20K for the Greenway, June 10th
May 18th, 2023Come out and support the Greenways by participating in this family-friendly event. Sponsored by Cardinal Bicycles, Pathfinders for Greenways, PedalSafe ROA and the City of Roanoke’s Parks and Recreation Department, this ride is designed to give casual riders a non-competitive event experience and to support the organizations that make the Greenways possible. More details can be found on the sign up page here.
There are some optional tune up rides on Wednesdays in May, but the event is June 10th.

Support the Greenways through Roanoke Gives
April 17th, 2023The Annual Roanoke Gives Fundraising Campaign is this Wednesday, April 19th. Pathfinders for greenways is participating, so if you would like to see the Greenways throughout the Roanoke Valley continue to grow and thrive, please consider giving this week. You can find more information here.
Update on the Opening of the Bridge St section of Roanoke River Greenway
March 10th, 2023Here is a great video that provides a bird’s eye view of the Roanoke River Greenway Bridge St section as well as some behind the scenes discussion of the progress. The expected opening is Late Spring/Early July.
Rains bring multiple closures of the Greenway on February 13th.
February 13th, 2023An Update from Roanoke City Parks and Recreation –
We got a lot of rain yesterday in the valley and surrounding mountains. This morning the Roanoke River is 5,000cfs, highest we have been since May 2022. With that, we are underwater in the following areas and will clean up debris once the water recedes. We do have almost an inch of rain forecast for Thursday, so water levels will rise again and I anticipate flooding for the end of the week in our lowest lying areas (low water bridge in Smith).
Roanoke River Greenway both low water bridges (between Wasena and 581), under Franklin Road, under Jefferson St, under 9th Street and along Bennington Rd SE.
Tinker Creek Greenway under Dale Ave, near Kenwood under both RR trestles. Under the RR trestle near Wise may or may not be under. Staff are checking this morning.
Please check PlayRoanoke.com or the city’s social media accounts for updates as the river recedes.
Roanoke River Greenway in Salem to be temporarily closed
January 9th, 2023Beginning today, January 9th, and lasting until late February, The Roanoke River Greenway near the Moyer Sports Complex will be closed as the City of Salem continues construction to the facility. We’ll update the site when the trail is re-opened. Thank you for your patience.
Pathfinders For Greenways 2022 Newsletter
December 3rd, 2022
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Roanoke County to hold meetings on potential for West Roanoke River Greenway
October 7th, 2022Roanoke County is conducting a Feasibility Study for the Roanoke River Greenway between Green Hill Park and Montgomery County. This proposed extension of the Greenway has long been a goal of the Greenway Commission and has appeared on every vision map since the first Greenway Plan was adopted. This section has gotten some new energy with the planning efforts around the Valley to Valley Trail, which would connect the New River Trail and the Huckleberry Trail in Christiansburg to the Roanoke River Trail.
In October 2022, Roanoke County will host two community meetings in the Glenvar community on October 19th and 20th. The meeting will be to solicit community feedback and help identify the desired potential corridors. For more information, please go to the Roanoke County website for the details.
National Public Lands Day, September 17th
August 26th, 2022Join Roanoke County and fellow trail enthusiasts at Explore Park for a day of giving back to our public lands. The project will be to reroute a section of the Yellow Trail between Chestnut Ridge Road and the Blue Ridge Bike Park. We will be constructing about 700 feet of new bench cut trail and a climbing turn, replacing several eroded sections and a series of steep switch backs.
DETAILS: Sign in and day of registration will be between 8:30 and 9am at the RV lot across from the Explore Park Visitor’s Center before heading to the worksite. No trail building experience necessary, just a willingness to learn and an ability to work hard. Dress appropriate for the weather, but long pants are encouraged. Boots are recommended, closed toe-shoes are required. Bring work gloves and water, Virginia’s Blue Ridge will be providing lunch and t-shirts for pre-registrants. Work should be concluded by 1pm.
Registration can be found here. https://roanokecountyparks.com/548/Volunteer-Work-Day
Take the survey to Support the East Roanoke River Greenway
July 5th, 2022Help complete the East Roanoke River Greenway! Roanoke County and VDOT are working on the potential future alignment of the Greenway from Roanoke City to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Funding for this project is dependent on demonstrated community support, so the more people we can get to take the survey and say “yes, I want to see this happen”, the more likely it will be that the necessary funding will be made available. This will be a pretty unique section of the Greenway, winding through the river gorge towards Niagara Dam, before heading under the Blue Ridge Parkway and then on to Explore Park. Work on the section near Blue Ridge Parkway will start next year, and the goal is to continue on to Explore Park by 2025. That will leave the portion that is the focus of this survey as the missing link to connect the Roanoke River Greenway all the way from Salem to Explore Park. This project has long been talked about, now is the chance to help make it a reality. The survey closes July 15th, so don’t wait too long to share your thoughts!
Link to the plan details and survey can be found here.
Clean Valley Day Clean Up On Tinker and Glade Creek Greenways, April 9th
April 1st, 2022Come join us for a litter clean up on the Greenway April 9th from 9 until noon. We will be meeting at the Dale Ave SE Trailhead for Tinker Creek Greenway. Wear clothes you can get dirty and sturdy shoes, bring water, and we will provide the rest. Any questions please contact Frank Maguire.
High water forces temporary closure of Roanoke River Greenway and Tinker Creek
February 4th, 2022Due to the rain and the forecast for more in the coming days, the section of the Roanoke River Greenway that parallels Wiley Drive between Wasena and the second low water bridge will be closed from today, Tuesday May 24th until further notice. Tinker Creek Greenway is also flooded near Dale Ave and near Kenwood, so please avoid these areas.
Even when the water recedes, debris will remain on the trail surface, creating potentially hazardous conditions. Please find alternative routes to avoid this area. Roanoke City Parks and Recreation Staff will monitor the situation and send cleaning crews as soon as feasible.
Brief closure of a section of Roanoke River Greenway this Wednesday
January 24th, 2022As AEP continues to work on upgrading their equipment, there will need to be another temporary closure and detour of the Roanoke River Greenway. This Wednesday, 1/26, the closure will be in the vicinity of the Walnut Avenue Bridge. Greenway users will be routed on to neighborhood roads from 6am to 6pm to avoid the work area. The reroute will be signed and does require crossing Walnut St. Work should not extend into a second day.
UPDATE: The work was completed on schedule and the trail is reopened as of the end of the day.
Missing Link in Roanoke River Greenway to start construction this Spring
January 21st, 2022Roanoke City has awarded a contract to Allegheny Construction to construct the approximately one mile section of trail from the current Bridge St Trailhead to the section that currently ends at the Norfolk-Southern Materials Yard. This project has been the focus of the city, the Greenway Commission and the Pathfinders for Greenways for years, and will largely complete the Roanoke River Greenway within the Roanoke City limits. The project includes going under the Bridge St Bridge, under two NS bridges and a new, 270-ft bridge across the Roanoke River. Add into this some other design challenges and it explains the lengthy process to get this completed. Construction is slated to begin late Winter and should be completed by early Spring, 2023.
Temporary closure of Roanoke River Greenway Section – UPDATE
January 11th, 2022The work has been completed and the Greenway is now open. AEP will being doing utility work in the area where the Roanoke River Greenway goes under Jefferson St SW, near the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, necessitating a closure and detour. Greenway Users can follow Wiley Dr. under the Norfolk Southern bridge and return to the Greenway just past the pedestrian bridge. The work should be completed this week with the Greenway re-opening on Friday, January 14th.

November 17th, 2021
![]() Pathfinders for Greenways 2021 Newsletter Dear Greenway Supporters, It has been a few years since we connected through this newsletter. During that time and despite the pandemic, much has transpired on the Roanoke Valley Greenways. Our Greenway Partners have made several new connections: Barnhardt Bridge connecting the Cities of Salem and Roanoke for the first time; Hinchee Trail providing a connection to Carvin’s Cove; and the Catawba Greenway connecting to the Appalachian Trail at McAfee Knob. We’ve also helped our partners to secure land to complete the greenway section along Walker Foundry, to obtain a critical easement for a future path to Explore Park, and to double the size of the Read Mountain Preserve. We revamped our website, www.greenways.org, to provide a more interactive and comprehensive trail directory and to improve usability on mobile devices. We also launched new software called Bloomerang to improve our engagement with our generous and loyal donor and volunteer base. Finally, we completed a critical leadership transition bidding farewell to our Greenway Coordinator for 25 years, the amazing Liz Belcher. She has done so much for the Greenway system that it would take volumes of newsletters to do it all justice! We welcome our new Coordinator, Frank Maguire, to lead us through the next chapters of Greenway expansion. In our community, we are so fortunate to have a wonderful Greenway system that enables us to safely connect, exercise, and refresh on our natural and paved trails, even during a global pandemic. The expansion of the Greenways would not be possible without each of you. Our tireless volunteers on the MidWeek Crew and the Rock and Roll Crew donate their time to blaze, repair, and maintain trails. Our generous financial donors enable us to support the localities with land and easement acquisitions and close budget gaps to purchase materials and engineering to complete projects. On behalf of the Pathfinders, I sincerely thank you for your past and future support of the Roanoke Valley Greenways! Gratefully, Brian R. McCahill President Pathfinders for Greenways ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Barnhardt Bridge ribbon cutting
Volunteer Accomplishments 2020-2021
Total Volunteer Hours: 6,666.8 Total work days: 254
Main Projects:
1/2020-8/2021 Rock-N-Roll Trail at Carvins Cove 2/2020-5/2021 Catawba Greenway 1/2020-2/2020 Comet Trail Improvements at Carvins Cove 5/2020-7/2021 Happy Valley Road Repairs at Carvins Cove 8/2020-9/2020 Buck Trail Relocation at Carvins Cove 5/2021-7/2021 New Laurel Canyon Trail at Carvins Cove 5/2021-8/2021 New Mill Mountain Trail #15
Our Contributions 2020-2021
Barnhardt Bridge – $48,689 for engineering Glade Creek Greenway – $45,000 for a shelter and right of way access Read Mountain Preserve – Funded transaction costs for land donation Eastern Roanoke Greenway – Purchased and donated easement Western Roanoke Greenway – Purchased and donated easement
![]() Volunteer Of The Year 2021: Turtle Eddins ![]() Mill Mountain Trail 15 ribbon cutting by MidWeek Crew ![]()
I am excited to be stepping into the role of Greenways Coordinator and the chance to work with the Pathfinders. When my wife Beth and I started thinking about places we wanted to live, high on our list was an engaged community with a great network of trails and greenways. Roanoke was the first place we visited and once we did, we pretty much stopped looking. So thank you for creating such a beautiful and vibrant place! I have spent the last 23 years living in Pennsylvania in the heart of the Appalachian ridges and valleys. In PA I returned to an earlier passion for the outdoors, getting involved in local public lands advocacy and becoming a trail volunteer. I served on PA’s recreation advisory committee and as the International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA)’s state representative, getting involved in a 32-mile trail project that took seven years to complete. In 2009, I was hired to be IMBA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Director. I first came to Roanoke in this role, participating in planning meetings for the Blue Ridge Parkway and helping form Roanoke IMBA. In 2015, I became the Trails Program Director for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), where my work focused primarily on rail-trails as well as managing the PA Water Trail Partnership. In this role, I saw myself as a voice for protecting the places people play. I strongly believe that when people have a connection to the landscape, they have a deeper understanding of the environment and why open spaces are critical to our wellbeing. I realize I have very big shoes to fill; Liz, the Greenway Commission and the Pathfinders are used as a reference far and wide for how to create a bold vision and work tirelessly to make it a reality. I look forward to working with Pathfinders, including the generous donors who make it possible, and everyone in the community to complete that connected Greenways vision. Best, Frank Maguire Roanoke Valley Greenways Coordinator
![]() A proper send off to Liz for so many years of dedication to expanding our Greenways Greenway t-shirt quilt gifted to Liz by Roanoke County Parks & Rec. Hinchee Trail ribbon cutting Friends, You may have heard that I retired on the 25th anniversary of my start as the Greenway Coordinator. Formation of Pathfinders was a big step in the first year. I still get asked, once by a Romanian, how we got the URL “greenways.org”. A board member with foresight did it, long before I had heard of websites. Pathfinders has been an important part of the growth of the greenway network – volunteerism, fundraising, trail building, marketing, advocacy. I do not remember a single time when I asked the Board for support and they hesitated – always they said “go for it.” Money, time, sweat, Saturdays, meetings. Do it. Purchase of the Hinchee Trail to connect to Carvins Cove was certainly a crowning achievement for Pathfinders and for me, a legacy to the valley. I am not gone. I will continue to work with the MidWeek Crew and hope to spend more time enjoying the great network we have built. See you there. Aufwiedersehen, Liz Thank you for your 25 years of service! ![]() ![]() Catawba Greenway ribbon cutting www.facebook.com/roanokevalleygreenways Check out our new website for greenway maps, opport-unities to volunteer, and online donations. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |