Mill Mountain Park
Park
576 acres11.6 mi of trail
Woodthrush TrailMonument TrailJohn Peake PassStar Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Joe Ravi · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Roanoke
Roanoke has 53 miles of mapped trails, 1.3 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Mill Mountain Park (11.6 mi), Fishburn Park (1.8 mi), Woodland Park (1.5 mi). 8% of Roanoke’s land is conserved, about 2,067 acres. 81% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #70 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
8%
2,067 acres · of 42.5 sq mi of land
Trails
53 mi
1.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,747 ac
18 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
81%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
79 mi
47 mi lanes · 29 mi paths
Highest peak
1,693 ft
Mill Mountain
Lakes & rivers
7
What kind of outdoors town is Roanoke?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Roanoke have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Roanoke is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #70 of 253 in Virginia. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Roanoke’s overall grade.
Conserved land8% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (53 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land18 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,747 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13BParks close to home81% of residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 82%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 73%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Mill Mountain Park, with 11.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Fishburn Park
Park
47 acres1.8 mi of trail
Streamside TrailHillside TrailMurray Run Greenway
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Fishburn Park Parking
Woodland Park
Park
40 acres1.5 mi of trail
Murray Run GreenwayAgee Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Fishburn Park Parking
Fern Park
Managed by Roanoke Parks and Recreation
22 acres0.7 mi of trail
Fern Park TrailChestnut Ridge Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
All 47 parks & preserves
Mill Mountain Park576 acres · 11.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFishburn Park47 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodland Park40 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFern Park22 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Roanoke Parks and Recreation
DirectionsRivers Edge Park29 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFallon Park61 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHighland Park34 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSmith Park13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWashington Park62 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWasena Park37 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsVic Thomas Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHuff Lane Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNorwich Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Rivers Edge North Park29 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGhent Hill Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHorton Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsShrine Hill Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsElmwood Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Community Arboretum2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Gate Park40 acres
DirectionsMorningside Park22 acres
DirectionsBelmont Park21 acres · Roanoke City
DirectionsThrasher Park20 acres
Countryside Park18 acres
DirectionsLakewood Park18 acres
Welford Hurt Park10 acres
Eureka Park10 acres
Strauss Park10 acres
DirectionsPreston Park9 acres
DirectionsRaleigh Court Park8 acres
DirectionsVilla Heights Recreation Center6 acres
Garden City Park6 acres · Roanoke Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMemorial Bridge Park5 acres
DirectionsValley Avenue Park4 acres
Mason Mill Park4 acres
DirectionsMelrose Park4 acres
Golden Park3 acres
Perry Park3 acres
Sunrise Park2 acres
DirectionsWest End Park2 acres · Roanoke City Parks and Recreation
DirectionsVineyark Park East1 acres
DirectionsGarden City Recreation Building1 acres · Roanoke Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLoudon Park1 acres
Piedmont Park1 acres
DirectionsHarkrader Park1 acres
DirectionsOpen Field1 acres
DirectionsHenrietta Lacks Plaza1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,067 conserved acres
8% of Roanoke’s land. Who manages Roanoke’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,619 ac
Other state land853 ac
National Park Service498 ac
State conservation115 ac
County4 ac
Not recorded1,072 ac
Local Park · 2,695 acOther Easement · 649 acUnknown Easement · 321 acSpecial Designation Area · 254 acConservation Easement · 126 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 203 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 97 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Mountain Park Local Park | Not recorded | 1,215 | Open |
| Yellow Mtn Park Local Park | Not recorded | 584 | Open |
| Blue Ridge Parkway Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 254 | Restricted |
| RIver's Edge Sports Complex Local Park | Town or city | 112 | Open |
| Highland Park Local Park | Not recorded | 67 | Open |
| Fallon Park Local Park | Town or city | 65 | Open |
| Fishburn Park Local Park | Town or city | 51 | Open |
| Jackson Park Local Park | Town or city | 45 | Open |
| Eastgate Park Local Park | Town or city | 45 | Open |
| Washington Park Local Park | Town or city | 44 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
59 places to go in Roanoke
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Roanoke
Fallon Park PoolIn Fallon Park
DirectionsWashington Park PoolIn Washington Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Roanoke
BounceHours: Tu-We, Fr 12:00-17:00
DirectionsCrystal Springs Elementary Playground
DirectionsMr. Tarpley's Playground
DirectionsRiver Rock Playground
DirectionsSmith Park PlaygroundIn Smith Park
DirectionsWasena Park PlaygroundIn Wasena Park
Directions42 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Scenic views in Roanoke
FBO Planespotting
DirectionsMill Mountain OverlookIn Mill Mountain Park
DirectionsMill Mountain Star OverlookIn Mill Mountain Park
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Roanoke
Mill Mountain1,693 ft elevation · In Mill Mountain Park
DirectionsStone Mountain1,601 ft elevation
DirectionsRound Hill1,247 ft elevation
DirectionsChestnut Ridge
DirectionsPicnic areas in Roanoke
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Roanoke
Fishburn Park Disc Golf CourseIn Fishburn Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Roanoke
George Washington Carver Community Garden
DirectionsMountain View Community Garden
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 16.5 miHorses · 14.7 miUnpaved · 27.3 mi
Chestnut Ridge Trail5.5 mi
Woodthrush Trail2.0 mi
Monument Trail1.5 mi
John Peake Pass1.5 mi
Star Trail1.4 mi
Ridgeline Trail1.2 mi
Virginia Pine Trail0.8 mi
Big Sunny Trail0.8 mi
Murray Run Greenway0.7 mi
Roanoke Horse Trail0.7 mi
15 more trails
Streamside Trail
0.7 miSidewinder Trail
0.6 miStoke City
0.6 miCrystal Spring Trail
0.6 miFern Park Trail
0.5 miHillside Trail
0.5 miHappy Camper
0.5 miBoodroot
0.4 miAgee Trail
0.4 miUnderstory
0.4 miRiser Trail
0.3 miWatchtower Trail
0.2 miTitmouse
0.2 mi611
0.2 miVic Thomas park Singletrack
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
79 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
47 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
29 mi
off-road bike paths
3.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
RockStar TrailBike route
4.6 miRockStar GravelBike route
1.3 miRoanoke Valley GreenwaysBike route
0.7 miCourts & fields
54Tennis
34Basketball
22Baseball
12Pickleball
12Soccer
6Football
3Lacrosse
3Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →60 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 12 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Lone OaksBuilding · listed 1973
About itFire Station No. 1Building · listed 1973
About itSt. Andrew's Roman Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 1973
About itBuena VistaBuilding · listed 1974
About itMontereyBuilding · listed 1974
About itBelle AireBuilding · listed 1975
About itCrystal Spring Steam Pumping StationStructure · listed 1980
About itMountain ViewBuilding · listed 1980
About itFirst National BankBuilding · listed 1982
About itHarrison SchoolBuilding · listed 1982
About itRoanoke Warehouse Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itRoanoke City Market Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About it48 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Roanoke: April and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.7 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 47 | 51 | 59 | 70 | 77 | 84 | 88 | 86 | 80 | 70 | 59 | 50 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Roanoke →
Next door
Roanoke and its neighbors
Roanoke has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke | 8% | 1.3 | 18 | 81% | A− |
| Cave Spring | 1% | 0.3 | 2 | 30% | C− |
| Salem | 6% | 0.3 | 21 | 81% | B+ |
| Vinton | 1% | 0.6 | 3 | 79% | C+ |
| Hollins | 1% | 0.3 | 5 | 52% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Roanoke
Where can I hike in Roanoke?
The longest trail networks: Mill Mountain Park, 11.6 miles; Fishburn Park, 1.8 miles; Woodland Park, 1.5 miles; Fern Park, 0.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Roanoke is conserved land?
8% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Roanoke’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Mill Mountain Park (on leash) and Fern Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Roanoke?
79 miles of bike routes are on the map: 47 of painted or protected lanes, 29 of off-road paths and 3.9 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: RockStar Trail, RockStar Gravel and Roanoke Valley Greenways.
Is there public land near Roanoke?
36,057 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Roanoke or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,747 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Roanoke have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #70 of 253 in Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Roanoke neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →