Visit the Peaks of Otter...
Relax, Unwind and Experience
Real Natural Beauty

The Peaks of Otter Lodge and the Otter Creek Restaurant are two "must see's" while in the Lynchburg area. It's just a short drive up 501 to the Blue Ridge Parkway and from there you can turn left to Peaks or turn right to the Otter Creek Restaurant.

Before getting into the Peaks of Otter, a brief overview of the Blue Ridge Parkway is in order.

Driving the Parkway, one can't help but marvel at the feat of engineering and construction that went into its creation. It started out in the 1930s as a Depression-era public works project and kept people employed and working for the next fifty years.

It was the nation's first, and ultimately longest, rural parkway, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. It raised the bar for engineering standards and design for such mountainous, curving, steep graded roadways.

The Blue Ridge Parkway extends 469 miles along the crests of the Southern Appalachians and links two eastern national parks--Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains, crossing the North Carolina and Virginia state line at mile 216.9. The 1749 party that surveyed the boundary included Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas.

The parkway follows the Appalachian Mountain chain and provides seemingly endless views of many parallel ranges connected by cross ranges and scattered hills.

From Shenandoah National Park the parkway follows the Blue Ridge, eastern rampart of the Appalachians, for 355 miles. Then, for the remaining 114 miles, it skirts the southern end of the massive Black Mountains, named for the dark green spruce and fir that cover them, weaves through the Craggies, the Pisgahs, the Balsams, and ends in the Great Smokies.

People come to Peaks of Otter for three reasons; breathtaking scenery, hiking the challenging nature trails up and around the mountains and to experience the Peaks of Otter Lodge.

The first question everyone asks is, "Where did that name come from?" It's hard to say since there are three versions on how the Peaks of Otter got their name.

It may have come from the Cherokee Indian word, "ottari," which means "high places." Or it may have been named after the Otter River, which has its headwaters in the area. Finally, Scottish settlers may have named the Peaks after Ben Otter, a mountain in their homeland that resembles Sharp Top. Take your pick.

The Peaks of Otter Lodge offers sixty-three rooms, a wonderful restaurant, the cozy Sharp Top lounge, gift shop and meeting facilities.

If you can, get a window table in the restaurant to enjoy the view of beautiful Abbott Lake. The lodge is open year round, with reservations required during holidays and the fall color season. For additional information or reservations you can call them at (540) 586-1081.

Photo: Above - rear view of Peaks of Otter Lodge;
below - Sharp Top Lounge at Peaks of Otter

Campground and Picnic Area

Adjacent to the Peaks of Otter Lodge is a a 144-site campground operated by the National Park Service. It is located at the foot of Sharp Top mountain and has 92 tent sites and 52 spots for trailers or RV's.

Facilities include water, comfort stations with flush toilets and cold running water sinks, but no showers or hook-ups. Camping is only permitted in established campgrounds.

A Country Store, near the start of Sharp Top trail and the campground, serves the needs of the campground and picnic area by providing snacks and camping supplies, also operated by the National Park Service.

If roughing it a campground isn't your cup of tea, there are several motels and bed and breakfast inns close by.

The picnic Area has charcoal grills and comfort stations which are scattered along Little Stoney Creek, just below the campground. All are within easy walking distance of the lodge and visitors center.

During non-winter months, the Sharp Top Bus makes runs to within 1500 feet of the top of Sharp Mountain for those who want to experience the view without the work of getting there. OK, 1500 feet uphill to the top is still a pretty good hike.

The visitor center is an excellent first stop to get information about the area and scheduled programs. It's also a good spot for anyone who needs to find a ranger. It's located at milepost 86, where Highway 43 arrives from Bedford. The only parkway service station in virginia is located here and also includes a small gift shop.

Things to Do at Peaks of Otter

The Johnson Farm and Polly Wood's Ordinary represent two historic periods at the Peaks. Polly Wood's cabin served as the first lodging for travellers through the area starting in the early 1830's.

The Johnson Farm sheltered three generations of the Johnson family, and today it is a living history farm where you can play games, help work the garden, or just sit on the porch and relax in a rocking chair.

In the summer season there are regularly scheduled programs in the amphitheater, guided night walks, demonstrations and special events. In addition, the Johnson Farm is staffed with a costumed ranger.

There are six trails within the Peaks of Otter area, with three National Scenic Trails less than eight miles away. These trails range from easy walks around Abbott Lake to strenuous hikes to the summits of Sharp Top and Flat Top mountains.

In addition, the Appalachian Trail passes near the Peaks of Otter, with access from the Parkway five miles north and south of the area.

Abbott Lake is open to fishing for anyone with a valid North Carolina or Virginia fishing license. Please note the special regulations posted lakeside.

The trail begins at the large parking lot across from the Peaks of Otter visitor center. It winds back and forth up the mountain side, crossing a road less than a quarter-mile from the parking lot (this is the road for the shuttle that takes people to the top during peak tourist season) and continuing through a mostly deciduous forest, revealing greater and higher views along the way.

After a little more than a mile, the trail splits at the ridgeline, with the right fork leading to the Buzzards Roost (a rock formation with a stunning vista).

The left fork continues another quarter-mile, climbing steeply through and around bluffs and huge rocks, to finally reach the very sharp top of Sharp Top, which provides a 360-degree view over the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Piedmont to the east (Bedford and even Lynchburg are visible on clear days) and the Shenandoah Valley to the west, with the Allegheny Mountains and West Virginia far to the west.

The exposed summit of Sharp Top is often subject to much higher winds than the surrounding lower terrain, as well as colder temperatures, clouds and mist. Hypothermia is a danger for anyone not properly prepared for these conditions, especially in the colder months.

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Flat Top Mountain is the highest of the three major peaks in the Peaks of Otter Recreation Area along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Its nearby neighbor peak, Sharp Top, was once believed to be the highest mountain in Virginia, but is actually much the shorter of the two. However, Sharp Top is a more exposed summit and it does have the illusion of being higher.

Flat Top's name also belies the extreme topography of the peak, and from certian angles it is every bit as "sharp" as its aptly named sister peak.

It is not hard to understand how Flat Top, Sharp Top, and Harkening Hill became major tourist attractions during the early history of the USA. Rising well over 1,600 feet above the gap at its feet, Flat Top offers daunting slopes on which to hike and climb.

The trailhead to the summit of Flat Top can be reached either at one terminus at the dam on the Abbott Lake Trail (behind the Peaks of Otter Lodge at milepost 86), or at the Flat Top Parking Area near milepost 83 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

At milepost 60.8, The Otter Creek Recreation Area is a beautiful environment with an abundance of trees and the gentle sounds of Otter Creek that glides on its path to the James River.

This area provides a restaurant and gift shop, visitor information, hiking trails, campground, campfire talks and restrooms. The hiking trails are a wonderful way to get out into nature and see the many different types of trees, shrubs, wildlife and beautiful scenery the Parkway has to offer.

Most Lynchburg insiders look forward to the restaurants buckwheat pancakes and good country cooking. It has been serving good food since 1958 and is still delighting guests with its informal atmosphere and friendly staff.

There is a new, updated menu that makes an enjoyable experience even better. The restaurant and gift shop are opened seasonally. For hours of operation, please call 434-299-5862

After your meal, explore Otter Creek’s gift shop for a memento of your visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Do not miss the opportunity to walk alongside the beautiful creek that runs by the restaurant and enjoy nature's beauty.

The campground has 45 tent and 24 trailer/RV sites, restrooms, water, and a campfire circle. Many of the campsites are along the banks of Otter Creek. There are no hookups for RVs. The camping area is open from May 1st to October 31st.

The 3.5-mile Otter Creek Trail follows the creek down to the James River Visitor Center. The trail can also be accessed from the next three overlooks to the south at milepost 61.4, 62.5 and 63.1.

Here is a link to a nice map of the parkway from the James River Visitors Center to Otter Creek.

At the visitor center the James River Canal Trail will take you to the restored James River and Kanawha Canal Lock that was built between 1845-51. When completed the canal had 90 locks and went from Richmond to Buchanan, Virginia.

Area hikes include: Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop and James River Canal Trails.

Leave Peaks of Otter and go to Wintergreen
Navigate to Smith Mountain Lake
Navigate to Natural Bridge
Navigate to Jefferson's Poplar Forest
Navigate to Appomattox, where the surrender was signed
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