'Trail Town USA' Is A Hiker's Paradise Where Virginia's Iconic Treks Converge

A small town in Virginia holds a special place in the East Coast hiking community. Damascus, Virginia is known as 'Trail Town USA.' Seven trails converge in town, including two major ones, the Appalachian Trail, and for bikers, the Virginia Creeper Trail. Damascus is rural, so the closest major airport is Charlotte International Airport in North Carolina, about 2 hours and 39 minutes away.

Along with the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Creeper Trail, there is the Iron Mountain Trail, Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route, TransAmerica Bicycle Trail / Route 76, TransVirginia Bike Route, and the Crooked Road all leading into Damascus. While there is so much you can explore in Damascus, check out the lovely looking trail center located downtown. It's focused on the national trails and acts as a regional hub for thru hikers and visitors. If you're traveling through in May, catch the Appalachian Trails Day Festival, which is the town's biggest event of the year.

To capture the love in Virginia, go find the two LOVEworks signs in Damascus, which are a part of the more than 300 LOVE signs across the state. There are two in town, one is at Damascus Old Mill Inn on the bank of Laurel Creek, and the other one is a mural on the wall of the Damascus Town Pool along the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Since you will want to fit in as much exploring as possible, there are several options for places to stay in town. The Damascus Old Mill Inn is a historic spot with 17 rooms right by the waterfall and Virginia Creeper Trail. It's not your cheapest option, as the rooms range from $169-$329 a night, but if you're looking for a historic stay in a great location with a restaurant in house, it could be a good bet. The Dragonfly Inn is a small Bed and Breakfast with three rooms, and guests are given a $10 food voucher towards one of the owner's three eateries in town, including the Damascus Diner. The three rooms are right around $120 per night, with the suite running just $10 more for $130 per night. If you're looking for a place to stay with a kitchen, Damascus Cabins are a great option to consider, and they have one cabin that is pet friendly. The cost ranges from $150-$170 per night with a two-night minimum.

Parking in Damascus is free to the public, with street parking throughout the town, as well as long-term overnight parking by the town park and pool where backpackers can leave their cars. If you're staying at a hotel in town, it's recommended you park there and walk or ride a bike downtown.

Even if you are not an expert hiker or biker, you can still get out on the trails to experience the beauty of Damascus. Rent a bike to check out the Virginia Creeper Trail, which is named one of the most beautiful bike trails across the US and also one of the best rail trails in America. Two rental options are The Bike Station and Adventure Damascus Bicycle & Outdoor Co., both located in Damascus. Both shops offer regular bike rentals and specialty bike accessories like tandem bikes or trailers, as well as shuttle options to the Virginia Creeper Trail.

The bike rental and shuttle combo package from both bike shops is $39.99 and the shuttle transports you to Abingdon, Virginia, for a 17-mile bike ride on the trail back to Damascus. The bike ride back after the shuttle should take about 2.5-3 hours to complete, crossing the longest bridge on the Virginia Creeper Trail.

On the edge of town, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area has several trails including to Virginia's tallest mountain, where you can hike and see gorgeous views along the route. Mount Rogers has an elevation of 5,729 feet, and is a 10.5 mile hike that will take you about 4.5 hours to complete. Along the route you may just see wild ponies!