Roaring Run Furnace — Attraction in Virginia

The stuff poetry is made of! We combined this hike with a stay at one of Erika’s Blue Ridge Yurts in Pilot Virginia (about a 50 minute drive from the yurt to the falls), resulting in an absolutely magical weekend - an experience our children will never forget. It was an easy, safe hike but not boring in the least with lots of enchanting bridges, flowers, boardwalks and pools to soak your feet in. Lots of steps (we did not take the path through the woods) but my guess is that an active toddler could handle this hike with some help. We did see a teen get pretty banged up sliding off the larger “rock slide” halfway up the trail which helped me decide not to follow in his footsteps - although tempting😂! I agree with the review that the water quality is questionable, but we got there after heavy rainfall so it was hard to tell. The bathrooms were still closed☹️. There is a picnic area if you want to bring your own lunch. If you are exploring the area and don’t mind long drives (under an hour) though, I suggest eating in downtown Floyd or Roanoke. Both have wonderful places to eat with outdoor seating (Outer Space in Floyd being particularly special). Make sure you have enough gas and water; I don’t remember seeing any gas...

Great park with a lot of history. The waterfalls and cascades are amazing and the hike is very easy. Roaring Run Recreational Area is in Botetourt County, 8 miles northwest of Eagle Rock. Roaring Run Furnace is a 19th century iron furnace on National Register of Historic Places. Informational signs explain the turn of the century furnace operation. Roaring Run falls and Furnace Trail is an excellent hiking trail for the whole family. Two trails lead to the falls creating a 1.5 mile loop trail. Most visitors use the Streamside Trail on their way up to the falls and return on the Woodland Trail. On the streamside trail, hikers are treated to rustic stone bridges, sheer rock faces and the sound of tumbling water as they walk alongside Roaring Run Creek up to the falls. The trail junctures with the Woodland Trail just shy of Roaring Run Falls. A short, 1/10 mile spur trail leads to the falls. The woodland trail travels through the forest, passing a scenic overlook and the iron furnace before returning to the picnic area. Both trails are easy with relatively little elevation gain. Jeff Mullins Photography Adventures. ...

Tony and I went to Roaring Run Furnace In the Jefferson National Forest. This is a stone Built Pig Iron Furnace built in 1830. This 192 yr old construction is still standing and looks like they could just start using it again today

The park was easy to find with GPS. It is free to enjoy. Plenty of parking and restrooms. Well marked trails. The Furnace is located about 500 feet from the parking lot and bathrooms. There is plenty of picnic tables and a creek for fishing and cooling off in warmer weather. There is also a waterfall to hike to!! Nice park and highly recommend especially for the historic value! Great day trip or field trip for...