Pearisburg, VA

Pearisburg is one of Giles County's official Appalachian Trail Communities. Trail users encounter a public library, post office, dining, lodging, and stores in town, while Whitt-Riverbend Park provides a walking path, picnic area, primitive camping, and a boat landing. The New River supports paddling and fishing through the county, so Pearisburg's community activity connects a service center with nearby mountain and river routes. The town is the Giles County seat on a plateau above the New River, between Pearis Mountain and the river at the US 460 and State Route 100 intersection.

Pearisburg was laid out as the county's courthouse community in the early 1800s and named for George Pearis, who donated land for the town. The 2020 census counted 2,909 residents, and the town belongs to the Blacksburg-Christiansburg metropolitan area. The Appalachian Trail passes through the western edge before crossing the river, tying the courthouse center to the surrounding mountains. US 460 and State Route 100 bring county traffic through this river-and-mountain setting.