Life Outside

A woman in waders casts a fly rod in a forested mountain stream lined with boulders and green trees.

Breaking the Trout Drought

You receive the kind, loving gift of a guided trout-fishing excursion from your wife, there’s some pressure to perform.
Collage of runners on a wooded road, a group holding cups outdoors, and two runners posing on a path.

The Ambassador of Roanoke Running

If you've run a road race of most any distance in the region, you likely know Marion Childress
Collage: a man kneels with a brown dog by a rock overhang, a swimmer's arm, and a whitewater kayaker.

Pics and Strava

Is it true that if it's not photoed and Stravaed, it never happened?
Collage of a BMX rider mid-air, pool jumpers, a dog leaping a fence, and a child paddleboarding.

Go Fest ’16

And it's bigger and better than ever!
Two hikers on a rocky ridge, one pulling the other up by the hand, with blue sky and valley views behind them.

Get Away (Not too Far) From it All

These four towns provide the perfect base for outdoor fun.
Three photos of climbers bouldering on rock outcrops in wooded terrain, with crash pads on the ground.

Boulders!

Top 10 spots, plus a look at harder climbs.
A smiling woman in a blue helmet and sunglasses waves while riding a zip line through green trees.

Longest Virginia Zip Line

Hungry Mother Adventures facility borders the state park.
Two mountain bikers ride a grassy trail uphill, each towing a loaded cargo trailer behind their bike.

C-Ville Builds Bike Culture

The area’s blend of urban and mountain trails provides an ideal riding environment.
A man in a gray shirt with a red sash fights off costumed zombies on a street, with a police SUV behind them.

Run with Terror

Does the threat of a brain-eating zombie make you run faster?
A smiling bearded man in a tan cap and blue shirt, wearing a backpack, stands on a wooded trail.

Ridgerunner

Matt Allenbaugh has been on duty out on the Roanoke area’s most-used sections of the Appalachian Trail only since April. The 2005 thru-hiker has been out on trails far longer.

Departments

The Beaver Dam Sunflower Festival attracts about 20,000 visitors annually — a boon to the local economy.
Features

Bloom Town

Flower farms are finding new ways to keep our community beautiful.

A young child with brown hair in a gray shirt and navy polka-dot skirt paints colorful swirls on a white wall, under the words "Living with Kid Art.
Features

Living with Kid Art

Get great tips on how to display your kids’ artwork at home.