Otter Melon Adventures

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Sunset over the James River in Richmond, Virginia October 2018

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Sunset in Richmond, Virginia February 2017

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Sunset in Asheville, North Carolina January 2017

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Sunset at Spy Rock, Virginia September 2016

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Sunrise in Nags Head, North Carolina July 2015

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Hiking Guide: Spy Rock

One of my favorite hikes in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains is Spy Rock. Its proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway in George Washington National Forest makes it a great day hike option. Located near the incredibly popular Crabtree Falls hike, Spy Rock is less crowded and offers spectacular views. It’s a relatively short hike, just over 3 miles round trip, with a fun rock scramble at the top. It does have about 1,000 feet of elevation gain on the way up, but the climb is over quickly. The majority of the hike follows a dirt road, which makes for a pretty uneventful hike, but the last section leading up to the summit is on the Appalachian Trail.

Just below the rock scramble, there are several great camping spots, with plenty of trees to hang up a hammock. With its 360° views, you’ll be treated to beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Plan to head out early to catch the sunrise, or head out late to catch the sunset. This is a short enough hike, with a pretty straightforward trail, that it can easily be done in the dark. Don’t forget to bring your headlamp though! With an unprotected summit, be sure to also bring extra layers to shield yourself from the wind while you’re soaking in the view. If you plan on hanging out on top of the rocks for awhile, you might want to bring a camp chair or sleeping pad for some extra cushion.

With its short distance, this hike is popular with day hikers and larger groups. The trail is usually not crowded, but the summit can be, especially at peak hiking times like during the fall. For those camping out near the summit, you’ll find that you won’t have to share the summit after the day hikers retreat back down the trail.

For those looking for an extra challenge, consider hiking Crabtree Falls, Spy Rock, and the Priest trails all in one day. Or they can be spread out into a leisurely 3 day backpacking trip. To do that, park at the lower trailhead for Crabtree Falls, hike up to the top of the falls, and then head south on the Appalachian Trail to reach Spy Rock. From there, retrace your steps on the AT, passing by Crabtree Meadows, and continue north on the AT to reach the Priest summit. Retrace your steps on the AT, and head back down the Crabtree Falls trail. There is ample camping near Spy Rock and the Priest for those who wish to turn the trip into an overnight trip.

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First Landing State Park

Tucked away just a few miles from the Virginia Beach boardwalk and oceanfront, First Landing State Park is truly a gem. The park is named for its location being where the first English colonists landed in the New World in 1607. First Landing has miles of multi use trails that take you from the sandy beach through cypress swamps. They offer camping for both tents and RVs, as well as cabins for rent.

The campsites are incredibly spacious with lots of trees to give campers some privacy from their neighbors. Unlike many campgrounds, you can set up your tent (or tents!) anywhere within your campsite, not just in a designated tent pad area. This means you can easily fit several tents per site, including large family sized tents. Each site also has a fire pit and a picnic table, and there is potable water right by all of the campsites. The camp stores sells bundles of firewood, which are a necessity if you’re planning on having a campfire. Be prepared to spend a good chunk of time collecting smaller stickers to start your fire, as those can be pretty scarce in these campsites.

In addition to over 150 campsites, the park also has 20 cabins available for rent for those who prefer to sleep in a bed over a tent. US Route 60 runs through the park, splitting the campsites and beach on one side, and the cabins and the majority of the trails on the other. This unfortunately means many of the campsites are right by this major road, which is heavily used at all hours. Luckily, the trees help to provide a buffer to the noise.

The beach is just a short walk from the camping area. Even on warm, sunny days, the beach isn’t crowded. The beach in the park faces the Chesapeake Bay, rather than the Atlantic Ocean, so the water is calmer which makes it great for kids and dogs. It’s the perfect spot to throw a frisbee, fly a kite, or just dig in the sand.

There are several trail options for those who want to go for a hike or bike ride. All of the trails are open to hikers, but just two are open to bikers: Cape Henry trail and Live Oak trail. Since the park sits right along the coast of Virginia, all of the trails are relatively flat, making for a quick hike or ride.

This is a great park for those who want to be near the beach and water, but prefer a less crowded environment. Summers are hot and humid in Virginia, but the breeze coming off of the water will certainly help to cool you off. It can also get quite buggy in the warmer months, so be sure to bring some bug spray!

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Bear Creek Lake State Park

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Potomac River, Great Falls Park, Virginia 2018

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York River State Park, Virginia 2015

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View of Richmond’s Skyline from the Richmond Slave Trail, Richmond, Virginia  2018

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My Gear / Mountain Hardwear Drifter 2 Tent

I bought this tent in 2011 while working at an outdoor gear shop in my college town. Working there, and having coworkers who were gear junkies, prompted me to do hours of research to find the perfect tent for me. Seven years and counting later, I still love it. It has a super simple set up, few pieces, and color coordinated tabs. This might be the easiest tent I’ve ever set up, you don’t even need the instructions.

While it’s definitely more of a backpacking two person tent (aka very cozy), it is actually great for car camping too. It has two doors, one on each side, so there’s no need to step over your tent mate to get out. The rainfly extends out over each door creating an area on each side protected from the elements for your gear. 

If you keep the amount of gear you bring inside the tent to a minimum, it’s definitely big enough for two people. I’ve even shared it with another person and a medium sized dog and had plenty of room! I am on the shorter side (5′2″) so that does help keep me from feeling cramped. 

One of the best things about this tent, in my opinion, is that it actually packs up into its storage bag easily and it fits! I prefer to keep my tent in its bag while backpacking and camping, to help keep dirt and moisture away from my other gear, so this is great for me. It dries out quickly once I lay everything out at home. 

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The Priest, George Washington National Forest, Virginia

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Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Virginia, 2013

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1/ Day hiking essentials: trekking poles, hammock and straps, water bladder, DSLR and extra lens, Holga camera and film, sunglasses, sunscreen, chapstick, Clif Shot Blox, and hiking book/map. 

2/All packed up in my day pack!