Garst Mill Park Greenway

Description

Elevation: 1022 ft.

This is a popular picnicking area among local members of the community. An easy 0.5-mile paved trail (wheelchair accessible) follows Mudlick Creek, traversing open meadows and stands of mixed hardwoods. Native flora have been planted to enhance naturally occurring wildlife within this park. Bald cypress, river birch, red maple, willows, and dogwoods provide cover for typical low-elevation woodland breeders such as eastern wood-pewee, Carolina chickadee, northern flicker, and wood thrush. The creek holds treasures such as green heron. Green frog may be found along creek edges, but are likely to flush, diving into the creek, at the first notice of an intruder. Open areas are home to American goldfinch, indigo bunting, and field sparrow. Forest edges nearby flash with the brilliant blue hues of eastern bluebird. Look for eastern towhee, gray catbird, and song and chipping sparrows along brushy edges as well. Butterflies visit blooming milkweeds, asters, and coneflowers. Look for cabbage white, clouded sulphur, dun skipper, and eastern tiger swallowtail.

Directions

From Fishburn Park, return to Brambleton Avenue and go south 1.6 miles to Garst Mill Road/Rt. 682. Turn right on Garst Mill Road and follow it 0.6 miles to Rt. 1361/Halevan Road. Turn left on Rt. 1361/Halevan Road and travel 0.1 miles to Garst Mill Greenway.

To return to the interstate, return to Brambleton Avenue and turn right. Follow Brambleton south to SR 419. Turn left on SR 419 and follow it for approximately 2.0 miles to US 220/I-581. Take US 220 South to start the Southwest Piedmont Loop or follow I-581/US 220 North to I-81 North and begin the Roanoke Valley Loop.