Plan a Field Trip
Practical guidance for bringing a school or organized group to the New River Trail and the town of Fries.
Programs are currently being developed for school and organized group visits. Final activities, availability, and any costs have not yet been set. Contact us to discuss a future group experience.
What a Visit Can Include
A flexible mix of activity and story — shape it to your group’s time and goals.
Bike or hike a trail section
Ride the gentle, riverside railbed — the literal infrastructure of an earlier economy. Start at Fries (mile 0) or another access point.
Walk the story in town
See mill-era architecture beside trail-era businesses, and read the transition from company town to trail community in the buildings themselves.
Hear the region’s music
Connect the visit to old-time music traditions and the musicians associated with Fries and nearby Galax.
Tie it to your curriculum
Use the learning topics to frame pre-visit lessons, on-trail activities, and follow-up assignments across subjects.
Steps to Plan
A simple sequence to get from idea to visit.
Check your travel time
Most groups within about two hours of Fries can make a day trip. Confirm your route and departure window.
Select your date(s)
Use our contact form to identify potential dates within your schedule to arrange informative tours and talks.
Match the visit to your group
Use the group-types page to choose which subjects and activities fit your students or members.
Build the lesson
Pull from the story and learning-topics pages to frame what students will see and why it matters.
Close enough for a day trip
Fries is reachable in roughly two hours from much of the Piedmont and High Country, making it a realistic day trip for schools and groups across the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we bring a school or youth group to the New River Trail and Fries?
Yes. The trail and the town welcome groups, and many already visit to bike, hike, or explore. This section helps you add the educational story of Fries to an outdoor visit. Programs are currently being developed for school and organized group visits, so specific guided activities are still taking shape.
How far is Fries from major cities in the region?
Fries sits in far Southwest Virginia, roughly two hours from much of the North Carolina Piedmont and the Virginia High Country — including Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, Charlotte, Mount Airy, Wilkesboro, Statesville, Boone, Galax, and Wytheville. That makes a day trip realistic for many groups.
What can a visit include?
A typical visit can combine biking or hiking a section of the 57-mile rail-trail, exploring the town of Fries at mile 0, and learning about the railroad, the Washington Mill, and the region’s old-time music. The exact mix depends on your group’s age, time, and goals.
Are guided educational programs available yet?
Not yet in a finalized form. Programs are currently being developed with the Town of Fries, the Historic Fries Theatre, and community partners. In the meantime, the story, learning topics, and group-type pages on this site help you plan a self-guided educational visit.
How do we start planning?
Begin with the trail guide and the Plan Your Visit page for routes, access points, and logistics. Then contact us to discuss a future group experience so we can connect you with the right community partners as programs take shape.
Contact us to discuss a future group experience
Programs are currently being developed for school and organized group visits. Reach out to start a conversation, and explore the trail and town in the meantime.
Related New River Trail Guides
Keep going with these related New River Trail guides.