Located in Pembroke, 18 miles outside of Blacksburg, the Cascades hiking trail is a scenic and popular destination for Virginia Tech students year-round.
The four-mile loop trail to the 66 foot waterfall consists of two separate trails, allowing hikers to get new scenery each step of the way.
At the turn onto Cascades Drive sits Tangent Outfitters and Cascade cafe, a "best-kept" secret many overlook that's just four miles from the trail itself. Once at the trail, a recreation area provides picnic tables and other features as well.
"The word of mouth about the Cascades has just passed from student to student," said Barbara Walker, head of visitor information for the Eastern Divide Ranger District. "In my opinion it is the best waterfall in the state and also the best hiking trail close to Tech. It's a bit of a challenge to get to the top, but not so much that it would prohibit anyone from doing it who wanted to."
The two trails that lead to the falls, the lower trail and upper trail, each have different features.
The lower trail travels along the downside of Little Stony Creek throughout the two miles to the falls and consists of stone steps, walls and walkways carved directly into the rock.
The upper trail travels through the forest a little above the creek and is much wider than it's counterpart.
"Typically, people walk up the lower trail by the creek and then come back on the upper trail," Walker said. "The lower trail has more benches so people can rest more easily, whereas the upper trail does not have as many. However, if people are unsure of their footing, the upper trail is a lot better because it doesn't have as many rocks in it. The upper trail is more soil-based rather than more stone-based like the lower trail.
Tangent Outfitters and Cascade Caf are hard to miss, yet many hikers on their way to the trail mistake it as just a gas station.
The store provides everything from hiking maps of the area to Columbia brand clothing and gear. Anything a hiker might need can be found in Tangent Outfitters, including a full wall of fishing gear.
Inside the Tangent Outfitters store is Cascade caf, a wireless caf that serves breakfast, ice cream, sandwiches, and much more.
Steve Phlegar, co-owner of Tangent Outfitters and Cascade caf, describes it as an outdoor recreation area that provides everything a visitor would need: gas, gear and food.
"A lot of businesses have come here just to enjoy the free wireless and great food," Phlegar said. "The caf also does something that many don't know about, which is the box lunch feature. When you are going out for the day, you can stop in and we'll make you a box lunch that you can enjoy on your hike. If you're going fishing, then we'll wrap the box lunch up nice and tight so the food won't get wet."
Tangent Outfitters has canoe and kayak trips, guided fishing tours, and mountain bike rentals. Phlegar teaches fly-fishing and casting at Little Stony Creek on the trail, and during the winter, he teaches a fly tying class.
"The Cascades are beautiful and I never get tired of it," Phlegar said. "And if people want to hike other trails, there are so many nearby.
Technically a national recreation area rather than a national park, the Cascades offer many amenities to its visitors. The picnic tables, grills, restrooms and fresh drinking water make the Cascades unique in that it allows visitors who don't wish to hike to also enjoy the scenery.
Leave a comment 0 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.