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The Virginia
Creeper Trail is listed in the top 12 trails in
the nation for autumn foliage. It is 34 miles long, runs from
the high mountains to river valleys, and passes through small
towns along the way. Bike rentals
and shuttles are available in both Abingdon and
Damascus. An increasingly-popular family outing is taking the
shuttle to Whitetop Station and then riding 17 miles back to
Damascus, almost all downhill. In addition to the Creepr Trail,
single-track biking is growing in popularity, utilizing the
National Forest trails. Check the bike
rental section of this website.
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Iron Mountain Bike Race. The
Iron Mountain Bike Race is an annual event in Damascus, Virginia.
The race
combines both cross country and downhill.
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Birding:
Damascus is on Virginia's Birding and Wildlife Trail, on both
the Mount Rogers Loop and the South
Holston Loop. On the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries website,
this description is provided: "Neotropical songbirds typically
nesting in more northern climates can be found breeding within
this region. Blackburnian warbler, black-capped chickadee, golden-crowned
kinglet and even red crossbill and northern saw-whet owl may
be found here in summer.
Camping:
Damascus is neighbors with the
Mount
Rogers National Recreation Area and the
George
Washington and Jefferson National Forests, and
close to
Grayson
Highlands State Park. Camping ranges from deep-woods
backpacking to the comfort of an RV.
More camping information can be found by clicking here.
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Festivals:
The best-known festival in Damascus is Trail
Days, which brings thousands of hikers and tourists
to the small town. It is sponsored by Backpacker Magazine, and
run by local residents.
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Whitetop Laurel Creek in Washington County,
Virginia is one of state's largest and most beautiful wild
trout streams. Approximately seven miles are stocked trout
waters located on both private and public lands with an additional
five miles of special regulation waters flowing through the
Mount Rogers National Recreational Area. Within the special
regulation sections, anglers have the opportunity to catch
brook, brown, and rainbow trout while enjoying the scenic mountain
atmosphere. More information can be found here: http://www.vacreepertrail.us/fishing.html.
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Golf:
Deer
Field Golf Course, Highway 91, 1 mile NE of Damascus.
9 holes of golfing in a beautiful mountain setting. Carts
are available. Weather dependent season: March - November.
Call 276-475-5649 for more information and tee times.
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Damascus is located on the Appalachian Trail, and is crossed
by the Iron Mountain Trail and Virginia Creeper Trail. The nearby
National Recreation Area has over 400 miles of hiking trails.
The Creeper Trail is good for short hikes but should be avoided
on weekends due to bike and horse traffic.
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There are numerous horse trails in the immediate area, including
the 67-mile Virginia Horse Trail. Camps specializing in horse
riders are also available. A new service advertising
horse rides has just been started.
Click
here for information. also,
the High
Country Horse Camp is open from April to October.
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Bows, rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders are all permitted
during the appropriate seasons in the National Recreation Area.
Crossbows are not allowed. Whitetails, turkeys, grouse, squirrels
and several other species are abundant.
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Laurel Creek and the small streams feeding into it are becoming
major whitewater destinations for individual paddlers and clubs
within a hundred mile radius. The lower Laurel offers comfortable
class I and II runs from below Damascus to Alvarado. Whitetop
Laurel has class III and IV rapids when the water is high.
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Motorcycles:
On warm weekends Damascus is both a destination and
a stop along the way for bikers heading into the challenging
curves of local highways and roads. TheShady
Valley County Store, just a few miles away, advertises
"Three mountains, one valley, 489 curves.
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Photography:
Both professional and amateur photographers find a wealth of
opportunity in the towns, forests, and waterways of the Southwest
Virginia area. Visitors are invited to submit their photos for
this website.
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Most denominations are represented in Damascus and in the vicinity,
including Catholic churches in Abingdon and Mountain City, a
synagogue nearBristol, and a mosque in Blacksburg.
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Running:
The mostly smooth, cindered track of the Creeper Trail offers
17 miles on traffic-free running in both directions from Damascus.
Further information can be found here.
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Walking:
You can walk the streets of a small town and witness what is
vanishing from many areas of the United States. Or you can take
off into the woods and explore nature. With hundreds of miles
of trails to choose from, or the tranquility of downtown Damascus,
walkers have enough options for an extended vacation.