I made my first of hopefully many excursions out to Devil’s Marbleyard yesterday, and I’ll happily admit that it left me feeling more refreshed than I’ve felt in a long time. Upon returning I met up with a friend of mine who said that I looked more alive than he’s ever seen me. He hasn’t known me for more than three years, but his observation probably was not too far from the truth. In the aftermath of yesterday’s adventure, “alive” is certainly an apt word to describe my state of body and mind.
It began with getting a little bit lost. The marbleyard is in Natural Bridge territory – a little more than an hour’s worth of a drive North from Roanoke. My hiking partner and I made our way down a gravel, one-lane backroad and accidentally passed the “parking lot” the first time around. We drove further and further down this road, slowly growing more and more confident that we had gone too far – we just didn’t know how far. Nevertheless, we did find our way back. We parked, prepared our gear, and began our hike up Belfast trail.
The hike up Belfast was uphill the entire way. I could feel my calf muscles beginning to burn as we neared the 3/4 mark. Fortunately, it wasn’t too hot just yet (this was at about 10:30 AM), and there were several streams that crossed over the path so that I could splash cold water onto my face. The hike itself was about a mile. I knew we had reached the marbleyard before I could see it, and when I could see it, my heart leapt.
If I had never heard of the marbleyard and someone showed me a picture of it, I’d have guessed that it was a wonder of a faraway land – somewhere in Europe or New Zealand, perhaps. But to have it in my own backyard? It was a dream come true. Boulders. As far as the eye could see up the mountain. It was only once I topped the first peak that I learned I wasn’t even halfway up yet. I was at home on the rocks, leaping barefoot from one to the next (which, in retrospect, certainly was not safest way to proceed up the rock, due to rattlesnakes natural affinity for basking on sunlit stone). My partner was more weary, using her hands and feet to make each carefully planned move from one boulder to the next. Where I welcomed the challenge of the second half’s more difficult terrain (these boulders were larger and more jagged), my partner’s heart sank. To put it in her words, this hike/climb was, “not for the faint of heart.”
And I would agree with that. But for any outdoor enthusiast, the Devil’s Marbleyard is hands down a must-see.
Difficulty: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Recommended: Absolutely
Price: Free (excluding cost of gas)
Be sure to bring:
. Plenty of water
. Energizing, nutritious snacks
. A rag, cloth, or towel
. A spare shirt
. Rugged-terrain hiking shoes
