The Abingdon & Damascus trip is something we do each fall. This year, we wanted to add the Grayson Highlands State Park to the mix and hike there before we ventured down into Damascus.
We arrived to GHSP around 9:30am and it wasn’t many people there at that point. One thing I do need to mention if you’re going, be sure to take cash. I do not use cash ever and was shocked it was a $7 entry fee to get in here. Luckily we had a few bucks in the car to use so we could get in and park.
Once you enter GHSP from Route 58, it’s a very short drive up the paved road until you hit a guard shack where you pay to park, cash only. You then continue up to the parking area, which will be on your right hand side. There is plenty of parking.
We entered the hiking area on the same side of the road as the parking area and went through the fence. The path was very nice and wide. It’s a rocky path so keep that in mind. From the parking area you follow the Rhododendron Trail up about 1.7 miles, which is noted by intense blue blaze color. The Rhododendron Trail intersects the Appalachian Trail which has a white blaze color. It’s very easy to navigate though. You can continue on the Rhododendron Trail to the Horse Trail North (orange blaze) to continue to Mount Rogers.
As you go up the Rhododendron Trail, you will begin to see wild ponies out in the fields and woods. You might need to veer off of the trails to see them in the woods, but it’s easy to do. The views here are beautiful. We took the trail all the way up almost to the state park boundaries, then back down. I am not an avid hiker and slightly out of shape. This was an easy hike for me and it was definitely one of my favorite hikes that we have done. I am excited to go back and do this one again. I HIGHLY recommend it.
After we left GHSP, we jumped back onto Route 58 west bound and headed toward Damascus. Once we got to Whitetop Gap Rd., I decided to turn up and go to the White Top trail head for the Virginia Creeper Trail. This is somewhere we’ve been several times to ride down, but the VCT is closed from White Top to Damascus currently due to damage from the hurricane.
We walked around White Top Station and just thought about how sad it was that it was ‘closed’. Hopefully next year it will be reopened.
After we left White Top Station, we went back down Whitetop Gap Rd back to Route 58 and turned left and went down to Green Cove Road. Here, we stopped at Green Cove Station. This is one of our favorite stops when we ride the VCT. We also went here when we were doing hurricane relief in 2024. Again it was sad to see it empty, but I know it’ll be packed again one day soon. We walked around Green Cove a bit before jumping back on Route 58 and heading into Damascus. Once we got to Damascus, we stopped at Tipsy Bear and grabbed some lunch.
The food at Tipsy Bear was okay. We were starving at that point. We ate then rode into Damascus where we parked and walked around the town. Damascus is a very small mountain town where you can walk from one end to the other in about an hour and see everything. We love the town though. We went to Damascus Outfitters to do some shopping, then we walked over to the Old Mill to see the ducks at Laurel Creek. We were just enjoying the town, and walking around.
After we were finished in Damascus, we went ahead and headed up Route 58 to Abingdon. Damascus to Abingdon is only about a 15 minute drive. We got to Abingdon and went to our hotel, which we stay at The Martha Washington Hotel. The Martha Washington Inn and Spa in Abingdon, Virginia, is a historic landmark offering guests a unique blend of Southern charm, luxury, and history. Originally built in 1832 by General Francis Preston as a private residence, the building later became Martha Washington College in 1858, one of the first colleges in the United States dedicated to higher education for women. During the Civil War, the property served as a hospital and training site for troops, earning the affectionate nickname “The Martha.”
After the college closed in 1932, the historic building was transformed into a hotel in 1935. Today, the Martha Washington Inn and Spa offers modern amenities, relaxing accommodations, and a full-service spa, all while preserving its rich history and elegant architecture.
After we checked into our hotel and got settled in, we decided to take showers and head to dinner. One of our go-to restaurants while here, is Aubrey’s in Bristol Tennessee. Aubrey’s is great!! We got to Aubrey’s and had dinner. After dinner, we went back to the hotel where we’d spend the rest of the night in the outdoor hot tub. It had been a great first day!
This morning we woke up fairly early so we could go get breakfast. We drove into Damascus and went to the Damascus Diner for breakfast. We got there about 7am and had a fantastic breakfast. The service was good and the food was great. We then drove into Shady Valley, Tennessee to see Backbone Rock, which we have hiked before. We were just killing time at this point. Finally at 8:45 we went to Adventure Damascus where we had our bikes reserved. Today we were going to ride the lower portion of the VCT from Abingdon to Damascus. We both reserved a Veloctric Bike (ebike) to ride the trail. From Abingdon to Damascus is fairly flat with a very slight decline. The cost for 2 ebikes was $163 for the day.
We got in the shuttle at 9 and headed for Abingdon where our driver Dave would drop us off at the Abingdon trailhead. We hopped on our bikes and off we went on the VCT. We made great time as there wasn’t many people on the trail this morning. It was 9am on a weekday morning which helped. We made several photo stops along the way but made great time. We made it to Alvarado Station in what seemed like no-time. We stopped here for a bit and bought drinks and just sat on the picnic table and relaxed. Finally we hopped back onto our bikes and continued back to Damascus. 17.5 miles later we arrived back in Damascus where we would return our bikes about 11:30am.
After we dropped off the bikes, we went across the street to the Wicked Chicken to get some lunch. The service was good and the food was as well. We were just hungry. After we ate, we drove back to Abingdon where we’d walk around town a bit. Then we took showers and headed to Bristol for dinner. Tonight was Aubrey’s again.
Before dinner, we went downtown Bristol to State Street to walk around. State Street is the border of Tennessee and Virginia. We walked around and got some milkshakes, before heading to Hard Rock Casino. We went into Hard Rock but didn’t stay too long. It was a nice casino though! Then we went to the Pinnacle. However we got to the Pinnacle where Aubrey’s is, and did some shopping first. My wife wanted to look for a baby shower gift and some jeans. We spent time at the Pinnacle shopping before going to eat.
Once we left Aubrey’s, we went to Target to get some Chap Stik then headed back to the hotel to spend the evening in the hot tub. That’s all we’d do the rest of the night.
Today we woke up and grabbed breakfast at the hotel. Now I love our hotel and The Martha is a great resort. However the on-site restaurant, The Sisters Restaurant, plain out sucks. They do not have a breakfast menu where you can order breakfast you want. They have a rotating menu of either an omelet or croissant. Another day they do have scrambled eggs but that’s it. If you don’t like those options like us, then you’re screwed. Anyway. We ate then headed up to Russell County where we’d visit Pinnacle Natural Preserve. Now this morning it was COLD! We got there and saw bear, so we turned around. We went back to Lebanon where we’d drive around and see that little town before going back to Abingdon.
Once we got back to Abingdon, we walked around town and went into several little shops. We stopped at Butchers Grind to grab lunch. I got a smash burger and this was one of the best burgers I have had in a long time. If you’re in Abingdon, I highly recommend this place! We then went back to the hotel where we’d swim and spend time in the hot tub to kill time. I then went back to the room to take a nap. This trip was catching up to me.
After my nap, we took showers and went to Damascus for dinner. Tonight we were eating at Wilson’s Cafe. This was by far the best meal I have eaten in a while. My wife and I both had sirloin with mashed potatoes, broccoli and candied bacon. The food here was fantastic!!! I highly recommend eating here. The total for dinner was around $85.
We finished dinner then headed back to Abingdon. We got back to Abingdon and walked over to the Barter Theater.
Established in 1933 during the Great Depression, Barter Theatre is the nation’s longest-running professional Equity theatre. Its unique name originates from the original admission policy, where patrons could pay for tickets with produce, livestock, or other goods, reflecting the area’s agricultural community. Tonight we were seeing Anne of Green Gables. When I book tickets at the Barter, I book based on date, not what’s playing. We always see something here and it never disappoints.
After the play, we went back to the hotel to cap off the night in the hot tub, of course. 🙂
This was a very short trip but we packed it full of things to do. We had so much fun in our little mountain towns. I love the area, the people and everything about it.
The Virginia Creeper Trail is fun for all ages. From 9-90, if you can ride a bike, you can enjoy the Virginia Creeper Trail. Be sure to eat at Wilsons and catch a play at the Barter. This is an annual tradition for us!
