hking southern virigina: 51 hikes from the cumberland gap to the atlantic coast

Explore 51 of Virginia’s best options for short walks, hiking excursions, and backpacking adventures!

From its lowest point at sea level to its loftiest mountain more than 5,000 feet high, Virginia south of US 60 is an unparalleled region. The terrain is diverse and beautiful, and the plant- and wildlife are varied and abundant. To truly see and appreciate the land’s natural wonders, a person should travel on foot.

In the east, walk for miles upon quiet beaches or hike across Tidewater lands preserved for migrating birds. Upon the rolling piedmont of central Virginia, discover historic sites from the days of the Civil War, as well as hikes around lakes both large and small. To the west, negotiate the ups and downs of the Blue Ridge region, where the rewards are well worth the effort. Gaze at wave after wave of Southern Appalachian ridgelines and at dozens of waterfalls that gush down steep slopes. Plus, hundreds of miles of the Appalachian Trail create opportunities for backpacking.

In Hike Virginia South of US 60, expert hiker and naturalist Leonard M. Adkins helps you experience the joys of walking and hiking throughout the area. The award-winning Virginia author spotlights 51 trails that traverse more than 400 miles. Routes range from easy walks on level ground to ambitious, multi-day backpacking excursions over rugged terrain. Each entry includes full-color maps and photographs, as well as driving directions and trail descriptions. Leonard also includes his fascinating insights on each site’s history and culture, plus vital at-a-glance information about distance, hiking time, and elevation gain.

Inside You’ll Find

• 51 hikes--popular trails and hidden gems--covering over 400 miles


• Short walks, day hikes, and backpacking excursions


• Full-color maps and photographs


• Trail information chart with key details about every featured hike

Leonard M. Adkins has logged more than 20,000 miles hiking the world’s backcountry. Each hiking season finds him on some new adventure. He has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail five times; traversed the Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico; followed the full Pacific Northwest Trail through Montana, Idaho, and Washington; and walked several hundred miles upon Canada’s Great Divide Trail. He has also trekked the full length of the Pyrenees High Route from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and has explored Iceland’s interior. With his wife, Laurie, he hiked West Virginia’s Allegheny Trail, the Ozark Highlands Trail in Arkansas, and the Mid-Atlantic’s Tuscarora Trail. Together, they tramped New Zealand’s Milford Track and a number of the country’s other Great Walks. And, of course, he has hiked every one of the trails in this book--along with many other pathways to determine which ones were the best to include. In addition, he walked each of these routes with a surveyor’s measuring wheel to ensure the accuracy of the mileage and the description.

Leonard is the author of more than 20 books and over 200 articles on the outdoors, nature, and travel and is the walking columnist for Blue Ridge Country magazine. His writing has received numerous awards including the National Outdoor Book Award and SATW Foundation’s Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. He has also been a Ridge Runner and a Natural Heritage Monitor for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, helping to observe and protect rare and endangered plants, and he has been on the boards of directors of two Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs. He and his wife live in North Chesterfield, Virginia.