Fellow couch potatoes beware. I'm in decent shape but this Sharp Top kicked my butt. You may want to train a little before you spend your day here. I definitely had to stop a couple of times but it is worth it.
Fellow couch potatoes beware. I'm in decent shape but this Sharp Top kicked my butt. You may want to train a little before you spend your day here. I definitely had to stop a couple of times but it is worth it.
It was a strenuous hike. Most of it is stone stairs and a steep incline, but the view is amazing. Climb the rock at the end and get a perfect 360 view. The "cabin" at the end makes for a great lunch/snack spot to give your legs a break. For people not able to make it, there is a shuttle that brings you a good ways up. There is also buzzards roost that is a hop skip and a jump from the trail crossing of the bus and sharp top. That also offers a view but definitely can not be compared to sharp top.
Beautiful lodge: stopped for lunch in the restaurant: Marissa was excellent waitress. Beautiful indoor seating with a view of the lake. Nice menu and very reasonably prices. Healthy food options. Salad bar/soup with bread. Recommend taking time to walk around the lake: saw deer, turtles, and lots of birds. Very tranquil.
We came on a hot 95 degree in Roanoke. Temp at Peaks was low 80's. Really nice picnic area and several shorter hiking options from moderalty easy to steep and strenuous. Hike views would be better in seasons when leaves are off trees. Still good place to beat the heat with good views in summer! We did not ride tram to top or visit the lodge.
If you are an avid hiker you would say this is a 5 rating. We are not hikers and the trolley didn't run on Mondays so we were disappointed. The only thing to do was to view the peaks from the lodge. It is beautiful to see but really wanted to go to the top.
The signs say 1.5mi to the peak from the bus parking area. You feel every foot of it. It's a lot of rock/steps to climb but worth it at the top. Very well maintained area, safe parking at the bottom, great views. Don't go expecting an easy hike because it's not but you'll be happy you went once you're at the top. They have a bus that takes you pretty far up but I don't know if it costs anything or anything about it because I've never ridden it.