Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

We were a little too late for large displays of  flowers  but we really enjoyed this garden with its meandering paths and themed gardens. The newly constructed Prairie Castle Playground is a big draw for families. A path leads through the woods to very creative play areas using natural materials such as hollow trees, bamboo, and stacked rocks. Colorful orchids and tropical plants fill the conservatory.

While most of the paths are paved and the path through the woods is hard packed the garden is not accessible without the help of a strong assistant due to the very hilly terrain.  

RVs will fit in the parking lot if backed up over the grass or parked lengthwise through the spaces.  Garden  35.16939, -81.05733

 

Charlotte Museum of History

The large impressive appearing museum building is surprisingly empty and short on history. The main exhibit is about the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, a document from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, that may or may not predate the Declaration of Independence. Other exhibits feature portraits of Charlotte residents and two hundred years of political cartoons. There's also a relocated 1920 schoolhouse, the Siloam School, built for black children in the era when schools were segregated. It served as a house and then a garage before being rescued, restored, and placed on the museum grounds. 

The 1774 Alexander Homesite is part of the museum grounds. A paved walking trail loops past a two story springhouse, the stone Alexander house, a rebuilt kitchen building, and a relocated log barn. Interpretive signs are located along the trail.  

The museum is accessible. The schoolhouse has a ramp and is accessible. The trail is paved but very steep and requires backtracking due to steps in one section. Wheelchair users will need assistance. The Alexander house and the kitchen building are not accessible due to steps. 

 

RVs will fit in the lot if parked through the spaces. The trail can be accessed through the museum and there's also a connector trail on the left side of the parking lot. Visiting the grounds is free. 

Museum    35.23406, -80.76692

 

Toby Creek Greenway

 Both Toby Creek Greenway and Mallard Creek Greenway can be accessed from the Kirk Farms Fields parking lot. We tried Mallard Creek Greenway first but the asphalt soon ended and the trail became rough crushed rock so we backtracked and walked/rolled along Toby Creek Greenway until it ended too at University City Blvd. We covered about five miles total.  

 Even though the trail cuts through the college campus most of it is under forest cover. We came to one spot where the underpass was flooded but the trail has a bypass that crossed the street.

      

 

The trail is almost completely level and in excellent condition. The last section to University City Blvd is very steep and can be skipped. 

 

RVs will fit in the Kirk Farms Fields lot if backed up over the grass.  Trail  35.32098, -80.73215

William King Museum

Only two galleries were open during our visit and while there's no admission fee, the museum may not warrant a special trip even when fully open. The changing exhibit galleries featured Salvador Dali etchings, mixed media pieces by Beka Addison-Browder, and functional stoneware and decorative pottery. 

The museum is accessible but due to the ongoing construction the entrance that we used on the left side of the building may not be the accessible entrance when the construction is finished.  

Parking was also disrupted by the construction. We parked in front of the building and had a very steep hill to climb to the accessible entrance.  Museum  36.70911, -81.98689

 

Museum of the Middle Appalachians

 Animals and people have been visiting Saltville, Virginia for over 14,000 years starting with mastodons, woolly mammoths, giant sloths, and musk oxen. Before that all kinds of creatures lived in the sea that covered the entire valley basin. When the sea dried up it left vast salt deposits which were mostly buried under sediment but the accessible salt was a big draw for animals, Native Americans, European explorers and settlers, and finally huge chemical factories who all came for the salt. 

 The small museum gives an overall history of the area with exhibits of mastodon bones, Native American artifacts, 1850s salt works, Civil War battles, and the rise of a company town. The company town is portrayed as idyllic but in the 1970s the chemical plants shut down for various reasons including pollution concerns and cheaper production in the western states. Salt is stilled mined for food and industrial use.  

The museum is accessible. 

Parking spaces in front of the museum are angled but there's a parking lot across the street where RVs will fit if parked across the spaces. There are also accessible spaces parallel to the sidewalk in front of the library. The curb cuts do not match up so rolling in the street may be necessary. Museum   36.88012, -81.76416

 

Bull Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail

The trail runs along the former railbed  of a Norfolk Southern coal train. After climbing a short steep hill it levels out with views of the forest and the communities in the valley below. We went about 1 mile on the 1.5 mile trail before turning around. 

The fall colors along the trail were faded but we had passed some beautiful hillsides on the drive to the trailhead. 

The trail is hard packed dirt and small gravel. It's fairly easy to roll along but wheelchair users may need assistance on the hill. 

The parking area on the opposite side of the street is large enough for any vehicle.  

 

Roadside Park Port of St. Albans

This is an unusual free campground. We surmised that it must have been built years ago before the city grew because it's in the middle of a commercial district. There's a Kroger right across the street but US 60 is four lane, busy, and missing crosswalks so walking there would be difficult. 

There are three campsites with electricity, tables, and trash cans. The little park also has a dump station with fresh water, a playground, picnic shelter, a boat ramp, and a nice view of the Kanawha River. 

 The parking pads are paved and level. The picnic tables have a slight overhang. Park 38.38848, -81.82494