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The Oak Leaf LbNA #24060

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jul 25, 2006
Location: Roanoke/Christiansburg/Blacksburg
City:
County:Montgomery
State:Virginia
Boxes:1
Planted by:tom-tom
Found by: snow white5
Last found:Nov 4, 2009
Status:FFFFFOFFF
Last edited:Nov 27, 2015
Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve
The Nature Conservancy

No bikes, no horses, no restrooms! 1.5 miles hiking (round-trip). Please stay on the trails.

From Roanoke and points north:
From I-81, take exit #141, Route 419 south, to Salem.
Go south on Route 419 for about eight miles to Route 221 at Cave Spring.
Take winding Route 221 south for 13.8 miles to Route 644.
You will pass through the town of Bent Mountain, then pass an entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway on your left. About 0.6 miles past the Parkway entrance, turn right on Route 644.
After 1.1 miles, the road forks. Stay to the right on Route 669.
Continue straight on Route 669 (the road turns to gravel for a while)—DO NOT turn right on Bottom Creek Road.
After 1.5 miles, you will come to a "T." Bear right, staying on Route 669.
Soon you will be driving alongside Bottom Creek on your left. After 1.3 miles, you will cross a small bridge. Look for the Preserve sign on your left. Turn left at the sign and go up the gravel driveway to the gate.
Park on the side of the road at the gate.

From Blacksburg and Christiansburg:
Take Route 11/460 northeast to the town of Shawsville.
At Shawsville, turn right on Route 637 (Allegheny Springs Road).
Stay on this road all the way to the first stop sign in Simpsons. [NOTE: after about seven miles, Route 637 turns to the left while Route 653 continues straight. DO NOT turn left on Route 637, but stay straight on Route 653 to Simpsons].
At the stop sign, turn left on Route 610.
At the next stop sign, turn left on Route 221. Stay on Route 221 for about seven miles.
You will pass through the town of Copper Hill. Turn left on Route 644.
After 1.1 miles, the road forks. Stay to the right on Route 669. Follow the above directions from this point.

Forming the headwaters of the Roanoke River, Bottom Creek Gorge boasts spectacular scenery: the second highest waterfall in Virginia, virgin hemlocks and hundreds of wildflowers.

Bottom Creek is a powerful mountain stream that forms a stair-step series of broad-basin waterfalls known as the "kettles." One of the headwater streams of the South Fork of the Roanoke River, Bottom Creek boasts a 200-foot high waterfall. Flanking Bottom Creek are forests of mixed hardwoods (tulip poplar, maple, oak, hickory) and upland meadows. Five rare species thrive in this habitat.

From the parking area, head westward, through the gate, and on to the trail beyond. Follow the trail about eight tenths of a mile to the kiosk (large double sided sign).

From the north east end of the kiosk (which is about 4 steps long), go about 50 steps due east to a concrete slab. Please use the little trail that already exists, don’t smash down the plants to make your own.

Look beside the east side of the slab and you will find "The Oak Leaf” under some bark and a branch. Please be sure to hide it again in the same spot when you're done!

There are three rugged trails to explore in Bottom Creek Gorge. The Nature Conservancy asks that people stay on these trails.