Giles County High Point Trip Report

Bald Knob on Salt Pond Mtn

Date: October 3, 1999
Author: Ron Tagliapietra

From US 460 north of Blacksburg, turn right on VA 700. Follow this six or eight miles to its end (stay right and crest the hill) at the resort area of Mountain Lake. The lake sparkles below but drive toward the back of the large lot. Walk uphill to the Nature Conservancy office.

With the office on your right, turn left up the road/driveway and walk some 30 yards until you see the sign on your right for a trail to the Bald Knob Road. The trail is blazed in red and switchbacks uphill five minutes to the road. At the road, go left and follow it ten minutes to the fork on the summit area. The left fork goes a few steps to a grand view with a stone bench and a rocky outcrop. The right fork goes a few steps to a small fenced area containing several small radio towers.

Follow the fence left and walk beyond the fence a few steps on an uphill "path" that ends at a brushy thicket. The last rock to the right has the benchmark (Salt Pond, 1934), but the rock just right of it is probably the true HP. This is a great family walk to one of the 50 highest Eastern county HPs and a 2000-foot prominence peak.