Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail

05/04/2026

Check it out!

Get your snorkel gear out and dive into the latest issue of Virginia Wildlife Magazine! 🤿

When you hear “wildlife viewing,” you may automatically think of being on a trail with a pair of binoculars. But the May/June issue of Virginia Wildlife is all about finding, enjoying, and coexisting with wildlife where and when you don't expect them: underwater, in your back yard, at night, and while gardening. River snorkeling has taken off in Virginia, with the first stop on the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail in Damascus. Learn more about copperheads and how to coexist with them. Take a peek at the wildlife in DWR's own office back yard. And get to know some species that fly and swim that you may not have encountered - silk moths and swamp fish. Link in the comments.

📷: Cover by Derek Wheaton

04/11/2026

Come join us at the WREN Center / Laurel Community Center on April 25 from 9-4 to learn about the “Life in our Streams” featuring local science celebrities like Dave Penrose, Mary Kelly, Pat Ciccotto and Vlad Gulis! The Laurel Community Center is also home to an awesome Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail site on Shelton Laurel Creek! Make sure to register!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/life-in-our-streams-tickets-1981361208712

07/07/2025

Come check us out this summer!

05/29/2025

IT’S OFFICIAL! On June 14th at 1 PM, our first site outside of North Carolina will open in Damascus, VA! Come join in the fun!

Shout out to Native Fish Coalition Virginia Chapter and Visit Damascus, Virginia for all the hard work making this happen!

We are super excited to have VA on the trail and we hope for many more sites!

05/16/2025

We should have several new sites open by the end of this year. Come check us out!

04/06/2025

We’ve waited on posting because we wanted the focus to be on the people impacted by Helene. That being said, we are here and we are back!

A majority of our sites are just fine. Our two most impacted sites are the Veteran’s Park site on the Swannanoa River in Black Mountain and the Canton Rec. Park on the Pigeon River. We anticipate all sites being open by this summer and we have a new site opening next month. Stay tuned for the new site info.

Below is our Mills River Park site following the flood. Maybe our first tiki themed site? 😂

See you in May!

10/01/2024

Please help support the survival and recovery of our friends, colleagues, and families impacted by Helene.

The link below shows how you can help.

https://ncnewsline.com/2024/09/30/how-to-help-north-carolina-in-the-aftermath-of-tropical-storm-helene/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFo2lVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZfS37knkplzp3T2K8LBOo_NoePW1xLeC0BDKtfPZ9Lsu48DsAbw5Eunag_aem_p_xiguYsNxc2H8lgLhih5w

08/03/2024

We are happy to have the new and improved Cheoah sign and frame up and going again. Thanks to our great partners at the US Forest Service Nantahala National Forest for reinstalling the sign!

Come check out the Cheoah River site before summer ends!

06/28/2024

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/27/nx-s1-5015691/the-blue-ridge-snorkel-trail-offers-an-immersive-nature-experience?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3vZMUQ5wohSBZjTKjyCLdaOvr3unmbAhMGXmQnOQYOTEErzQKwi0uDCGc_aem_dPVWiXBXKCePhrplXZxGpg

Snorkeling is not just for coral reefs. There's a lot of beauty in Appalachian mountain streams and you'll find them on the Blue Ridge Snorkel trail.

10/02/2023

A nice feature on Ingles Open Road!

https://wlos.com/features/open-road/the-ingles-open-road-blue-ridge-snorkel-trail #

This week, we're exploring a trail unlike any that we've experienced in our southern Appalachian Mountains. This is the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail, and we're divi