Blue Suck Falls Hike
Douthat State Park is one of Virginia's jewels. Voted as one of the nations 10 best, the park has over 43 miles of trails. With Blue Suck Falls/Tuscarora Overlook and the Beards Mountain loops, the park has two beautiful day hike circuits. The vistas and overlooks at the park are some of the best in the Old Dominion.Although there isn't any camping on the trails in Douthat State Park, there are over 75 campsites in two camping areas near the lake, as well as a large group camp area. Douthat State Park is a great place to either tent or trailer camp for a couple of days, and hike the multiple loops available in the valley.
- Mile 0.0 - From the parking area cross Wilson Creek on a paved road, then shortly pass the Beards Gap Hollow Trail that will be the return route. Continue up the paved road and in 100 yards enter the main section of the Campground.
- Mile 0.2 - Turn left uphill on the yellow blazed Tobacco Ridge Trail and in 0.5 miles reach the high point of the trail and a overlook of Douthat Lake. Continue along Tobacco Ridge Trail for another 0.5 miles as it descend to the intersection of the blue blazed Blue Suck Falls Trail.
- Mile 1.2 - Turn left uphill on the blue blazed Blue Suck Falls trail immediately crossing a stream and in 200 yards pass the green blazed Huffs Trail on the right. 0.2 miles from the Huffs Trail intersection reach the intersection of the Laurel View Trail on the right. Stay left remaining on the blue blazed Blue Suck Falls Trail and in 0.5 miles pass the yellow blazed Locust Gap Trail that comes in from the left. Turn right on the blue blazed Blue Suck Falls trail is it becomes steeper and rockier for the next 0.3 miles before arriving at Blue Suck Falls.
- Mile 2.2 - Continue uphill on the Blue Suck Falls Trail for 0.3 miles where the Blue suck Falls Trail turns left uphill, and the yellow blazed Pine Tree Trail continues straight.
- Mile 2.3 - Turn left remaining on the blue blazed trail as it switchbacks steeply up Middle Mountain passing several beautiful overlooks before reaching Overlook Rock, and vista of the valley and Lake Douthat. Continue uphill on the Blue Suck Falls Trail as it switchbacks four more times before arriving at the yellow blazed Tuscarora Overlook Trail in 0.9 miles.
- Mile 3.4 - Turn left downhill on the yellow blazed trail passing the intersection of the Tuscarora Overlook Trail continuation in 0.3 miles, and reaching a small cabin at the Tuscarora Overlook in another 0.1 miles.
- Mile 3.8 - From Tuscarora Overlook, return back to the last intersection and turn left on the yellow blazed continuation of the Tuscarora Overlook Trail. In 0.5 miles the yellow blazed trail ends at the orange blazed Stony Run Trail.
- Mile 4.3 - Turn left downhill on the orange blazed trail as it makes eight sharp switchbacks before passing through a thick area of rhododendron and crossing Stony Run in 2.1 miles.
- Mile 6.4 - Continue downward on the Stony Run Trail, passing a blue blazed trail on the right, re-crossing Stony Run and then arriving at the intersection of the yellow blazed Locust Gap Trail.
- Mile 7.3 - Turn left slightly uphill on the yellow blazed trail as it winds around the valley reaching the silver blazed Beards Gap Hollow Trail in 1.1 miles.
- Mile 8.4 - The yellow blazed Locust Gap Trail turns left uphill, and the silver blazed Beards Gap Hollow Trail turns right downhill. Turn right downhill on the Beards Gap Hollow Trail for 0.9 miles where it veers right onto a gravel road. In 200 yards after joining the gravel road arrive back at the paved road for the Campground. Stay right re-crossing Wilson Creek.
- Mile 9.4 - Arrive back at the parking area.
