Damascus, VA

Damascus is a Washington County town at a remarkable meeting point of routes. The Appalachian Trail, Virginia Creeper Trail, Iron Mountain Trail, U.S. Bicycle Route 76, and Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route all pass through or connect at town. The Daniel Boone Heritage Trail and Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail add historical and musical routes to the same small-town street grid. That mix is why Damascus is known as Trail Town USA and why hikers and cyclists are part of the town's regular seasonal rhythm.

Trail Days, held each May, turns the trail network into a major gathering, with a hiker reunion, vendor village, music, and an estimated 25,000 visitors in recent listings. The town also carries the physical mark of Hurricane Helene, whose 2024 flooding damaged the Virginia Creeper Trail and other local infrastructure. As of 2026, the trail remains closed north of Damascus while rebuilding continues, with reopening of the upper section announced for March 31, 2027. Town Park, the Damascus Trail Center, and the downtown trail corridor are the places where residents and visitors encounter the town's outdoor culture.