Tinker Creek Transfer Station

Tinker Creek Transfer Station is the Roanoke spot where household trash gets compacted and loaded onto bigger trucks for the ride out to a landfill. Locals hauling a pickup or trailer use it when dropping off loads that would be a pain to take all the way to a distant dump.

Drive onto Hollins Road and follow the lane toward the entrance booth and scale; there’s usually a short line if it’s a weekend or spring cleanup day. Pull up to the booth first for the check-in, then move to one of the concrete bays where attendants direct drivers to the compactor or tipping floor. Big transfer trucks come and go, so keep an eye out for reversing warning sounds and cones guiding traffic flow. The site feels industrial - lots of concrete, compacted piles, and the steady noise of machinery in the background.