Guided Hike to the Piedmont Memorial Overlook
April 24 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Celebrate Earth Week and Arbor Day with a guided hike to a Treasured View! Join staff from The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) in partnership with Sky Meadows State Park for an unforgettable outdoor experience. This guided hike to the Piedmont Memorial Overlook, recently recognized as a “Treasured View” by Scenic Virginia, will honor strategic partnerships in the outdoors with both park rangers and PEC staff as your guides.
This guided hike to the Piedmont Memorial Overlook, recently recognized as a “Treasured View” by Scenic Virginia, will honor strategic partnerships in the outdoors with both park rangers and PEC staff as your guides.
This will be a strenuous hike of approximately 3 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 600 feet over the 1.5-mile ascent to the overlook.
About the Overlook
The Piedmont Memorial Overlook sits within a large block of privately and publicly protected land along the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s a patchwork of forest, livestock pasture, and mountainous fields that was actively farmed and heavily grazed by cattle from the late 18th century until the recent past.
In 2012, with funding from the USDA, PEC began an extensive restoration effort on the 50-acre parcel. We first eliminated fescue and other non-native plants from the pasture and then seeded native grasses and wildflowers. The property now serves as an active demonstration site for landowners interested in seeing the outcomes of habitat restoration practices.
The 16-acre native meadow is home to songbirds, butterflies, raptors, bees and black bears. Native wildflower species provide forage for pollinators and habitat for grassland and shrubland birds. PEC manages the meadow using prescribed fire, late winter mowing and invasive species monitoring.