Montgomery: Nature, Trails and History

You can plan a trip to Montgomery by considering two questions: Which landscapes and trail experiences would you like to shape your stay, and which historic sites would you like to discover? Nature highlights include a man-made pond, a spring-fed waterfall, and habitats ranging from meadows to floodplains. Trails vary in length, surface, and format. Historic sites, in turn, tell stories of different eras and communities. When looking for a hotel, you can first choose your focus and then put together activities that suit your stay.

Landscapes, Water and Trails

Pandapas Pond is an 8-acre man-made pond where fishing is possible. Falls Ridge Preserve offers a different natural highlight: its spring-fed travertine waterfall is about 80 feet high. Access is key to planning: the preserve is closed outside guided activities. During guided walks, volunteer naturalists accompany visitors. Check in advance when these activities take place.

Heritage Community Park encompasses habitats ranging from lush meadows to floodplains. The park is also part of the Eastern Continental Divide Loop. When planning, you can therefore consider both the park’s habitats and its place on the Loop.

Compare Trails and Activities

Length, type, and surface can help you compare trails. The Poverty Creek Trail System has 20 miles of singletrack trails. The Huckleberry Trail, by contrast, is a 15-mile paved rail trail connecting Blacksburg and Christiansburg. At Coal Mining Heritage Park and Loop Trail, mining artifacts meet a 1.5-mile loop trail. These details represent different planning options: a trail system, a paved rail trail, and a single loop. This lets you compare the trails by length and format.

Montgomery County also offers opportunities for swimming or floating and fishing on the New River. Another water option is the seasonal Frog Pond Pool. The large pool has four slides: three tube slides and one frog slide. Check the pool’s current operating information before your trip.

History and Local Culture

The history of Historic Smithfield brings together colonial America, westward expansion, the enslavement of people of African descent, and conflicts between Indigenous peoples and European settlers. Private guided tours are available by appointment. Confirm availability before you arrive.

The Christiansburg Institute Edgar A. Long Building is the only surviving structure from a campus that comprised 14 buildings. The site also includes a small museum in a replica smokehouse. The Cambria Freight Depot in the Cambria Historic District was built in 1868. The Lyric Theatre originally opened in 1930; Live at The Lyric offers live music in an intimate setting.

The Christiansburg Farmers Market can also offer a glimpse of local products: it showcases locally grown and made produce, flowers, and baked goods. Together with the historic sites, this provides another perspective on Montgomery’s regional culture.

Discover more destinations: Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, Warren, Portsmouth, Stanley, Falls Church, Essex County.

For the main travel overview: Virginia.