The power of pictures should never be underestimated.
It’s true that photos say more than words, as this huge photo essay will prove. Even the best prose can never convey the sheer magnificence of the landscapes in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands. Pictures can.
Just scroll down and you’ll see.
Last weekend, Caroline and I spent three days hiking and camping in Grayson Highlands State Park and neighboring Mount Roger National Recreational Area, both located in the Grayson Highlands region. It was fantastic. So far, I’ve hiked in only one place that’s more beautiful and memorable than this—the Hadrian’s Wall Path in northern England.
Grayson Highlands is a very close second, though. The hike from Massie Gap to the summit of Mount Rogers, the highest mountain in Virginia, for example, is easily the best day hike I’ve ever done. By far. It’s phenomenal. From mountain meadows to boulder-strewn knobs and from broadleaf to boreal forests, Grayson Highlands has an amazing variety in landscapes and biotopes. This varied scenery makes hiking in Grayson Highlands so exceptionally rewarding.
There are bubbling trout streams, waterfalls, lush forests, open fields and panoramic mountain summits. The main attraction in Grayson Highlands State Park, one of the greatest state parks in the USA, however, is its (semi-)wild ponies.
I will write another, more detailed blog post about Virginia’s Grayson Highlands in the next couple of weeks. For now, however, let’s begin with this huge photo essay.
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Just for the record, Virginia’s Grayson Highlands is a region in southern Virginia home to both Grayson Highlands State Park and the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Particularly Grayson Highlands State Park is so spectacular that it can easily compete with most American national parks.
50 Photos of Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Sunrays in Grayson Highlands
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- Happy hiking
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- Blue Ridge Mountains seen from Grayson Highlands
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- Summit of Mount Rogers
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- Rowan berries, Grayson Highlands, Virginia
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- Rolling Blue Ridge Mountains
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- Spectacular landscape in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Resting atop a knob in Grayson Highlands, Virginia
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- Pine forest on Mount Rogers
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- Wild ponies, Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Perfect sky in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Grazing ponies at dusk, Grayson Highlands
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- Nightfall in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Mushrooms on a hiking trail
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- Mountain meadows, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
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- Mini-sunset in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Wood versus rock
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- Time for s’mores!
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- Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Grayson Highlands
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- Ponies in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
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- Adventuring in the woods of Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
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- Breathtaking landscape in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Landscape in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Wilson Creek waterfall, Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Grayson Highlands landscape
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- Mountain landscape in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Awe-inspiring landscape in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Grazing ponies in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands
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- Goldenrod
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- Coffee, oatmeal, banana and trail map, the perfect breakfast
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- Huge boulders offering epic views
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- Spectacular hiking trail in Grayson Highlands, Virginia
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- Hanging out with the wild ponies
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- Friendly wild pony in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Father and son hiking in Grayson Highlands
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- Evening light
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- A break from hiking
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- Enjoying the jaw-dropping mountain landscape
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- Early-fall colors
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- Dusk in Grayson Highlands, Virginia
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- Camping in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Ponies in Grayson Highlands State Park
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- Hiking trail in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
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- Bouldering in Grayson Highlands
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- Blue Ridge Mountains
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- Admiring the mountain views in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Virginia
It’s impossible to exaggerate the beauty of Virginia’s Grayson Highlands.
I was (and still am) completely blown away by those landscapes. They’re some of the best I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to back and do some more hiking and camping.