Need a little help from the locals, alumni, current students, or anyone who knows Blacksburg like the back of their hand.
I am a photographer on the side and I am bless to be taking engagement pictures at VT this weekend. I am hitting all the typical locations (duck pond, stadium, drill field, Hokie stone buildings). But what I am looking for is places of the beaten path or little known areas that would also be possible options.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Cascades if you want to make the hike.
I had a friend who did that. Had another buddy go up to the top and light off fireworks over the falls as the guy was on one knee. I don't want to meet the woman who can say no to that.
Yeah you can't really top that. What a guy!
Is the Sunken Theatre still there, been a few years since I have been anywhere on campus other than the Stadium...
The inn at VT might be good too. McAfee's Knob is also good if you want to hike it. And Pandapas Pond.
Mountain Lake is nearby.
I was there earlier this year. Not much of a lake right now. I don't know when they plan to fix it but right now it's desolate.
That's a shame. I thought I had read in the Roanoke Times they had people
helping them get the lake back and it was rising.
Yeah it's supposed to be making a comeback eventually. Actually, if they did it very recently it could be better. But As of a couple months ago it was pretty sad looking.
Sad. I always like going down there when I am camping at White Rocks
up on the mtn above the lake. Been a few yrs though.
They're fixing her up good. Seriously they're just fixing up some issues to make sure the lake stays around, one of the professors at tech whose an environmental engineer, is helping to head the project
ummm Lane Stadium?!?! It's often unlocked, have a friend who proposed on the 50 (pretty sure his wife will read this comment lol).
There are some pretty spots out by foxridge too
Wind Rock. To get there, you take the same exit you'd take for Mountain Lake but instead of stopping at ML, you drive by it on the left. Coolest view in the NRV, IMO.
Here is a picture from Wind Rock just past Mountain Lake.
I hadn't heard about them until today, but apparently there are steam tunnels? That'd be my first choice.
Good way to get expelled and/or charged with trespassing. I got to work in the steam tunnels so that was pretty cool!
I traversed the tunnels several times successfully. It's a good stop on the VT campus bucket list.
Ha ha.....me too.
Had a drunken senior night that involved steam tunnels, bush-walking, a run over the Cassell coliseum arches, and a large helping of al-key-haul.
Looking up alumni mall at torgerson bridge, looking out over the drill field from the pylons, and hahn horticulture gardens to name just a few of the beautiful hokie perspectives on campus.
I'll second Hahn Horticulture Gardens.
Third
Head over to the Blacksburg public library. There's a trail that starts at the library, then winds through a neighborhood behind Lane, past the cow/intramural fields, and all the way up a backwater path up to the NRV mall, including over a bridge spanning some railroad tracks. Nice little path, I think its about 6 miles long. Grab a bike and ride it, stop to take pictures.
The Huckleberry Trail, a classic
Yes, that's the one. Biked that many a time in my days living on Center St.
While I was posting all I could think of was the Bellefonte Rail Trail, but that's one of the ones up here in SCPA
I got down to Center St. for the first time this past spring game, place was nuts!
Just biked that trail today. Never gets old.
There are some beautiful spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway if you want to go up around Roanoke.
He was talking about Blacksburg *not to nitpick
It seems as if the downleg brigade has been following you into other threads, I'll even you out.
I've never been a fan of the cliche engagement photo shoot. So my suggestion is....
Engagement photo shoot bar crawl!
If you are going into the engagement-marriage process expecting there to be some part of it the guy is supposed to enjoy, it will be a swift kick to the pants realization. And they serve you cake instead of Pie, unless you're a badass and you're wife lets you have a wedding pie. In which case you better have bought her a 5 carrot hokiestone ring.
My girlfriend:
-hates flowers
-is morally and economically opposed to diamonds
-stood through 3 OTs in the rain against Marshall.
I have a keeper.
Edit: she is also vehemently opposed to Valentine's Day. She actually threatened me to get me to agree to not do anything. Yeah, I'm a lucky guy.
you are a winner. all 3 OTs? that is simply NOT FAIR!!
Yeah, my friend's wife disappeared under the stands. My gf was like, "this is the most exciting part!" I think she was mostly afraid that if we lost, it would be her fault. Up until that time, my teams had a losing record when she went to games with me (Alabama, various Os games, etc.).
But we won and then went to the Homeplace afterward. It was a good day.
Not sure if it is still there, but if you took 460E out of the Burg, about 1/2 way up the first mountain, across the highway was a pulloff that had a great from the ridge you were travelling on.
Somewhere near the Brush mountain turnoffs.
Maybe someone else could chime in. It has been so many years (10+) since I been past Blacksburg on 460, that I could be completely off.
Maybe check out some of the area near/behind Smithfield Plantation. Not positive, but you might be able to capture some cool viewpoints back in that area.
Here's a few I could think of some areas nearby have been mentioned:
That's all I can think of for now.
I have to sit in training for my day job almost all day and until now wasn't able to check the post. What can I say, I am blown away and can't wait to look these places up and start planning some cool shots. Thanks for the great suggestions and great places. Man I had no idea there were some many places. I will share them with the bride.
The Rock on Upper Quad. Cannons, WWI Memorial, and if you get there just before 1730 (5:30 pm) on Friday, you can get the VTCC Color Guard in the background in their Dress A's.
TOTS
You can also go out on some of the farmland of VT, back by the barn you can see from 460.
The New River has a couple points of access down Prices Fork Road.
I think someone mentioned it, but Cascades has a couple of great places for pictures, and, if you traverse the road the heads to the upper section of the Cascades, there are a couple places that are fantastic for pictures.
On campus, the Kow might make for some interesting pictures, as well as the central building on upper quad, which is probably the oldest part of Virginia Tech, after the Plantation.
Also, back on Luster's Gate Rd is the Blacksburg Country Club/Golf Course with some fantastic views that would make awesome backdrops.
Ironto Rd, with some windy roads has a nice little church, some farms with the creek that runs through them that would have some wonderful places for a shoot.
I haven't seen anyone mention Dragon's Tooth yet. One of my favorite short day hikes in the NRV.
Various places on the New River. I'm sure the tubing operation is still going, and we also used to go caving a lot there. Lots of scenic spots.
A picture of them running from Dietrick to a bathroom would be great.