Doughton Recreation Area — Attraction in Sparta

The view at the top is wonderful, but this may not be the best time of year to make the hike.

The trail is mostly intermediate with some stairs (which are often quite shallow), but the trail is over bare stone in numerous spots. So, at this time of year, when those bare slabs are covered in wet leaves, it can make for a more treacherous hike than this would otherwise be. Going up isn't as bad, but coming down, you need to be careful to make sure you don't slip and injure yourself. Fortunately, although both my husband and I slipped in a few different areas (despite being extremely cautious), neither of us were injured. But had we not been taking it as cautiously as we did, the outcome could have been different.

At the top, the rocks were dry and there weren't any leaves covering them, so it was pretty safe up there. Also, it was much more windy at the bottom of the trail...

Doughton Park has seen better days.

It's a beautiful view across the range; however, the whole park seems to be in a state of disrepair. The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed for a major portion leading to Doughton Park. All of the picnic tables and grills in the picnic area are all but destroyed from years of use. I mentioned it to the lady working the gift shop, and she sounded like she had never walked across the road to see the status of the park. Water is available at the gift shop...for $3/bottle. I hope to hear about some volunteer efforts to get this park back in tip top shape. I have many memories with my family here and wanted to make more with my nieces and nephews. Glad we went up the day prior. They would have been disappointed. We opted for the New River State Park instead--much cleaner + tables and grills available without...

This area is so amazing for hiking of all levels. Cedar Ridge trail is one of my favorites, and it's a great out-and-back (9.5 miles total) that has an easy incline. Note that it is a 2k foot elevation change over 4.5 miles, so it's still pretty tough going up. Highly recommend starting from the bottom and going up and back. Having lunch near the house at the other end of the trail head is lovely. The view from up there is phenomenal. Don't forget to wear sunscreen cause the trail is pretty sunny in the spring/fall. Also, the beige blazes exist, but are few/far between. The trail is well worn though, so as long as you pay attention to that, you'll be fine. Highly recommend any of the trails in Doughton recreation...