Comers Rock Overlook and Dream Rock Silo Hikes, Virginia

Location: Dream Rock Silo and Comers Rock, Grayson County, Virginia

A green valley and blue ridgelines seen from halfway up the hill behind Dream Rock Silo in Virginia

Five months after our March trip I was back at Dream Rock Silo, this time in the hot, green middle of August. My wife, a few friends and the dogs came along, and we squeezed in two hikes. The first went straight up the hill behind the silo. The second went to the Comers Rock Overlook in the Jefferson National Forest.

One of them had a view. The other one had a cloud.

Location of this Adventure36.7646946, -81.226961Open in Google Maps →

Day one: straight up the hill behind the silo

The first hike, on August 5, 2017, was on the private land around Dream Rock Silo, and it was less of a trail and more of a suggestion. Our buddy Will led the way. Somebody accused him of hopping rocks, and he set the record straight: he wasn’t hopping rocks, he was hopping thorn bushes. The thorns were everywhere.

Hikers with backpacks pushing up an overgrown summer trail on the hill behind Dream Rock Silo

It was hot, and the dogs let us know about it. We stopped and poured water into our cupped hands for them, which is a great way to find out how gently a German shepherd can take a drink. Turns out pretty gently. “Don’t eat my hands, please” was still said out loud.

A hiker pouring water from a bottle for the dogs on the trail

A husky and a black German shepherd drinking water from cupped hands on the hike

We never made the top. Halfway up we called it, turned around, and took in the valley and the ridgelines stacked behind it. Half the top still counts!

Looking out over the Blue Ridge from a clearing halfway up the hike near Independence, Virginia

Day two: Comers Rock Overlook

On August 10 we drove over to Comers Rock, on top of Iron Mountain in the Jefferson National Forest near Elk Creek. It sits at 3,800 feet, and the Forest Service promises a 360-degree view from the overlook.

The trail up is lined with stone steps, and they’re impressive. Imagine how much work it took to get those steps up there. We spent a good part of the climb debating whether somebody hauled the rock in or just chiseled the steps out of what was already on the mountain.

Old stone steps climbing through green forest on the trail to Comers Rock Overlook

It was clear when we started. By the time we reached the top, we’d hiked straight up into a cloud.

The stone pillars and wooden rails of the Comers Rock Overlook surrounded by thick fog

“Those views for miles!” Visibility was nil. You could see the stone pillars of the overlook and about ten feet of white past the railing. That’s what happens when you accidentally hike up into the clouds.

Nothing but fog beyond the railing at the top of Comers Rock Overlook

Honestly, it was still a blast. Everybody was damp, everybody was laughing, and a foggy summit makes a better story than a sunny one. If you go, check the forecast for the mountain, not the valley. They are two very different things.

Danan and friends grinning for a selfie in the fog at Comers Rock Overlook

If You Go

Planning Your Own Comers Rock Hike

Getting there: From I-81 near Wytheville, take US 11 south, then VA 21 south for 17 miles. Turn west on Forest Service Road 57 and go 4 miles to the recreation area.
Camping: Comers Rock has a small primitive campground, first come, first served, for $5 a night from mid-April to late October. There’s no drinking water, so bring your own. Vault toilets and picnic tables are there.
Bears: The Forest Service has a food storage order in place for bears. Read the posted rules at the site and keep a clean camp.
Weather: At 3,800 feet the summit makes its own weather. A clear valley does not mean a clear overlook, so pack a rain layer.
Where to stay: We stayed at Dream Rock Silo in Independence, a bed and breakfast in a converted 1950s dairy barn and silo. Its land is private, so hike it only as a guest.

Details checked October 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the Forest Service before you go.

CONCLUSION

Two days, two hikes, and neither one went to plan. We made it halfway up one hill and hiked into a cloud on the other, and I’d do both again tomorrow. The lesson is simple: go anyway, check the mountain forecast, carry enough water for the dogs, and count the fog as part of the story. Watch the video above to see the view we didn’t get.

The full roll