Has this ever happened to you… You’re sitting around the house one weekend when you realize that you actually have time to do something different, something you choose to do. Taken aback by your brief freedom from a normally busy and pre-scheduled routine, you become paralyzed. Even with all the stuff there is to do in the NRV (that’s short for New River Valley for you out-of-towners), sometimes this paralysis is so debilitating that all you can think to do is go to the fridge, make a sandwich, and go watch golf or infomercials on the TV. Sure, there are obvious possibilities, like going to Claytor Lake or a Virginia Tech football game, but those things take planning and more time than you generally have on short notice.
Well, fear not my infomercial-stuffed friends! Folks you may not even know are working hard, lining up volunteers, soliciting private donations, and working with local and federal governments to redirect your tax money in the form of grants, all for this moment. All this effort gives you the solution to your dilemma of fleeting freedom – The Huckleberry Trail!
The Huckleberry Trail has a rich history to match that of the New River Valley. It started as a rail line to transport coal from the Merrimac Mine (now the location of the Coal Mining Heritage Park) to the Cambria Depot in Christiansburg. When the route started transporting passengers, it got the nickname Huckleberry Crossing, because when the train would stall, passengers would step off and pick the abundant huckleberries along the route.
Today the trail has been transformed, and you can pick your pleasure. Walk, hike, or pump up those flat bike tires and take them for a spin. Winding through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the paved 5.76-mile “rail-trail” will take you from the Blacksburg Library to the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg – with an estimated elevation decline of 100 feet!
Click here for a Map of the Huckleberry Trail!
Throughout the trail you will find markers at every half mile on wooden posts and benches, and a new restroom is located at the Coal Miners Park. Bring your dog (leashed, of course)! The trail conveniently provides free pet waste bags on several of the trail signs. There is even a bicycle “fix-it station” – donated by the New River Valley Bicycle Association (NRVBA) – at the library, so that cyclists can make minor repairs and adjustments on the road, rather than carrying tools or walking home.
So print this blog out and pin it on your fridge for the next time you have some time to enjoy but are struggling to get past sandwiches and vacuums.
For more information on the Huckleberry Trail, visit Friends of the Huckleberry Trail at http://huckleberrytrail.org/ and for other fun outdoor things to do, visit Explore New River Valley at http://explorenewrivervalley.com/.
Stateson Homes is proud to call the New River Valley home. We are dedicated to serving the communities in the New River Valley by providing quality homes in various communities and price points. Currently our community at Brittany Meadows is just a short drive to the Huckleberry Trail entrance at the Blacksburg Library.
In March 2014, we will break ground on new townhomes starting in the $170’s at Cambria Crossing in Christiansburg, just steps from the Huckleberry Trail at the other end.
No matter what your budget, we want your family to benefit from the intense attention to quality and detail that comes standard in all our new homes. Visit us at www.statesonhomes.com to learn more.
Submitted by Nick Campagnoli, Sales Manager-Stateson Homes
