ROCKY MOUNT
TO BRISTOL, VIRGINIA

GET THERE:
Rocky Mount to Bristol

BACKROAD ROUTE:
4 hours 43 minutes, 215 miles
Rocky Mount > Ferrum > Pembroke > Wytheville > Marion > Bristol

Google Maps Route Link

Starting point:
Twin Creeks Distillery
140 Franklin Street, Rocky Mount

Start your trip strong with a taste of the spirits that once provided a way of life and means of survival for many Blue Ridge Mountains residents. Chris Prillaman opened Twin Creeks Distillery in 2014 to honor the traditional practice of whiskey-making. Located in the “moonshine capital of the world”—Franklin County—the distillery recently moved from 510 Franklin Street to its new location and is expected to reopen in April. Products include 90-proof First Sugar Moonshine and Apple Brandy, 100 proof Copper Corn, and 86 proof Peg Hatcher’s Straight Whiskey. Stop by for a sample or to purchase a bottle. Some of the distillery’s spirits are also sold at Virginia ABC stores. Learn more at twincreeksdistillery.com.

The Blue Ridge Institute & Museum at Ferrum College
215 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum

Ferrum College created the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum (BRIM) to celebrate the region’s folk heritage and history. BRIM’s heritage farm serves as the site for the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival each October and hosts concerts throughout the year. A major venue on The Crooked Road, BRIM also offers educational programming to help Ferrum College’s students build valuable skills. In 1986, Virginia Governor Gerald Baliles and the state legislature designated BRIM as “The State Center for Blue Ridge Folklore.” Spring events include Monday night jams, the Blue Ridge Plant and Seed Swap on April 13, 10–11 a.m., the 8th Annual Moonshine Heritage Bash & Car Show on April 27, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and more. Check out the calendar at blueridgeinstitute.org.

Cascade Falls Trailhead
2068 Cascade Drive, Pembroke

Stretch your legs during a scenic hike to Cascade Falls in Jefferson National Forest. This four-mile round trip hike to a 66-foot waterfall is low-to-moderate in difficulty, and offers picnic areas and fishing opportunities at Little Stony Creek. Restrooms are available at the trailhead, and parking costs $3 per vehicle. No bikes or horses are permitted. Learn more at virginia.org/listing/cascades-national-recreation-trail/6927.

Mountain Lake Lodge
115 Hotel Circle, Pembroke

Just a few miles away in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you’ll find Mountain Lake Lodge. Located  in the center of a 2,600-acre nature preserve, this site of several important scenes in the 1987 hit movie Dirty Dancing offers accommodations ranging from cabins to cottages, and the Main Stone Lodge’s well-appointed rooms. Enjoy farm-to-table fare and events such as themed Dirty Dancing weekends April 26–28 and June 21–23. Mark your calendar for a celebration of Virginia's finest craft breweries at the 2024 BrewRidge Music Festival on Saturday, May 18. Other spring events such as an Easter Brunch March 31, Wellness Weekend April 19–20, and more. Visit mtnlakelodge.com for details.

Big Walker Lookout
8711 Stoney Fork Road, Wytheville

The highest point on the Big Walker Mountain National Scenic Byway, Big Walker Lookout is the only place on this journey where you can climb a lookout tower that offers an expansive view of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ natural splendor, and experience an old-fashioned country store that serves up hand-dipped ice cream and fresh fudge. Located on U.S. 52 between Wytheville and Bland, Big Walker Lookout hosts live music performances on-site May through October. Learn more at scenicbeauty-va.com.

The Lincoln Theatre
117 E. Main Street, Marion

A successful furniture factory owner in Marion named Charles C. Lincoln Sr. set out to build what is believed to be one of the last remaining Mayan Revival-style theaters in the world after visiting a grand movie palace in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Lincoln invested $150,000 ($2 million in today’s currency) in the project, and hired New York’s Novelty Art Studios to design interiors that would evoke the feeling of walking into an ancient Mayan temple. Lincoln died of pneumonia in 1928 before construction of The Lincoln Theatre was complete, but his sons continued the project, and on July 1, 1929, The Lincoln Theatre officially opened with Close Harmony starring Buddy Rogers and Nancy Carroll. This spring you can see shows there like “An Evening With Aaron Tippin” or the “Mark Lowry and Friends Tour 2024.” It’s an experience you won’t forget. Learn more at thelincoln.org.

The Henderson
293 North Church Street, Marion

Before you leave Marion, stop by The Henderson, also known as the Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts. Named for a southwestern Virginia luthier who has crafted guitars for the likes of Eric Clapton, Doc Watson, Dave Neal, and other famous musicians, the school includes a three-story brick building known as the 1908 Schoolhouse—also considered an important local landmark due to its location on the highest point in Historic Downtown Marion. In years past, this structure housed a high school, elementary school, library, school board, parole office, and historical society prior to functioning as The Henderson. Learn more at thehenderson.org.

Birthplace of Country Music Museum
101 Country Music Way, Bristol

Bristol’s expansion across the border of Virginia and Tennessee gives both states bragging rights to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a nonprofit Smithsonian Institution affiliate that celebrates the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions—recordings that triggered what many in the industry refer to as the “big bang of country music.” The museum offers immersive experiences and hosts the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival in downtown Bristol, which takes place September 13–15 this year and celebrates the region’s rich music culture—from traditional to progressive genres. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum also serves as the broadcasting and streaming site for WBCM Radio Bristol, which airs music with vintage and modern roots. Learn more at birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.