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Hikes and Wild Ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park

Most recently updated November 27th, 2023

Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia is a great place to go hiking and look for wild ponies!   

I was lucky enough to spend a few days there this past September.

The Park covers 4800-acres, and is adjacent to Virginia’s highest peak at an elevation of 5,729 feet,  Mount Rogers.

You’ll find camping, picnicking, overnight horse stables, a visitor center, hiking trails, and access to the Appalachian Trail at Grayson Highlands.

But the ponies were the REAL attraction for me 🙂

A young pony being friendly.
A young pony being friendly.

The mountain balds are inhabited by a herd of  ~120 ponies that run wild within the confines of the Park.

 
They’re not at all shy, so you get a lot of chances to see them.  
 
Grayson Highlands is home to other wildlife, too.
 
Visitors might also see black bear, bobcat, red fox, ruffed grouse, deer, and wild turkeys – and also longhorn cattle! 
These cattle were blocking the trailhead, and also adorable :)
These cattle were blocking the trailhead, and also adorable 🙂

Read on to learn about the park and area history, hiking trails, and all of those wild ponies just waiting for you to visit!

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