Rural Retreat's simple lifestyle and quirky story
Within 15 miles of the larger towns of Marion and Wytheville, Rural Retreat is a quiet country place with quirky history and close community ties. The town got its big break as the cabbage center of the world in the early 20th century before it became better known for its dairy farms. Dr. Charles Taylor Pepper, who inspired the famous soft drink, is also buried here. “People are down to earth and helpful,” says Nikki Wright, a manager of The Dutch Pantry, a local store that’s been around for 14 years. “If [your car] break[s] down, someone always stops to see if they can help, and a couple years ago someone got cancer and the town helped by hosting so many benefits to pay for their treatment.” Residents enjoy a small selection of shopping and dining close to home and a short drive to some of Southwest Virginia’s best camping, fishing and hiking spots.
Rural Retreat Fishing Lake and other spots have campgrounds, fishing and hiking
Muskie and bass glide through the waters of the 90-acre Rural Retreat Fishing Lake, while an adjacent pond is regularly stocked with trout. Campers can pitch their tents or hook up their RVs at designated sites on the lake’s grounds, enjoying amenities like Frisbee golf, picnic areas and a public pool. Just under 20 miles away, additional camping spots and trails wind through the mountains. At Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, campers wake to the sight of wild ponies wandering past their tents. This 200,000-acre expanse features 11 campgrounds and over 400 miles of trails, including several leading to Mount Rogers, Virginia’s highest peak. Hungry Mother State Park offers cabin and yurt rentals surrounding a 108-acre lake with a swimming beach.
Homes with country touches on spacious lots and acres
Rural Retreat’s homes are set in a pastoral landscape of gently rolling hills and pockets of mature trees. Architecture runs the gamut, showcasing everything from simple ranch styles to Colonial Revivals, Cape Cods, log cabins and custom builds. The oldest homes date back to the 19th century, while the newest were built between the early 2000s and around 2020. Lot sizes range from half an acre to farms spanning more than 80 acres, complete with barns and fencing for animals. Wood-burning stoves, wide front porches and tin roofs create country comforts. The median sale price in Rural Retreat is $215,000, with single-family homes generally ranging from $120,000 to $345,000. However, farms can sell for more than $800,000. Manufactured homes are a minority.
Schools are part of Wythe County Public Schools and rate a B-plus
Students attend Rural Retreat Elementary School, Rural Retreat Middle School and Rural Retreat High School within the Wythe County Public Schools district. All of these schools earn B-plus ratings on Niche. The district partners with Varsity Tutors for Schools, allowing all students to sign up for live classes and tutoring through the online portal.
Commuter options, including limited but flexible public transportation
Before Rural Retreat was an agricultural town, it was a railroad town, and an active railroad still operates here. Interstate 81 and U.S. Route 11 run east to west through the area, while Main Street is the primary north-south thoroughfare. Mountain Lynx Transit serves the county and provides flexible fixed-route bus services with weekly curb-to-curb options in Rural Retreat.
Wythe Raceway and Hungry Mother State Park are busy recreation spots
Wythe Raceway has given car enthusiasts a spot to watch dirt track races in Rural Retreat since 1970. Locals bring out their fold-out chairs and blankets for the annual Heritage Days festival in July. Past lineups have included local banjo extraordinaire Jim Lloyd and national recording artist Glenn Shelton. Hungry Mother State Park Festival brings a crowd to the park’s grounds that same month. A tradition for more than 50 years, the festival was founded to support the arts and features an array of creative vendors selling handcrafted paintings, sculptures, pottery and jewelry.
Places to grab lunch, treats and everyday items in town
Rural Retreat's small commercial corridor sits at a four-way crossroads in town. The Dutch Pantry is a go-to for bulk foods, baked goods, deli items and soft serve. "We always do vanilla and chocolate and have a flavor of the week," Wright says. Java Blend Cafe is a Mennonite-owned sandwich shop and cafe serving breakfast all day on Saturdays. Locals grab odds and ends at Dollar General and groceries at Food Country. "We have a farmers market on Wednesdays at the depot on Main Street as well," Wright says. "A lot of the Mennonite ladies sell their baked goods, and some of our bakers sell there too." Fresh milk is easy to find any day of the week, with one of the main farms and dairy processors in Rural Retreat being Duchess Dairy. Wright adds that locals head into Wytheville, Marion, and even Bristol, Tennessee — about 60 miles and an hour's drive away — when they want more options.
Written By
Kathryn Ashworth
