watched the tractor bale hay on the adjacent field, and been dazzled with cotton candy sunsets and lightning bug shows nearly every single night. The hills have made our run days challenging, but falling asleep to the silent trees and awakening to the birds chattering has made up for it. Our son and his girlfriend spent the birthday/holiday weekend with us and even enjoyed it.

We spent an afternoon driving down the Blue Ridge and visiting Groundhog Mountain, Mabry Mill and Meadows of Dan. Another day we hiked Devil’s Den Nature Preserve–a challenging 2 mile hike with the reward of a cave and amazing views. We also hike a small portion of New River Trail State Park’s 57 mile multi-purpose trail. And the food! So many great little stops for BBQ, sandwiches, ice cream and so much more!

Our youngest went back to D.C. with our oldest for a week, so BJ and I got a glimpse of empty nest life. While it was nice, it was pretty quiet, too. We enjoy having the kids around, even when we are all squished into the same camper for a weekend. I’m grateful we’ve got a few more years before our youngest is off on his own–although he talks like he will just get his own rig and still travel with us!

On our drive over to pick him up from the city, we explored the Natural Bridge State Park–something the kids found and explored when they were traveling back and forth and told us we had to stop for, too. George Washington wrote about surveying there in his journals and rumor has it that the G.W. initials carved into the rock walls are his. Whether they are or not, this stop is worth the time and admission fee to gawk at this natural beauty–much more impressive than any photos can do justice of. The steps are a challenge, but the reward of walking along the stream, under the bridge and along the path are a great reward.

Whether you travel full time or part time, remember to take some down time for yourself and your family. Work will always be there, and you will never manage seeing and doing everything on your list. But finding your quiet place and letting life catch up with you does wonders for your soul and letting you appreciate every moment you have.

If you are going to be in the Southwest Virginia area, here’s a list of all the places we enjoyed. There were several shops and general stores we explored, as well. I could write volumes about each of these locations, but that would take some of the fun out of the adventure.

Camping:
Utt’s Campground (Fancy Gap) (great views, big rig friendly–tell Carter we sent you!)

Hiking:
Devil’s Den Nature Reserve (cemetery, hiking trail to a cave, and a pavilion for events)
New River Trail State Park (lots of parking and camping spots along its 57 mile trail)

Natural Bridge State Park (natural bridge, waterfalls and hiking trails, as well as a food court or picnic tables)

Exploring:
Blue Ridge Parkway (there are 469 miles in North Carolina and Virginia, so do a little, or all of it)
Groundhog Mountain Picnic Area, milepost 188.8 along the Blue Ridge Parkway (picnic stops, beautiful views, a lookout tower and some history about the log fences–it really was interesting!)
Mabry Mill (milepost 176, along the Blue Ridge Parkway) (it was being repaired when we visited, bring lunch or head into nearby Meadows of Dan)
Meadows of Dan (milepost 177, along the Blue Ridge parkway) (the hometown of a dear friend and lots of great stop)
Hillsville, VA (the VFW put on a great 4th of July event!)
Mount Airy, NC (a.k.a. Mayberry–you can also check out our blog from a prior visit for details here)

Food:
The Gap Deli (Fancy Gap) (Great sandwiches)
Fancy Gap Country Store (the BBQ is delicious and the ice cream is sweet)
Thirsty Souls Community Brewing (Mount Airy) (they have amazing gluten free pizza!)
Nancy’s Candy Co. (Meadows of Dan) (good luck choosing)
Poor Farmers Deli (Meadows of Dan) (the hillbilly sandwich was great)
Primitive Coffee Farm Market Bakery (Meadows of Dan) (enjoy coffee, a treat, and a game of chess)

This beautiful location is one we look forward to passing through on future journeys.
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Let us know some of your favorite places, in this area or others, to add to our list!

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