We Love Our National Parks, but This Virginia Park Is Just as Stunning

Shenandoah National Park is one of the many reasons why people visit Virginia. With its magnificent mountain views, cultural history, and abundant wildlife, it's certainly worth the trip. But it's not the only place where you can be swept away by such things. Grayson Highlands State Park is equally impressive and, when compared to Shenandoah National Park, quite a hidden gem. I've visited this part just twice, but it's easily one of my favorite places in the state.

Arriving at Grayson Highlands after navigating the notoriously windy roads of Southwest Virginia feels like coming into some kind of dreamscape. If you're driving from central Virginia or northern Virginia, you'll have been in the car for upwards of five hours, and, if you're like me, you'll be amazed by how far westward Virginia stretches.

Grayson Highlands State Park is Virginia's highest elevation state park, which affords it expansive views. The park is picture-perfect, with its well-kept facilities, straightforward layout, and the ever-present mountains. Neighboring the park are the two highest peaks in Virginia, Mount Rogers and White Top Mountain.

The park, originally Mount Rogers State Park, was established in 1965. The local community supported its establishment through fundraising and donations. About ten years later, a herd of wild ponies was introduced to the park, and they have existed there for about 50 years, arguably the park's most famous feature. Before the ponies were introduced, the open fields created by intense logging in the 19th century had become overgrown with brush. The U.S. Forest Service decided to let livestock graze the area to preserve the grassy balds and protect the wildlife and mountain views supported there. And thus, a small herd of Shetland ponies was introduced.

Today, nearly 150 of these horses roam the fields, and you'll likely spot them if you visit the park during the spring and summer. Hiking is one of the best ways to appreciate all that this wild space has to offer, and the Massie Gap and Wilburn Ridge Loop is a fantastic introduction to the park. This 2.3-mile trek is considered moderately challenging, and it's popular, so plan to arrive early if you're looking for a bit of solitude. It's possible to see the ponies along this trail, but please remember to give them space! It's important not to feed the wildlife.

If you want to climb to the highest point in Virginia, take the Wilburn Ridge, Pine Mountain, and Mount Rogers Trail. It's a strenuous 8.3-mile hike and requires a little rock scrambling, so be sure to wear sturdy shoes and consider hiking poles. Also, the top of Mount Rogers is covered in forest, so you won't get those sweeping views you may expect from the tallest point in Virginia. That being said, the vistas along the way are magnificent, and the hiking is overall some of the very best in the state—some would say the entire East Coast.

Have you ever ventured to Grayson Highlands State Park? What was your favorite part of visiting? If you've never been, be sure to share this article with a fellow hiking enthusiast and start planning your trip!

Love exploring Virginia's parks? Check out this list of visit-worthy state parks in Virginia with entrance fees of $5 or less.