Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

This is Part 4 in an Exploring Roanoke series that covers: the current (as of May, 2008) entire nearly 6 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway, Wasena Park, The Skate Park, Smith Park, Piedmont Park, and lots of scenery along the way.

(For a general introduction to the greenway system in Roanoke, you may want to first visit a previous post.)

Distance (Part 4): approx. 1/8 mile

Excursion at the Roanoke River

During Part 3 we had veered to the left and taken the paved path from Wiley Drive, leading towards the middle of Smith Park. But, what if we continue walking along Wiley Drive?

Well, we’re definitely closer to the Roanoke River and it just so happens that there’s a nice little spot ahead that easily allows access to the water.

Also, at various points along the River are these neat little signs. And during many times of the day I usually see a number of fisherman, some from the bank and others choosing to wade in the water.

The little clearing and rock bank ahead appears to be quite a good fishing spot I think. Or, in my case, just a peaceful spot to rest after traveling this far. Across the River is a elevated set of train tracks, reminding me that I’m never too far from the railroad around Roanoke.

The water is pretty clear near the bank, and the bottom of the river here is littered with countless stones. I reached out and down towards the water, and as I did a small school of tiny fish hurriedly swam away in the other direction.

This clearing is rather large when the water is at this elevation, which seems about how it should be under the relatively normal weather conditions we’ve experienced lately.

Looking Ahead

At the end of the clearing I stand for a minute and look ahead and down the River. Some trees near the bank tend to seemingly grow out of the ground horizontally, and then upwards reaching for the sun.

Faintly in the background, I can see the second bridge on Wiley Drive that we’ll soon be crossing.

Continuing the Journey

After a few more moments of watching and staring at what lies ahead, I decide to bring this little side excursion to and end and continue on my way.

So, I carry myself back up to Wiley Drive and keep walking. Shortly, I come upon that second bridge and also see in the near distance another road bridge which we will be walking under.

In Exploring Roanoke - The Roanoke River Greenway (Part 5), we’ll check all of this out and I’ll also talk about why you may want to watch your head when walking under this particular bridge. (Hint: “falling debris” from some other feathered wildlife.)

Several days ago I received a comment to Part 2 of The Roanoke River Greenway series which was left by Chris, who also operates a local blog. He was requesting use of the pictures I’ve taken of The Roanoke River Greenway, as he is working on an online map of the greenway system. (I’ll post more on that a little later.)

In my response to his comment, I mentioned that I’ve actually taken dozens and dozens of pictures along and around The Roanoke River Greenway. But, when I sit down to write a post I include only a relatively small handful of them.

Well, I couldn’t see any sense in just keeping all of the pictures stored my computer hard drive. So, here’s a few more that didn’t quite make the cut and weren’t included in the first 3 parts of the original series: Exploring Roanoke - The Roanoke River Greenway.

I’ll be back with a new Part 4 on Monday, have a great weekend!

Grasses and weeds sprout up between the planks and gravel in a set of train tracks that runs beside Wasena Park.

Construction signs cover a section of Wiley Drive underneath the Wasena Bridge, as some existing pavement is actually being replaced with greenspace in this area. A sign for The Skate Park can be seen to the left.

Shortly before the first bridge on Wiley Drive, a building appears to have been boarded up and closed. I suppose it used to be a destination for parties and receptions.

Butterflies gather on the side of the Roanoke River.

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

This is Part 3 in an Exploring Roanoke series that covers: the current (as of May, 2008) entire nearly 6 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway, Wasena Park, The Skate Park, Smith Park, Piedmont Park, and lots of scenery along the way.

(For a general introduction to the greenway system in Roanoke, you may want to first visit a previous post.)

Distance (Part 3): approx. 1/4 mile

At the end of Part 2, we had traveled the greenway until it connected with Wiley Drive, and then crossed over the first bridge.

Wiley Drive

The median that seperates the left and right side lanes does continue throughout the entire length of Wiley Drive.

Automobile traffic on Wiley Drive is permitted only when going South (the direction we’re going). So, I believe it’s the intention of the City for all non-motorized traffic to use the other lane, no matter which direction you are traveling.

Familiar Feathered Friends

The Roanoke River is visible just to the right and at the bottom of the hill. As I continued walking I heard a familiar faint quacking which was only slightly louder than the gentle roaring of the river.

I approached the bank for a closer look.

And I saw a family of ducks swimming in the water, their heads periodically bobbing below the surface looking for food.

I was a reminded of a time a few weeks ago where I suppose I had encountered some of their relatives along a section of the Roanoke River in Salem.

Smith Park

Back to Wiley Drive, and I found that I was approaching the third park along the Roanoke River Greenway, namely Smith Park.

Approaching the entrance of Smith Park from Wiley Drive

Soon after passing the park’s sign, I came upon a pedestrian intersection. To the left, I believe the official greenway path continues via a paved walkway which goes towards and around the park. The other option is to continue going straight which keeps you on Wiley Drive. (The greenway path connects again with Wiley Drive a bit further ahead.)

We’re going to travel along both options during this series, starting with the greenway path and visiting Smith Park. As seen in the above photo, along Wiley Drive there are a few parking spaces here so the park itself if very much accessible by automobile.

As I continued walking down the paved pathway leading into the heart of the Smith Park, a tree on both sides acts as a natural gateway. And I could begin to see a covered patio and the bright colors of a playground area in the distance.

Walking towards Smith Park along the Roanoke River Greenway

I came to learn of the origin behind the park’s name from a small memorial also in the area. The park is named after Robert Hall Smith, who was President of Norfolk and Western Railray Co (N&W) from 1946-1958. The park was dedicated in his name in 1965.

The greenway path leads around the perimeter to the left of the park. But, before I walked much futher another marker of some kind placed at the corner of the playground area caught my eye.

Play area at Smith Park

The marker is a plaque explaining the creation of the playground as having been donated to residents by the Roanoke Civitan Club nearly 15 years ago.

The park itself is very quaint, with a number of trees scattered all over to provide shade.

But, what else could I see if I was to backtrack slightly and instead continue on Wiley Drive?

That’s exactly what we’ll find out next time in Exploring Roanoke - The Roanoke River Greenway (Part 4).

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

This is Part 2 in an Exploring Roanoke series that covers: the current (as of May, 2008) entire nearly 6 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway, Wasena Park, The Skate Park, Smith Park, Piedmont Park, and lots of scenery along the way.

(For a general introduction to the greenway system in Roanoke, you may want to first visit a previous post.)

Distance (Part 2): approx 1/2 mile

Last time, Part 1 ended at about the 1/2 mile mark as we continued traveling along the border of Wasena Park. The Roanoke River is to the left of the pathway, beyond a orange construction netting and at the bottom of the hill.

Up ahead is the Wasena Bridge and I can tell that the greenway will lead underneath. But, I also found a little park area nestled directly beneath the bridge.

Approaching the Wasena Bridge from the Roanoke River Greenway

The Skate Park

Below the Wasena Bridge, encased in high fencing, there is an area that’s been built by the city that’s dedicated for use by skateboarders. The support columns for the bridge are used to create ramps, and there are other railings and smaller ramps throughout the area.

There’s even a small set of bleachers outside the fence on the other side for onlookers or parents to sit and wait or watch.

The Skate Part in Roanoke underneath the Wasena Bridge

After passing under the Wasena Bridge, in order to stay on the actual greenway path, I will keep to the left. Just ahead is where the trail connects with Wiley Drive near the intersection with Winona Avenue.

I notice a bench for those needing a short break, and there are several more benches scatterred at various points along the greenway.

View of the Roanoke River Greenway

In the vicinity of this particular bench, I also saw a young tree with a small plaque in front. And upon a closer look I realized that this tree was part of the Roanoke Commemorative Tree Program, where residents can purchase a tree in memory of a friend or loved one and even have some input on where the tree is planted.

The First Bridge

By now, the roaring sound of the Roanoke River has become increasingly lounder and the water is in my sights. The first river overpass is just ahead.

Approaching a Roanoke River bridge on Wiley Drive

As I approach the bridge and begin walking a section of Wiley Drive I see that there’s a median that separate the 2 sides of the road. As I came to find out cars are only permitted on Wiley Drive when traveling South (the same direction we’re going). The road is one-way with no North bound or return traffic allowed.

So, if you walk on the right side in this direction you may have to keep a lookout for passing cars coming up from behind. But on the left side (traveling south) there is no access for automobiles.

While standing on the bridge I spent several moments looking out into the river that was flowing away from me. Then, I noticed a rather large part of a tree trunk had been lodged in some rocks just below and in front of my feet.

Of course I had to investigate a little bit further. So, I hopped down to some cement landing below and right next to the flowing water. The current was fairly strong, but the log was much more stubborn and was not about to budge.

Now, that’s some piece of driftwood.

Continuing onward we’re about to come upon the second park which is nestled on some open land in-between the river and railroad tracks.

In Exploring Roanoke - The Roanoke River Greenway (Part 3) we’ll discover this park and venture slightly off the greenway path in search of some more familiar wildlife scenery closer to the river.

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

This is Part 1 of an Exploring Roanoke series that covers: the current (as of May, 2008) entire nearly 6 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway, Wasena Park, The Skate Park, Smith Park, Piedmont Park, and lots of scenery along the way.

(For a general introduction to the greenway system in Roanoke, you may want to first visit a previous post.)

Distance (Part 1): approx 1/2 mile

Over at Roanoke RnR, I recently saw a post about Wiley Drive which reminded me of an area that I hadn’t visited in quite some time. In fact, over the past few years I’ve traveled along Wiley Drive via automobile at most once or twice, but never in my life on foot that I can remember.

So, when I found out that the Roanoke River Greenway connects to and follows along sections of Wiley Drive, a seed of increasing anticipation was planted in my mind. I knew that traversing along this way would be more than simply exercising or getting some fresh air (of course there’s plenty of both), but the entire experience is an adventure in itself.

We’ll begin at one main entrance to the greenway, which is at Wasena Park. 

The morning was beautiful and pleasant, with early sunshine causing the previous night’s dew to glisten on the grass. The air was slightly crisp, but comfortable, and I knew within an hour or so my jacket would just end up being carried and not worn. So, I left it the car.

The Roanoke River Greenway is aptly named because the path leads you never more than about a stone’s throw from the river.  The path actually, at various points, crosses the river or leads you along the way while just on top of the bank and looking down at the moving water itself.

And though the greenway was my overall guide, as you’ll see on occasion I ventured slightly off the path for a photo-op or a little more adventure.

Wasena Park

The journey begins in Wasena Park, at the starting point (or ending point depending on which way you’re going) for the greenway. On the left side of the parking lot is the greenway entrance, as directed by the nearby brown sign depicting hikers and a bicycle.

The start / end of the Roanoke River Greenway

 After parking you will notice a children’s playset and also in the distance a covered patio area with picnic tables. The combination of both makes up part of Wasena Park.

The play area and covered patio area in Wasena Park

I parked and made my way to the greenway. I took the first several steps and my anxious eyes followed the paved path until it became lost in the trees. The path is paved and smooth, and continues the same as far as I could see, and it’s a relatively level walkway througout.

After walking past the play area and patio, visibility opens greatly and I can see the path runs along the far backside of Wasena Park. Currently, the left side is gated with orange construction netting, and the river is beyond that and further down the bottom of the hill.

I’m finding this section of the walk to be quiet and peaceful. Even if children are playing nearby or a game or two is taking place at the adjacent ball fields, the path leads far enough away so that any human noise does not completely drown out the sounds of nature.

Far off in the distance I can see Mill Mountain, and even faintly make out the Star on top. By this time, I can also see the Wasena Bridge (which runs along Main Street, and connects to Elm Avenue.) And it occurs to me that eventually I’ll have to walk under the bridge to continue on my way.

Mill Mountain and the Wasena Bridge as seen from the Roanoke River Greenway

Little did I know that, of all places, beneath the bridge is a Roanoke City Park. Some of you may already know or have an idea of what I’m talking about and we’ll both check it out, as well as encounter and cross the river, in Exploring Roanoke - The Roanoke River Greenway (Part 2).

Have you heard in the news or by word-of-mouth about greenways in Roanoke?

Do you know the how, what, why, and most importantly, the where behind these greenways?

Well, neither do I completely, but over the next several weeks both of us are going to find out!

But, before I get into the hands-on part of actually exploring a greenway, I wanted to take a minute and provide a brief overview of the idea behind a greenway system.

According to the Roanoke Valley Greenways website:

Simply stated, a greenway is a corridor of protected open space managed for conservation, recreation and non-motorized transportation.

No Automobiles Allowed

One of the most important aspects of a greenway in Roanoke is that only non-motorized traffic is allowed. And, because the trail width is typically smaller than a single traffic lane, a car wouldn’t fit anyways. So, whether you enjoy walking, running, roller blading, or riding a bicycle, there’s less worry about looking out for a motorist when on the greenway.

Each One Is Unique

The entire greenway path itself may be paved, gravel, or a natural dirt trail (or a combination of all three). The path for one greenway may be open with direct sunshine, while another may lead right into and through the middle of the woods.

Make It Your Own

Some greenways are relatively short (1-2 miles one-way), and I believe the longest greenway path to date is about 5-6 miles, which can make for quite a hike. Now, of course there’s hardly a requirement to walk the entire way, nothing of the sort. Pick up at a convenient section along the greenway wherever you want, travel a little bit, and then turn back around.

Ready To Go?

All in all, the greenways are a great addition to the Roanoke area I think. Starting with the next post, and as I’m able to throughout the spring and summer, I’m going to share with you my experiences in walking them one at a time.

Comfortable shoes will be a necessity.

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

In recognition of Memorial Day weekend, I traveled downtown to visit Lee Plaza. This area is located along Church Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets, and is directly across the street from the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building.

On the side of the plaza facing 2nd Street, there are a series of large historic memorial markers each with the names of those neighbors who have fallen.

Lee Plaza, 2nd Street running horizontally and Church Avenue continuing straight and to the right. The Commonwealth of Virginia Building is seen to the left.

Nearby to these markers, and quaintly nestled in the shade of trees, is a smaller stone and plaque. Behind this stone and rising above the trees to receive the sunlight, is an American Flag and a Virginia State Flag.

Roanoke Valley War Memorial plaque

Robert E. Lee Memorial in Roanoke

Words on the plaque call this the Roanoke Valley War Memorial, which was originally dedicated in 1982.

And at the far end, nearest 3rd Street, is a memorial dedicated to Robert E. Lee.

Throughout the entire plaza are a number of benches.

And much of the area is shaded by trees which provides a very pleasant environment for sitting and gathering, or even just walking through and taking a moment or two to pay respects in your own way.

Noke News explores parts of Roanoke by foot, equipped with a camera and a notepad, in hopes of learning something new. Perhaps you will too.

When it comes to the Downtown Roanoke area one of the most recognized buildings, if not the most recognized, is the Wachovia Tower.

The building is tall and stately, and easily seen when approaching downtown from almost any direction, or simply passing by on Route 220/I-581.

Yet, beyond it just existing as a tall building, I think it’s purpose may help to bring close to home a humbling aspect of Roanoke.

The Approach

I came in from the West direction traveling via Salem Avenue, parallel parked across the street from Warehouse Row, and covered the rest of the distance on foot.

Late day sunshine causes the Tower to give off a faint glow at this distance.

Ground Level

Standing on the sidewalk and looking up at this building leaves me in awe, and l feel a sense of being swallowed whole in its presence.

But, I welcome the feeling.

It reminds me that Roanoke, for its size, does have at the very least a modest and sustainable downtown atmosphere. We do have a downtown.

Eye Level

After walking a short distance, over to the Shenandoah Avenue entrance of the Hotel Roanoke, I gain a little better footing to view.

The Tower’s dominance in height is clear in comparison to other nearby buildings.

But the, the tables are set to turn a bit.

From the Top

The view seen on an overlook at Mill Mountain causes a change in roles completely, with myself being the thing that is looked up to from below.

And Roanoke, with its natural landscape, permits this entire circle of experiences to take place.

From city to country, bottom to top, and back, in mere minutes.

Now, that’s pretty cool.

As for the Wachovia Tower itself, I know it hardly holds a candle to some of the skyscrapers in New York, Chicago, or even Richmond.

But, to me and to Roanoke it’s just the right size I think.