This 9.5 mile hike, mostly along the Appalachian Trail, starts out from Newfound Gap. The route offers several places to take in magnificent vistas of the Smoky Mountains.

Adam enjoys the view from Charlies Bunion. Below: The trail starts out from Newfound Gap. The area has the Rockefeller Memorial (pictured), plenty of parking and restrooms; Christine at the start of the hike; The forests in the Smokies are so dense and green.

Christine Says…

We knew this hike was one of the most popular in the Smokies, so we got off to an early start – breakfast at the hotel, in the car by 7:15 and on the trail around 8:00.  We were one of the first cars in the Newfound Gap parking lot, which is always very busy.

We headed north along the Appalachian Trail.  Immediately, we began to marvel at how different the Smokies are from Shenandoah.  I’ll admit, I sort of expected this park to be similar to Shenandoah – kind of like an older sister – bigger and taller, but still similar in looks and personality.  But, the trail was strikingly different – more evergreens, wetter, mossier, greener, more rugged – I might even say ‘more alive’.

I’d heard and read plenty about the extensive biodiversity of the Smokies before, but wasn’t really prepared by how awestruck the park would make me feel. This park has dramatically more plant and animal species than almost any other place on earth. During the last ice age, plants and animals were pushed into the Southern Appalachians as glaciers advanced. When the glaciers retreated, species were left behind – almost stranded in the Smokies.

The trail climbed gradually uphill over the first couple miles, climbing over rocks and roots and mud.  Little rivulets of water were running down the mountainside all over the place and filling the woods with the sound of dripping and trickling.  Every now and then, we got a view of mountains in the distance.  Everything was still partly cloaked with fog and clouds, but it was evident that the sun was making a full effort to burn through.

Christine makes her way up the trail. Below: One of the first nice views came at the junction of the AT and the Sweat Heifer Creek trail;  Trail junctions were well-marked; There were plenty of wildflowers along the trail.  We even spotted a few fading trillium, but they were all pretty tattered and not photo-worthy.

At the junction of the AT and the Sweat Heifer Creek Trail (isn’t that a funny name?), we diverted a short distance off the AT to take in the view.  Almost immediately after turning onto Sweat Heifer, there is a bench and a marvelous open view of the mountains.  After a few minutes, we proceeded along the trail which had become more level as it followed a ridgeline.  We saw a couple trillium still in bloom – one bright purple and one white, but most were far past their peak.

Eventually we reached the junction with the Boulevard trail.  This is the spot where you can take a detour to another viewpoint – the Jumpoff.  We decided to press on toward Charlies Bunion, in hopes of having the spot to ourselves a while before the crowds materialized. About .3 of a mile past the junction, we reached the Icewater Shelter.  It was still full of weekend backpackers, some making breakfast and some still in their sleeping bags.  We didn’t want to disturb them, so after a brief hello, we moved on.  Shortly after leaving the shelter, we stepped over Icewater Spring, which is the water source for this area.  The piped spring seemed to be running nicely.

The trail climbed steeply downward over slick, wet trail.  The forest around us was extremely dense evergreen.  It was quite beautiful and different!  As we made our way along, thick, cottony fog started to roll in.  We passed one hiker marching south – tripod in hand and a disgusted look on his face.  I can only gather that he went to Charlies Bunion for the view and saw nothing.  The next hiker we encountered pretty much confirmed the sky conditions.  We asked how the view looked and he said ‘No view – unless you like fog, but it looks pretty cool blowing up the sides of the mountains.’

I felt a little disappointed about the prospect of missing out on the view, but we stayed optimistic and hoped that the fog would burn off within the next fifteen minutes.  When we first spotted Charlies Bunion from a distance, the fog was swirling around and covering the rocky outcropping almost completely.  But, by the time we reached the bunion, conditions were clearly improving.

What a spectacular place!  The mountains are so craggy and ragged and sharp around the bunion.  The rocks were covered with sand myrtle and a few rhododendron were about to bloom.  The fog was whipping by, rolling up the sides of the mountains in giant waves.  Every now and then, a thin spot would give us a glimpse of distant mountains and not even a hint of civilization.  We sat on the rocks, enjoying the solitude.  We were absolutely thrilled to enjoy this special place without the company of other park visitors.  As the minutes passed, the view became more and more clear.   It was everything I imagined the Smokies would be!

Christine checks out the view from the Bunion.  Below:  Adam walks through the cool, dense evergreen forest as we cover the last mile toward Charlies Bunion; Some sections of trail were covered with this smooth, slate-like rock; Many high, rocky places in the Smokies (including Charlies Bunion) are covered with sand myrtle.

Shortly before we were ready to head back, another couple from Michigan joined us at the rock.  We chatted a while and took photos for one another.  We decided to head on out and let them enjoy a bit of solitude, too.

On the hike back, we planned on eating lunch at the Icewater Shelter, but found it still loaded with people – and not very friendly ones at that.  So we pressed on, with plans to eat lunch at our next stop – a viewpoint called ‘The Jumpoff.’

The side trip to the Jumpoff required about an extra ¾ mile of hiking along the Boulevard Trail and a small side spur trail.  The climb up to this view was our toughest climbing of the day.  It was steep and very slippery and root-covered.  Once we got to the view, it was quite evident why the spot garnered the name ‘jump off’.  It has an extremely precipitous drop from the edge!  We ate lunch on the rocks and enjoyed the view.

On the hike back down to the junction, we passed a huge hiking party and were thankful that we had once again dodged sharing a nice viewpoint with crowds.

The rest of the hike back down went quickly and was mostly downhill.  We saw dozens and dozens of backpackers and dayhikers making their way up the trail. When we got back to the parking lot, it was full of people taking in the view from Newfound Gap.  Most of them will probably never set foot on the trail, and maybe with so many people already out there… that’s just fine!

Adam Says…

This was a great first hike in the Smokies for us.  We had driven up to Newfound Gap the previous day and saw a ton of cars.  We knew it would be a great idea to start off on this trail as early as possible.  The view from Newfound Gap is absolutely gorgeous, but you’re in for a treat if you continue on to Charlies Bunion and The Jumpoff.

When you park in the large lot, you will see a terraced memorial for Laura Spelman Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller.  It is amazing the impact that Rockefeller family’s philanthropy has had on our national parks.  In addition to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the Rockefeller family’s donations have given land and money to help establish Acadia, Grand Teton, Yosemite, and Shenandoah national parks.

The origin of the rock outcropping being called Charlies Bunion is amusing.  A mountain guide named Charlie Conner had a large bunion on his foot and Horace Kephart named it in honor of him and his foot affliction stating “That sticks out like Charlie’s bunion”.  Horace Kephart was one of the people that helped get the Great Smoky National Park established and plotted the Appalachian Trail path through the Smokies.  There is an interesting article about Kephart and Conner here.

This rock outcropping was created through a combination of logging, fire, and flooding.  This area was heavily logged in the early 20th century, leaving behind lots of dried debris.  A large forest fire came through this area known as The Sawteeth in 1925, destroying much of the vegetation and sterilizing the soil.  A torrential cloudburst in 1929 washed away the soil and left this as a rocky outcropping.

A view through the ‘smoke’ at Charlies Bunion. Below: The quickly changing clouds and fog opened up new views depending on how the wind blew; The Icewater Shelter.

For trail directions, the hike started with an uphill climb just right of the memorial (there is also a small bathroom to the right of the trail) on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail.  At 1.7 miles, you will reach the junction with the Sweat Heifer Creek Trail.  Continue straight on the AT.  At 2.7 miles, you will reach another junction with the Boulevard Trail to the left.  You will use this trail to get to The Jumpoff, but we continued straight on the AT.  At mile 3.0, we reached the Icewater Spring cabin, which serves as an overnight cabin for any backpackers.  On the trail shortly after the shelter, you will see a pipe that serves as a water source if you need water, but you should treat any water before drinking.  The trail then begins to go downhill steeply at this point as you make your way to Charlies Bunion.  You will reach Charlies Bunion at mile 4.4.  After visiting the Bunion, go back the way that you came.  At mile 6.1, you will reach the junction with the Boulevard Trail again.  Take a right on this trail and after a very short distance, you will see a wooden sign that points up to The Jumpoff.  This trail was definitely the most strenuous of the entire hike.  The trail is about .4 miles to reach the end at 6.5 miles.  Take a minute to enjoy the view and then head back down the way you came to rejoin the Boulevard Trail and take a right at the junction to rejoin the Appalachian Trail.  You should reach the parking lot at 9.5 miles.

The Appalachian Trail is relatively smooth up to the junction with the Boulevard Trail, but gets rougher, rockier and more slippery as you descend down to Charlies Bunion.   The trail up The Jumpoff is the toughest climbing of the day – quite steep and treacherous, so it will take a while to reach the viewpoint.

The view from the Jumpoff was pretty impressive! Below: To reach the Jumpoff, follow a short spur from the Boulevard Trail; Adam gets ready to eat lunch with a view; By the time we passed back by early spots on the trail, the view had cleared up significantly.

When Christine and I were hiking up past the junction with the Sweat Heifer Creek Trail, the strangest thing happened.  We both felt that we had a drumming noise inside our heads that was beating rapidly for a few seconds.  I said to Christine, “That was weird” and she asked what I felt.  It turns out that she had the same sensation happen at the exact same spot.  I’m not sure if it was an adjustment to the altitude, a pulse increase, or an alien scanning us, but it was quite odd.

The highlight of this hike is definitely the views.  From the Bunion, you can see steep, mountain peaks all around.  We were so glad that we stayed around a while to be able to watch the “smoke” rise up and blow over the Smokies.  We really felt like we were up in the clouds as the wind blew the fog around quickly.  We stayed around at this viewpoint for longer than we normally stay because it was so entertaining to get different glimpses of the mountains.  The Jumpoff trail gives you similar views, but you can also see Charlies Bunyon from afar.  The Jumpoff did seem a lot more treacherous.  The soil is eroding off this viewpoint and you just think if you take a wrong step you could plummet.  When we were leaving the area, a large group of older adults were on their way to The Jumpoff.  There is not a lot of room at the viewpoint, which made us both wonder how they were going to be able to take the views in.  We found someone’s driver’s license at the top of this point and we were just hoping that he has survived.  We took it to mail it off to him, but we did check the news to see if anyone was missing.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 9.5 miles if you go to The Jumpoff, 8.2 miles if you just do Charlies Bunion
• Elevation Change – about 1600 feet for the complete hike
• Difficulty – 3.  There are several moderate climbs on this hike.  The only truly steep climbing is the short spur trail to The Jumpoff
• Trail Conditions – 3.  The trail is in good condition, but you can expect to hike over lots of mud, loose rocks and roots. It’s just the way the Smokies are made.
• Views – 5.  Spectacular!
• Streams/Waterfalls – 0.  There are no streams or waterfalls along this trail, as it follows mostly ridgeline.
• Wildlife – 1.  Lots of juncos darting underfoot from low-lying plants.  We didn’t see anything else, but the  Icewater Shelter was closed during fall 2011 for an aggressive bear, so there is undoubtedly other wildlife in the area.
• Ease to Navigate – 4.  Trails are well-marked and blazed.  There are several turns, but it would be tough to get lost on this trail.
• Solitude – 2.  This trail is one of the top five most popular hikes in the Smokies.  Hike early if you want to avoid crowds.

Directions to trailhead:  Take 441 through Great Smoky National Park to reach the large Newfound Gap parking lot.  Park in the lot and head towards the memorial.  The trail starts off just to the right of the memorial.

Christine enjoys the view from one of the Marshalls on the second day of the trip. Below: The Gravel Springs Hut; Views on the first day; Adam relaxes by the campfire.

From the Elkwallow Wayside, follow the short spur trail at the northern parking lot for .1 miles until it reaches the junction with the white-blazed Appalachian Trail.  Turn right, heading north and you will almost immediately cross Skyline Drive.  The trail begins to climb.  At 1.4 miles, the trail crosses Skyline Drive again and continues to climb.  At 2.5 miles, the climbing reaches an end as you reach the junction with the Tuscarora Trail.  At mile 2.9 and mile 3.2 you will cross Skyline Drive a few more points crossing over Hogback Mountain.  At the cross at mile 3.2, you are on a fire road for a very short while (that is used for people bringing in hang gliders) and the AT goes into the woods.  At mile 3.4 you reach some nice views and where the hang gliders take off for a descent over the mountains.  At mile 3.6, you will reach a junction with a side trail that leads to a spring.  The trail begins to descend at this point.  At mile 4.3, the trail begins to slightly ascend until you reach a nice viewpoint at mile 4.4.  The trail descends again and crosses Skyline Drive again at mile 5.0.  At mile 6.0, you reach the side trail which leads .2 miles to the Gravel Springs Hut.  For the start of our second day, from the Gravel Springs Hut, rejoin the AT at 6.4 miles.  At mile 6.6, the trail crosses Skyline Drive again and continues to ascend.  At mile 7.4, you reach a great viewpoint on South Marshall Mountain.  The trail continues to climb up and crosses Skyline Drive at mile 8.2.  The trail then ascends steeply up North Marshall Mountain and leads to another nice view at 9.4.  The trail ascends for another quarter of a mile and then descends steeply down the trail. The trail crosses Skyline Drive again at mile 11.0.  The trail ascends over a short bubble of a hill and then reaches the Jenkins Gap Trail junction at mile 12.5.  Take a right at this junction and reach the Jenkins Gap Trail parking lot at mile 12.6.

Day One – Adam Says…

I noticed the weather forecast was saying that we had a 0% chance of rain on Friday and only a 10% chance of rain on Saturday.  Since we have opted to cancel a few backpacking trips recently due to rain, we felt we couldn’t resist these odds and decided to take the day off work to work on this section of the Appalachian Trail.  We had bought two annual park passes last year, with one expiring at the end of May.  We felt the pressure of getting this hike in since it required two vehicles for the shuttle.

Adam climbs uphill from the Elkwallow Wayside. Below: A nice view of the valley below.  For some reason, Christine likes to wear backpacking clothes that don’t match; The Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah often runs within sight (or earshot) of Skyline Drive; The trail crosses and briefly follows fire roads in several spots.

It took us a while to get our act together to make sure we were ready for the trip.   We started loading our packs, made sure we had instructions for our dog sitter, and picked up some lunch along the way from Subway.  We drove up to drop a car off at the Jenkins Gap parking lot and then made our way back down to the Elkwallow Wayside.  We ate our lunch outside and saw a few thru-hikers that we wondered if we would see later that evening.  Christine was really cold sitting in the wind outside the wayside. Her legs were covered with goosebumps and she kept pulling her jacket tighter and tighter around her ribs.  She told me that she was really worried about the cooler temperatures, and hoped she would warm up once we started hiking.

We finally started off on our hike around 1:30PM.  We strapped on our 30 lb. packs on to our backs and started climbing up the hill.  While we had been hearing the loud screams of the seventeen-year cicadas near our house, we were pleasantly surprised to hear they were not out in Shenandoah National Park.  We stopped at a few points on the uphill climb to take in the views from Hogback Mountain.  One nice thing about this hike is that the views were mostly on the uphill climbs, so it gives you a reason to take off your heavy pack and enjoy the scenery.  A couple of thru-hikers we had seen at Elkwallow passed us near the hang glider launch.  We’re always amazed at how fast they hike.  I guess hiking every day has its pay-offs!

The hang-glider launch site offers a beautiful view! Below: Adam hikes uphill again near Hogback Mountain; Wildflowers blooming along the trail; Our tent site at the hut.

We made our way down the mountain at this point.  Backpacking uphill seems to be where you feel the weight the most, but going downhill has its own challenges – you feel the weight differently in your legs and have to be extra careful of your footing.  We made it to the Gravel Springs Hut around 4:30PM and checked out the nearby area.  There weren’t any other hikers there yet, so we were wondering if we were going to have this all to ourselves that night.  We scouted out some of the campsites near the shelter.  There were five campsites.  We started to pitch our tent at the first campsite, but we realized we wouldn’t have enough of room to put up the fly.  And with the night forecast to go into the upper 30′s, we definitely wanted the extra layer of insulation on our tent.  We ending up moving to the largest of the sites, but this site was more sloped.  We pitched our tent so that our feet were on the lowest, downhill part of the slope.  We filtered some water and I began to work on cooking dinner while Christine gathered some kindling for a campfire.  In most places in Shenandoah National Park, you can’t set fires in the backcountry, but this shelter had a large stone fireplace.  We ate a dinner of Backpacker’s Pantry Sweet and Sour Chicken (which was delicious and definitely something we would have again) and Natural High’s Banana Cream Pie (which we didn’t like the taste or consistency).

One of the highlights of staying at an AT shelter, is the people that you get to meet.  Around 5:30, we met our first group of hikers that were planning on staying at the shelter.   There was a gentleman named Don from Indiana, who had suffered a knee injury from hiking the AT previously, but was returning for a hike through Shenandoah to Harper’s Ferry to test his knee on an extended trip.  He was accompanied by two brothers from Florida. The older brother, Adam had decided to introduce backpacking to his younger brother (who wasn’t enjoying it as much).  The original plan was to hike the AT through SNP and return back.  However, they had recently decided they would stop at Front Royal and then find a way back to Waynesboro that didn’t involve hiking.  Next, two women came along and set up tents at two more of the campsites.  They were out on a two night trip and had parked a car nearby so they could slackpack most of the trail.  Shortly afterwards, Standing Bear arrived.  Standing Bear was a thru-hiker that had started his trip from Georgia around the end of February.  He had lots of interesting tales to tell along the trail and he also maintains a blog at Hike4Kids.  I would encourage people to read his blog as he has a great story to tell and is helping to promote awareness about child abuse.  He told us a lot that night about how he has been attracting a lot of recent trail magic, from margaritas at a campsite to meals and lodging along the way.  He told everyone that he was very good at  ‘Yogi-ing‘.  We then had another thru-hiker join us named Mountain Goat.  When you looked at Mountain Goat’s legs, he just looked like a tough beast and he was working on trying to do over 25 miles a day to finish the trail quickly.  As dusk approached, the last group of thru-hikers joined us – Rat Bucket and Sketch.  They had purchased a couple of bottles of wine and were making their 6-mile trip from Elkwallow to the hut drinking wine instead of water.  They were of course a little happier than most of the hikers when they arrived at the cabin.  We hung out for a while, sitting around the campfire and talking about what areas the hikers had enjoyed the most (Grayson Highlands was the unanimous vote) along the way and food (which seems to be a constant discussion with thru-hikers).

Christine works on getting a fire going. She still hates her lime green Crocs. Below: Adam filters water from the spring at the shelter; Everyone congregates and cooks dinner at the picnic table in front of the shelter; Relaxing by the campfire after dinner.  Everyone is usually in bed by 9:00 or so.

Around 9:00, we headed back to our tent.  I continued to read my book that I have been only reading while backpacking – a book of John Muir’s writings and Christine listened to her iPod.  We fell asleep to the sound of nearby owls.  The slope really affected my sleeping as my fitted sheet for my air mattress kept coming off and I would wake up in fetal position at the bottom of the tent and would have to fight back up to the top.

Day Two – Christine Says…

I woke up as soon as the birds started chirping and the first hints of light filtered through the trees.  It was cold, so I pulled my sleeping bag tighter around me and cinched its hood around my head.  I had slept really well despite the fact I had repeatedly slid downhill to the bottom of the tent. I heard others nearby starting to stir as well – tent zippers sliding, the privy door slamming and the whoosh of camp stoves firing up.  I didn’t want to leave the warmth of the tent, but I did.  There’s always so much that needs done to break down camp before eating breakfast.

The table got really crowded at breakfast time, so we cooked on the little stone bench on the side of the shelter. Below: Adam checks out the trail sign showing hike options in the vicinity of Gravel Springs; Adam tucks his pants into his socks to avoid ticks; Christine and Adam on South Marshall Mountain.

Adam and I are usually pretty efficient and can have our whole campsite broken down and backpacks repacked within about half an hour.  The first step is always to shove our sleeping bags back into their stuff sacks.  Then we repack our sheets, crunch down our pillows and let the air out of the sleeping pads. Once the bedding is stowed away, we pack up the tent and any clothing that was left strewn about the site.  Yes… we really carry all this stuff!  As you might have guess, we are not lightweight backpackers.  We carry a lot of creature comforts and luxury items (pillows, sheets, chairs, books, card games, etc).   When we go on longer trips, we’re really going to have to reevaluate our gear and make some sacrifices.

When we walked down to breakfast, our backpacks were pretty much fully loaded and ready to go for the day.  The only things left to pack were our food, dishes, stove and water filter – and we always keep those items near the top of our packs.  When we got down to the hut, almost everyone was already up and working on breakfast.  We got our two bags (trash and food/other stuff that has a scent) down from the bear hang and joined the rest of the group at the picnic table. Breakfast was coffee and instant apple cinnamon oatmeal.  You see a lot of oatmeal and granola at backpacker breakfasts.  Clif bars and bagels are pretty popular too.  Although, this particular morning, one pair of hikers even had a container of fresh berries!

Adam and I were the first to leave the hut.  We climbed up the short, but steep, access trail back to the AT and headed north.  The early part of the morning’s hike took us past several gorgeous views from the Marshalls. We spent time at each of them, taking photos and enjoying the cool, crystal-clear morning.  While we were at the first view, Rat Bucket caught up with us.  We took a photo of him and he returned the favor for us before heading quickly down the trail.  Once again, I marveled at the speed and distance covered by thru-hikers.  Most of these folks are covering 20-28 miles a day through Shenandoah National Park.

Christine on North Marshall Mountain. Below: Views from both Marshalls were excellent;  You can see Skyline Drive off in the distance; Christine scrambling around on the cliffside; Another excellent view; Adam takes in the scenery from a high perch; Checking out mileage on the trail marker.

At the next view, Mountain Goat caught up and passed us.  He only briefly stopped to check out the vista.  I guess when you hike big miles, you don’t have time to meander and pause at every pretty spot along the trail. While we were stopped at this spot, we had a quick snack of PowerBar Energy Blasts.  They’re basically caffeinated gummy candy, but the website makes them sound like they magically give you Lance Armstrong-like endurance and help your muscles recover.  Maybe they don’t do all that, but they sure do taste good!  And they have sugar and caffeine – both of which seem to help me hike stronger.

At the third viewpoint, Standing Bear passed us, but we ended up leapfrogging him a little further down the trail and didn’t see him again.  Nor did we see any of the other folks from the hut.  All but two people staying at Gravel Springs had been northbound, so I suppose they just stayed at camp a bit later.

The trail was so beautiful and lush and green!  Even when there wasn’t a view to enjoy, the hike itself was so lovely.  The climbs were never too hard and the descents were never too steep.  We crossed Skyline Drive several times.  We saw lots of dayhikers… two of them were even dressed in their ‘Sunday Best’ clothing.  They were walking south along the trail, not in the vicinity of any views or special attractions.  Neither of them looked in the least bit happy and both of them looked hot and uncomfortable.  I see people like that and wonder if this hike was a spontaneous decision.  I wonder if they know where they’re going, or if they just set out on a trail thinking ‘Hmmm… if I walk on a trail, eventually I’ll see something!’

We saw a lot of dayhikers as we approached Jenkins Gap. Below: An old foundation along the trail; The only bear we saw on this trip came in the form of Adam in a mask at the Skyland gift shop.

We made it back to our car at Jenkins Gap around 10:30 or so.  We had plans to meet my parents at Skyland for a Mother’s Day lunch at noon, so I brushed my hair and changed into my less-dirty clothes.  We had plenty of time to kill, so we stopped by the Elkwallow wayside for more snacks and drinks.  When we got to Skyland, it wasn’t even 11:30, so we relaxed in the lobby until they arrived.  We had a nice lunch together and then headed home.  It was a fun trip, and I can’t believe we only have several more miles of Appalachian Trail to hike in Shenandoah!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 12.6 miles
• Elevation Change – 1900 feet.
• Difficulty – 3.  Despite the two big climbs of elevation, we didn’t feel that it was overly difficult.
• Trail Conditions – 4.  The trail was in great condition and was well-maintained.  There were only a few rocky areas that you had to worry about footing.
• Views – 4.5.  We were impressed with the views along this section.  The best views were from South Marshall Mountain, but there were probably 4-5 areas to take in the expansive views.
• Streams/Waterfalls – 0.  There were no streams or rivers nearby, but there was a reliable water source at Gravel Springs Hut.
• Wildlife – 3.  Someone had written in the hut trail journal they had seen a few bears on the way down to the hut that day.  We did see a deer and the woods were filled with pileated woodpeckers, owls, and other birds.
• Ease to Navigate – 4.  There are some side trails, but just consult the cement posts to keep following the Appalachian Trail.
• Solitude – 3.  We ran into most of the people around the Jenkins Gap to North Marshall mountain.  I would imagine this would be fairly popular since it is closer to the northern end of Shenandoah National Park.

Directions to trailhead:  Park one vehicle at the Jenkins Gap lot at mile 12 on Skyline Drive.  Then travel down south to mile 24 at Elkwallow Gap Wayside.  The spur trail to the Appalachian Trail starts from the northern parking lot.

Adam scrambles around the Marbleyard. Below: The hike begins on the Belfast Trail; Entrance to the National Forest is marked by a placard. The two stone pillars mark an old Boy Scout camp that used to be located in this area. You can still see the footprint of the swimming pool and a few building foundations along the Belfast Trail. The camp was named after Chief Powhatan; Catawba Rhododendron were in bloom everywhere!

Christine Says…

We keep a list of hikes we want to do stuck with a magnet to the side of our refrigerator. The Devil’s Marbleyard hike had been on that list for nearly three years. It kept getting delayed for closer hikes or hikes with better views or taller waterfalls.  We finally decided it was time to knock it off the list.

We got up early Sunday morning, grabbed donuts, bagels and coffee en route and made our way down the Blue Ridge Parkway. We got to the trailhead parking area around 10:00 and thankfully found only a couple other cars there.  Evidently, cars that overflow the official parking lot are frequently towed.  So, if you hike this trail, make sure your car is in the lot or that all four wheels are off the road and not on private property.

The beginning of the trail takes you over Belfast Creek. Below: The bridge over the creek;  Adam crossing a small stream early in the hike; All the recent rainy weather made conditions ideal for snails.

After crossing a small bridge over a stream, the trail passes through an old stone gateway that used to mark entry to a Boy Scout camp called ‘Camp Powhatan‘.  You immediately come to a National Forest/Wilderness placard.  At this point, you’re only a little over a mile from the Devil’s Marbleyard.   (The sign says one mile, but our GPS and most trail guides seem to say it’s about 1.4 miles to reach the Marbleyard).  The trail meanders through the woods, crossing shallow spots on the creek a couple times.

I really enjoyed seeing the blooming azaleas, Catawba rhododendron and mountain laurel.  The laurel bloomed so early this year!  What I did not enjoy were the locusts!  The Blue Ridge Brood of the seventeen-year cicada is currently emerging in our area, and they were everywhere along the Belfast Creek trail. They were screaming overhead in the trees — I likened the sound to the one made by a failing belt tensioner on our SUV a few years ago.  It’s a squeal mixed with an undertone of hiss.  Not only are the locusts noisy – they’re CREEPY!  Sometimes they fly into you.  They have red eyes.  And worst of all, they leave yellowish-clear, crunchy, empty husks everywhere when they molt.  I will be very glad when locust season is over and I can have seventeen years of peace again!

So much stuff was blooming along the trail.  Below: Christine checks out the large boulders that make up the Devil’s Marbleyard;  Adam climbs back down the Marbleyard to rejoin the trail; A creepy locust husk.

As we came upon the Marbleyard, we crossed paths with the hikers from the two other cars we had seen in the lot.  The first was a nice guy from Virginia Beach who was at the tail end of a week-long hiking vacation along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We enjoyed chatting with him and sharing information and tips about favorite hikes.  The second was a pair of local kids who warned us of muddy/slippery conditions on the trail ahead.  Adam had a little incident there, but I’ll let him share that tale in his portion of the post.

Before proceeding up the trail, we took some time to explore the Marbleyard.  Basically, it looks like an immense stone mountain exploded and collapsed into thousands of boulders of every shape and size.  If you want to climb to the top of the Marbleyard, you have to do so by scrambling up the rocks. It looks like the trail alongside the Marbleyard reaches the top, but in reality the trail turns slightly away from the boulder field and climbs upward to the Gunter Ridge trail. I imagine most hikers visit the Marbleyard and then head back to their car, making this a short 2.8 out and back.  We considered doing this, but since we had already driven so far, we decided to do the full 8.3 mile loop.

After playing on the rocks for a while, we headed along… climbing uphill for a while until we reached the junction of the Belfast trail and the Gunter Ridge trail. At this spot there is a spacious (but dry) campsite.

Christine climbs the steep trail that runs alongside the Marbleyard. Below: The junction of the Belfast and Gunter Ridge trails;  Adam spotted a black widow spider along the trail; Christine walks past an especially pretty stand of mountain laurel.

The Gunter Ridge trail was easy walking, but was quite overgrown.  Because of the heat and humidity, I had decided to hike in shorts and a t-shirt, so I started to worry about ticks climbing onto my legs from the tall grass.  Adam, on the other hand, hiked in long pants tucked into his socks.  I’m getting ahead of myself, but guess who came home with six ticks crawling on his clothes – and guess who came home with none crawling on her.  I always joke that my husband is a real ‘tick magnet’.

The trail along this section really opens up and provides some nice, but slightly obstructed, views.  A forest fire that swept through this area about a decade ago is still very evident.  There are no tall trees and charred stumps can be seen peeking up through the brushy vegetation in many places.

After walking along the ridge for a while, you come to a seemingly endless series of switchbacks climbing down the mountain. Eventually you reach a wooden horse gate, and cross out of designated wilderness into standard National Forest.  Almost immediately after passing through the gate,  you will encounter a stream.  We stopped here for lunch.  I had been wanting to eat for almost an hour, but this was the first place that really had an opening to sit and eat since the campsite at the junction of the Gunter Ridge and Belfast trails.

A hazy mountain view from the Gunter Ridge Trail.  Below: Damage from a forest fire about ten years ago is still very evident;  A view of mountains and clouds along the trail.

After lunch, we still had a couple miles of walking along the Glenmont Horse trail.  It was easy hiking, but also really boring.  It’s the part of the hike where you know you’ve seen all the cool stuff, but you still have several miles of walking along a featureless road/path.  It reminded me a lot of all the fire road/paved road walking at the end of the Old Rag hike.

All in all, the hike to Devil’s Marbleyard made for a pleasant day. But, if I were to recommend the hike to others, I’d suggest just hiking to the Marbleyard as an out-and-back.  If the rhododendron, laurel and azaleas hadn’t been blooming, I don’t think there was much to see on the rest of the loop.

Adam Says…

It has been about 20 years since I last hiked the Devil’s Marbleyard trail.  Those that know me personally or have read this blog for a while know I grew up in Lynchburg.  Some of the hikes that are most popular with people around there are Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Devil’s Marbleyard.  The first two have great views and are close to Peaks of Otter, a popular picnic area.  The last time I did this hike I was with with a group of friends from home.  I remember the boulder field seemed so impressive.  While there are similar slopes of rock along Furnace Mountain and Hawksbill summit (among others), these boulders are much larger.  My friends and I climbed up the boulders from the bottom of the field.  One of my friends almost stepped on a rattlesnake that was sunning itself on the rocks.  I’m sure a number of rattlesnakes make their home in the cracks between the rocks, so be careful.  The climb up to the top takes longer than you would expect and requires a lot of energy to navigate the scramble.  Since we planned on hiking a long loop, we opted to just climb around a while on the bottom.

Beautiful mountain laurel along the ridge hike.  Below: Stopping to enjoy the mountain laurel; Passing out of the designated wilderness area; Lunch by the stream.

With every interesting geological feature, there seems to be a legend that has been passed down over the years and Devil’s Marbleyard is no different.  In the local tale, this area was occupied by Native Americans and the land was supposedly very green and lush.  There was a large stone altar at the top of this hill that was used for worship on full-moon nights.  A white couple met the Native Americans and they were thought to be spirits since they looked so different than the local tribes.  The couple said they were not spirits but they worshiped a higher power.  They converted the Native Americans to Christianity.  However, the next year brought about a great drought and the Native Americans felt the new God and the missionaries were to be held responsible.  They burned the couple alive on the altar.  As the flames reached high into the sky, a storm formed.  Lightning struck down upon the altar and exploded the rock over the mountainside.

Christine and I talked about this legend on the hike.  I guess there can be a few different morals to the story depending on your perspective.  From the perspective of the white missionaries, it may be best to not spread your religion to others if you want to stay alive.  From the perspective of the Native Americans, it may be to either believe your own gods or keep faith in your new God.  It is an interesting thing to think about on this hike, even if there may not be much truth to the origin of the boulder slope.

Walking along the Glenmont Horse Trail gets tedious.

To complete the full loop hike, begin in the parking lot and cross the bridge and take the blue-blazed Belfast Trail.  At .2 miles, the trail splits.  Bear right to stay on the blue-blazed trail.  The trail is a rocky, uphill climb that leads to the Devil’s Marbleyard boulder field at 1.4 miles.  Continue up the trail which follows parallel to the right of the boulders up a steep section (which can also be very slippery if there has been recent rain – as I found out with a hard fall onto slick rock).  After you near the summit of the boulder field, the steepness of the trail lessens.  At 2.5 miles, you reach a junction with the Gunter Ridge Trail and a small campsite.  The Gunter Ridge Trail heads off to the left heading down the mountain slightly, but you are mostly following along a ridge line.  Eventually, this trail begins to open up to some obstructed but nice views on the ridge.  The trail then descends quickly through a series of switchbacks.  At 5.8 miles, you will exit the James River Face Wilderness boundary through a gate and cross Little Hellgate Creek.  At the 6.0 mile mark, you will reach the orange-blazed Glenwood Horse Trail, a large fire road.  Follow this to the left and make your way along this trail that does go slightly uphill until reaching the junction with the Belfast Trail at 7.9 miles.  Take a right on the Belfast Trail to reach the parking lot at 8.1 miles.

If you are interested in geocaching, there is one geocache that can be found on the scramble up the boulders at the Devil’s Marbleyard – Devils Marble Yard Cache.

Like Christine, I would probably recommend that if you were coming here to see the best features of the trail, I would just do this as a 2.8 mile out-and-back to the Marbleyard and back.  The views from the top of the Gunter Ridge Trail are more obstructed and doesn’t seem necessary when there are many other nice view hikes nearby on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 8.1 miles
  
• Elevation Change – 1510 feet
  
• Difficulty – 3.  The climb up past the Marbleyard to the Gunter Ridge trail is steep, but once you gain the ridge it’s most level or downhill.  The Glenmont horse trail is wide open and slightly uphill.
• Trail Conditions – 2.5. The trail is in decent shape in most places.  It was very slick, steep and muddy climbing alongside the Marbleyard.  The Gunter Ridge trail was easy to follow, but very overgrown with tall grasses and brush.
• Views– 2. There are plenty of obstructed views on the Gunter Ridge Trail, but nothing spectacular.
  
• Streams/Waterfalls – 2.5.  The stream running along the Belfast Trail is small but lovely.
• Wildlife – 2.  We saw a ton of fence lizards but not much else (unless you want to count the seventeen year locusts)
• Ease to Navigate – 3.  There are a few turns and trails here are not as well marked as trails in the national park, but if you pay attention, finding your way should be easy.
• Solitude – 3  You will likely share the Marbleyard with other hikers, but the rest of the loop does not seem heavily traveled.

Directions to trailhead:  From the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile 71, you will see a small road (FSR 35) that is on the western side of the road at a curve.  Take this road which leads past the Petites Gap AT parking area.  At 4.2 miles, you will see the parking area on the right (just after you start seeing more houses on the road).  Make sure you either park in the lot or make sure you park completely off the road or your vehicle may be towed.

Adam enjoys the view from Bear Church Rock. Below: The tall, straight trees along the Staunton River trail were very beautiful; Azalea blooming near the top of Jones Mountain; The last push to the rock almost killed Adam.

Adam Says…

Bear Church Rock is a hike that has it all – nice trail alongside a stream, a few small waterfalls, a visit to a PATC cabin, and a great view at the top.  The views are completely of mountains with rarely a sign of civilization.  I always feel like I am truly getting away when I don’t have to see houses or roads dotted across the landscape.  You can easily see Fork Mountain and Doubletop Mountain nearby, but past that ridge, you can also get glimpses of the ridge that makes up Skyline Drive.

The hike starts off on the Graves Mill Trail, which is a flat walk that runs along the Rapidan River.  At .5 miles, you reach a junction with the Staunton River Trail.  Take a left at the junction to follow the Staunton River Trail, which runs along the Staunton River.  Shortly after you join the trail, you will come across a beaver dam on the river and you’ll notice several stumps of trees that have been gnawed by beavers.  At 1.1 miles, you will see a small waterfall leading into a small pool off the trail that is worth a stop.  At 1.8 miles, you will see on the left side of the trail some piles of stone and on the right you’ll be able to see another small waterfall through the trees.  At 2.7 miles, you reach the junction with the Jones Mountain Trail.  Take a left on this trail.  The trail becomes very steep at this point and will remain so until you reach the top.  At 3.1 miles, you reach the junction with the McDaniel Hollow trail.  Take a left here to follow the Jones Mountain Trail.  At mile 3.4, you reach a junction that leads to the available-to-rent PATC cabin.  If you stay relatively straight on the trail, it leads to the PATC Jones Mountain Cabin.  We took this trail which starts off flat, but then descends rather steeply.  After visiting the cabin, return to reach the junction with the Jones Mountain Trail and head up the steep incline until you reach Bear Church Rock.  Continue back the way you came, but your return trip will be shorter if you have already visited the Jones Mountain Cabin.  The total trip should be 8.5 miles.

You could also approach this hike from Skyline Drive for a longer hike, following the Laurel Prong Trail to Cat Knob Trail to Jones Mountain Trail.  My guess is it would be about a 10 to 12-mile round-trip to approach it from that direction.

Adam pauses to look at distances marked on the Staunton River trail sign. Below: Parking for this hike is at Graves Mill; The lovely Rapidan River; Trillium were still blooming along the trail, but were nearing the end of their peak.

On our way up the Jones Mountain Trail, we ran into a few PATC volunteers that were working on maintaining the trail.  Some PATC members volunteer to help maintain the trails that run through Shenandoah National Park, the Appalachian Trail, and other regional trails.  One of the workers has been working on improving this trail for the last five years.  At the time that we saw them, they were working on building in some water bars through the trail that helps pull the water off the trail to prevent erosion.   They were digging drainage ditches, placing some dead black locust tree logs across the trail they had cut, refilling with dirt, and then mounding the dirt in a way that it was unnoticeable to hikers.  We learned that the black locust trees were great trail logs because they don’t rot.  We thanked them for helping to improve the trails and we plan on getting in touch with them to help them some weekend in the future.  We both feel that as much as we enjoy hiking, it would be nice to give back.

This was the first of many small waterfalls we saw along the Staunton River trail. Below: Another waterfall; There were many remnants of stone walls and stone structures in the woods along the trail; Adam stops to consult the map at the junction of the Staunton River and Jones Mountain trails.

At one moment when we were hiking up the Jones Mountain Trail, I decided to take a break from the climb and sat on a log on the side of the trail.  As I was relaxing, a piece of the log broke off, causing me to hit myself in the head with one of my trekking poles.  I felt like I was in the Subway commercial of fat people breaking things.  Embarrassing, but funny.

This was our first time hiking this trail, but Christine and I both think this is one of the best trails in Shenandoah National Park.  If you can handle the distance and the steep climb, this should be on your “must” list.  For further reading about this area, check out Lost Trails and Forgotten People: The Story of Jones Mountain.  I think I would like to pick up a copy and learn more about this area, since it was such an amazing hike.

Christine Says…

Another weekend, another backpacking trip cancelled due to rainy weather – what can I say?  When you’re a fair-weather backpacker, lots of spring trips end up delayed.  We were pretty glad we postponed again, because the thunderstorms that passed through overnight on Saturday were pretty fierce and torrential.  I would not have enjoyed being in our tent during those winds and rains!  Fortunately, Sunday morning dawned dry, but foggy with a forecast of dissipating clouds followed by brilliant sunshine.  We decided to tackle the 8.5 mile route up Jones Mountain to Bear Church Rock.  It’s a hike we’ve been meaning to do, especially after seeing it covered by PATC – Charlottesville Chapter and Hiking Upward.

The hike vastly exceeded my already high expectations. I had the BEST time! Without a doubt, this hike has cracked my top-five list of hikes in Shenandoah National Park (along with Riprap, Mary’s Rock from Pinnacles, Rapidan Camp and the Rose River Loop).  This hike had it all – gorgeous river scenery, waterfalls, fantastic trail conditions, a rustic cabin, spectacular views and plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife.

We saw this impressive beaver dam on the Staunton River. There were lots of gnawed trees (inset) around the water. Below: Showy Orchis is a common wildflower seen blooming along the trail; Everything was so lush and green; You may notice Adam’s pants tucked into his socks to avoid ticks. Ticks are out in force this year!

We started out around 10:00 a.m. from the Graves Mill parking area.  The lot is small; with room for about 8-12 cars at most.  It was already mostly full when we arrived.  The hike starts off on the Graves Mill trail – a flat section of trail running parallel to the Rapidan River.  Within a half mile, the Graves Mill trail meets the Staunton River trail.  This trail is a gentle uphill grade, following within sight or earshot of the water.  One of the first interesting things we passed was a series of several beaver dams spanning the river.  I don’t know if they’re active dams or long abandoned.  We saw plenty of gnawed tree stumps, but no sign of beavers or any fresh activity.  A little further upstream, we passed the first of a series of small waterfalls.  All of the falls and cascades along the Staunton River are beautiful!  If you’re a photographer and like shooting long exposures on moving water, this river is a goldmine.  I’d love to return on an overcast day after there has been plenty of rain.  I think this trail would also be popular with people in search of the perfect summertime swimming hole.  There were so many deep, quiet pools between the faster moving cascades.

After about a mile and a half along the Staunton River trail, we reached the junction with the Jones Mountain trail.  Adam took a brief break at this point to consult the map. We quickly figured out that we were about to start climbing.  Overall, the path to Bear Church Rock requires about 2200 feet of elevation gain.

PATC volunteers have been working on the trails in this area for over five years, spending 1000+ hours of their time.

After just a few minutes of walking, we heard voices and the sound of tools coming through the woods.  Shortly later, our paths crossed with a PATC trail crew hard at work installing water bars.  We learned from the crew that they’ve done over 1000 hours of work on this particular section of trail over the past five years.  No wonder the trail is in such magnificent shape.  Everyone who hikes in Shenandoah and enjoys the fantastic trail conditions owes a debt of gratitude to volunteer trail workers.  They do mind-boggling amounts of backbreaking labor to make the trails nice for everyone else.

After chatting with the trail crew for a few minutes, a couple came down the trail.  They mentioned that they had seen a bear with two tiny cubs just a few minutes earlier.  We were excited and hopeful that we might spot them too.  Unfortunately, we weren’t that lucky!

Eventually we reached a ‘Y’ in the trail, with one arm leading .3 of a mile down to the Jones Mountain cabin and the other arm leading a half mile up to Bear Church Rock.  We decided to visit the cabin first, and then enjoy lunch atop Bear Church.

The trail to the cabin led rather sharply downhill, first passing through an ancient, gnarled stand of mountain laurel.  The curly branches practically formed a tunnel over the trail.  All along the final descent to the cabin were stacks of firewood – also courtesy of PATC trail crews.  Apparently, there is a significant problem with cabin renter chopping down live trees near the cabin to use as firewood.  I find that SHOCKING!  What is wrong with people?  Who goes to a National Park… and chops down living trees (especially when deadfall is so abundant in the park)?

The Jones Mountain cabin sits in a peaceful opening in the woods. Below: Christine walks through a tunnel of ancient mountain laurel on the path down to the cabin; Christine has new hiking shoes – Montrail Mountain Masochists (very comfy!); Christine enjoys the wilderness views from the rock.

After rounding a final bend, the roof of the cabin comes into view.  The Jones Mountain cabin is adorable – two stories with a big front porch.  We peeked in through an opening in the shutters and saw a big fireplace, a rustic wooden dining table and a sunny loft on the top level.  A privy and a spring are both located near the cabin.  What a great place to hike in and camp for a couple nights!

We didn’t stay long at the cabin because we were hungry for lunch and wanted to enjoy Bear Church Rock before any other hikers arrived.  The climb back up to the trail junction was pretty steep, but didn’t take too long.

The toughest climbing of the day came along the final push up to the rock.  After a few switchbacks, the trail went straight up the mountainside.  At the top, a little unmarked (but highly visible) path cuts through the vegetation onto a large rocky outcropping.  The trail continues past the little spur trail to the rocks, so don’t miss it!  If you continued along the trail, you’d eventually come to trails in the vicinity of Camp Hoover.

The view from Bear Church Rock is fantastic!  Instead of looking down into a valley full of roads, farms and small towns, you look down into wilderness.  You see nothing but trees and a line where the river cuts through the forest.  If you have a map, you can identify some of Shenandoah’s other peaks from this spot.  We hit this spot on a perfect spring day.  We had bluebird skies with only occasional puffy clouds.  The progression of spring was evident in the mountains – vibrant green climbing its way up toward the still barren mountain tops.  We enjoyed our lunch and relaxing in the sunshine.

Just some more beauty shots from atop Bear Church Rock.

The hike back down went quickly – with a descent so steep it was easier to run than to walk! We made the return trip to the car in about half the time it took us to climb up.  In the end, the entire hike took us about four hours, including stops at the cabin and half an hour for lunch.

Bear Church Rock is definitely worth doing!  What a beautiful day!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 8.5 miles
  
• Elevation Change – 2210 feet
  
• Difficulty – 4.  The parts near the Rapidan and Staunton Rivers are very flat, but the uphill climbs are very steep.
• Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is wide during much of the trail where you could even walk side-by-side with someone if you wanted.  The trails are well-maintained thanks to our PATC volunteers and it is not very rocky through most of the hike.
• Views– 4. The view from Bear Church Rock is amazing.  It’s not a 360-degree view, but you can see mountains for miles and little sign of civilization.
  
• Streams/Waterfalls – 4.5.  The rivers are nice to walk alongside.  You also have a beaver dam and a few small waterfalls on this trail.
• Wildlife – 4.  We saw some snakes by the river and on the trail.  We saw deer by the Jones Mountain Cabin.  People coming down the trail when we were coming up had just seen a mama bear with two cubs.
• Ease to Navigate – 4.  While the trail does have a few turns, it is well marked with concrete posts to help give you direction.
• Solitude – 3.5.  We had the view to ourselves by going early in the day, but this is a fairly popular hike.

Directions to trailhead:  From Route 230 near Wolftown, VA turn on to Route 662.  Continue to follow the signs for 662.  In about 6 miles until 662 ends at a parking lot.  The trailhead is visible from the parking lot.

Byrd's Nest #4 sits in a lovely opening off the Neighbor Mountain trail. Below: Parking is available at the Beahm's Gap Overlook; the trail begins after crossing the railing; Blooming azaleas along the trail.

Christine Says…

We were supposed to go backpacking, but when we heard terms like ‘flooding rains’, Nor’easter and ‘wash out’, we decided to delay the trip.  When Saturday morning dawned, it was sunny and warm and beautiful!  I made a trip into town, worked on a photography project in the arboretum, bought a bunch of veggies and strawberries (yay!) at the farmers’ market and got a haircut, figuring that the rain had to be on its way.  When I got home, it was still sunny and gorgeous with no sign of the coming deluge.  Adam suggested we hop in the car, go for a short hike and then have lunch in the park.  It sounded like a great idea to me, so off we went.

We decided on the short Byrd’s Nest #4 loop, starting from the Beahms Gap Overlook.  The trail started with a hop over the retaining rail at the overlook – a cement trail marker post will show the spot to cross the rail.  The trail goes slightly downhill along a short spur to the Appalachian Trail.  Follow the AT north until the junction with the Neighbor Mountain trail.  Take a right onto the Neighbor Mountain trail and follow it uphill until you reach a clearing and the Byrd’s Nest shelter. For the return trip, follow the grassy path in front of the shelter downhill.  The path quickly widens to the Hull School fire road.  After a few tenths of a mile, you’ll come back out on Skyline Drive.  Follow the drive south for about a tenth of a mile back to your car.

Adam hikes along a rocky section of the Appalachian Trail.

Although there are no sweeping views or rocky outcroppings, this hike is a lovely leg-stretcher.  The Byrd’s Nest shelter is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic lunch.  We had planned to relax at the shelter for a while, but when we arrived we found it already occupied by a picnicking couple.  Not wanting to infringe on their space, we took a few photos and headed back on the return arm of the hike pretty quickly.

We decided to have lunch at the Big Meadows Wayside.  It was packed – more crowded than we’ve ever seen it!  They had some new selections on the menu, which was a pleasant surprise.  The menu has been pretty much the same for years!  I got a grilled chicken sandwich with roasted red peppers, provolone cheese and aioli.  It was surprisingly juicy and delicious.  You don’t expect amazing food from park concessionaires – but this was actually one of the best grilled chicken sandwiches I’ve ever eaten.  Go figure!

It was still beautiful and sunny when we left the park around 2:00 p.m. – but by 4:00 heavy thunderstorms had moved in and it rained pretty much non-stop the next 48 hours.  I was glad that we had decided to postpone our backpacking trip.

Adam Says…

I was originally thinking that we would just take a drive on Skyline Drive when I whisked Christine away.  But, I decided to bring our Shenandoah National Park Falcon Guide hiking book and had Christine thumb through to find this hike we hadn’t completed yet.  We had done the majority of this trail before on our Appalachian Trail hike from Elkwallow to Thornton Gap.  The last time we had been on this trail, we saw the post that showed this side trail, but we decided to avoid more hiking.  The Falcon Guide book actually mentioned another trail that should have looped back to the AT, but that trail no longer exists (at least the posts have been removed).

A front view of Byrd's Nest. Below: Adam walking along the Neighbor Mountain trail; A few dark clouds rolled over on the short section of road walking at the end of the hike. They quickly passed and blue skies returned.

The cabin is named for Senator Harry Byrd Sr., who donated four of these shelters for the national park (the other three are at Old Rag, between the Pinnacle and Meadow Spring Trail, and Hawksbill mountains).  His name also graces the Visitor’s Center near Big Meadows and he hiked Old Rag annually into his 70s.  It appears that the cabin up here must have had a few other buildings or other things nearby since you can see some nearby foundations.  I’m not sure if this area once served as someone’s home or if it was an overnight shelter with a spring and a privy.  It is listed as a day-use shelter only.

Once we descended from the shelter down the fire road, we both thought we saw a bear dash off into the woods.  We saw a black shape and a big crashing through the brush, so we are convinced it was a bear.

The cabin is definitely the highlight of the trail, but we were disappointed that others had taken it completely over to eat lunch.  So, we quickly got on our way to not interrupt them.  Overall, there are definitely more interesting trails in Shenandoah National Park.  But if you want a quick hike with a possible place to eat a packed lunch, this could be one for you.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 2.4 miles
  
• Elevation Change –850 feet
  
• Difficulty – 2.  There is a substantial amount of uphill climbing, but the overall distance is short.
• Trail Conditions – 5.  The trail is in excellent shape, like most of the AT through Shenandoah.
  
• Views– 1.5.  There is a partially obscured view at the Byrd’s Nest Shelter.  It was probably much more panoramic and open when the shelter was originally built.
• Streams/Waterfalls –0.  There are no streams or waterfalls, but you will pass a spring-fed water source.
• Wildlife – 3.  We heard lots of birds, and *think* we saw a bear.
• Ease to Navigate – 2. After leaving the AT and Neighbor Mountain trails, it was all guesswork.  Nothing was marked and the description of the trail in our Falcon Guide was inaccurate.
• Solitude – 3. This is a fairly popular family hike.

Directions to trailhead:  Park at the Beahms Gap Overlook parking lot around mile 28.5 on Skyline Drive.  From the lot, you should see a cement post marking the start of the trail on the other side of the log barrier.

Taking in the view from the Glass Hollow Overlook.  It was really hazy and we were facing the sun, so the photos aren’t great.  But, it was still really colorful and pretty.  Below:  Adam takes the turn onto the Appalachian Trail; The Paul C. Wolfe Shelter; Adam walks along the Albright Trail.

Adam Says…

Today was our 14th wedding anniversary, so we decided to take the day off of work and go for a nice hike together.   It is a good sign that it doesn’t seem like 14 years and that time has flown.  I’ve seen a card that said on the outside “Thank you for five wonderful years of marriage” and on the inside it said “Happy 25th Anniversary”.  We’ve had some great years together.  It was wonderful to pick a beautiful fall day to experience together.

As we mentioned in “Our Most Popular Trails” post, we are shocked that Humpback Rock receives so much attention.  We thought it would be a good idea to talk about this other hike that takes off from the Humpback Rock parking lot.  So, if you’re interested in hiking but not tons of people, this may be an option for you. The views are better from Humpback Rock, but you do get some benefits on this hike also.

After parking in the lot, you will see a picnic table adjacent to the first parking spot.  There are two trails that take off from this spot.  Take the blue-blazed trail to the right of the picnic table that descends into the woods (you’ll return from the loop by the Albright Loop Trail on the left).   The trail descends gradually and at .25 miles, you reach an intersection with the Appalachian Trail.  Take a left on the white-blazed AT heading north.  The trail at this point is relatively flat or downhill.  At mile 1.1, you reach an intersection with a small blue-blazed trail that veers off to the right pointing to the Glass Hollow Overlook.  The trail to the overlook is just about .2 mile and is worth the walk.  At the overlook, there is a backcountry campsite for those that would like to camp and take in the views of the sunrise from the overlook.  Go back on the spur trail the way you came and join the AT again, taking a right and continuing north on the trail taking your mileage to 1.3 miles.   At mile 1.6 and 1.7, you come across intersections with the Albright Loop trail.  Just continue on the Appalachian Trail.

Adam checks out the shelter log in the Paul C. Wolfe shelter. Below: Past campers debate (in graffiti) the philosophy of Christopher McCandless from ‘Into the Wild’; We found a name we knew in the shelter log; On the hike back up from the shelter, we got an open view of Bears Den Mountain in Shenandoah National Park.  You can’t tell in this photo, but there are radio towers atop the mountain in the distance.

The trail begins to descend for the next 1.3 miles through a long series of switchbacks.  At mile 3.0, we rock-hopped across Mill Creek and reached the Paul C. Wolfe Shelter.  We took some time to rest here before we returned the way we came on the Appalachian Trail.  We climbed back up the Appalachian Trail from the shelter heading south this time and back up the switchbacks we had just experienced.  We were both glad that these took off some of the difficulty of the elevation climb.  At mile 4.2, we reached the first junction with the blue-blazed Albright Loop Trail.  Take a right here and you will follow this trail 2 miles back to the parking lot.  The hike on the Albright Loop trail starts off very manageable, but ends up being the most difficult part of the hike since there is quite an ascent up through some switchbacks.

On the return on the Albright Loop Trail, immediately after the second switchback, look up the hillside to see the wreckage of a Beechcraft Bonanza plane.  On the trail it was marked with a cairn to show where you can leave the trail.  The plane crashed back in 1963.  Please respect the wreckage and leave it as it is.

Plane Wreckage along the Albright Trail. Below: Adam checks out another section of the plane.

The Paul C. Wolfe Memorial shelter was built by the Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club in 1991.  According to their website, “it took approximately 30 people every weekend for two months to complete the shelter.  Materials were hauled two miles by hand and tractor.”  This is one of the nicest huts on the AT, according to a lot of the thru-hikers.  It really has nice construction and a beautiful location.

After our hike, we made a quick trip down to Sonic for a snack (tots and creamslushes!).  We didn’t want to spoil our anniversary dinner though, since we had reservations at The Local Chop & Grill House in Harrisonburg, VA.   It always feels good to have a guilt-free dinner when you have burned off a lot of calories on a hike.

Christine says…

What a great anniversary hike!  I love being out on the trail during the peak of fall foliage season.  All during the hike, the sun was filtering through the trees above – making a gorgeous canopy of gold.  There were also plenty of brilliant red maples tucked into the understory.  What was even better — no crowds!  Hiking on a weekday on a less well-known trail made this hike especially enjoyable.

I had new boots to try out on this hike. Right out of the box, my Oboz Sawtooth boots were perfectly comfortable.  They’re the first taller pair of boots I’ve ever worn.  I was skeptical about that, but they felt great the whole six+ miles.

A golden canopy of forest.  Below: New boots on the Glass Hollow Overlook; Adam crosses Mill Creek; A small cascade on the stream.

Since Adam has already talked about the trail specifics, I’ll just share a few of my highlights. One of my favorite stops was at the Paul C. Wolfe shelter.  It really is one of the nicest backpacking shelters I’ve ever seen – two levels, plexiglass windows, hooks to hang backpacks and a deep, well-sheltered porch, so you always stay dry when you’re sleeping.  The structure is set uphill, overlooking a wonderful, babbling stream.  Even the privy is unique at this shelter.  With it’s half-door, I can’t say you’ll ever get true privacy, but at least you know when it’s occupied and the ventilation couldn’t be better!

While we were taking our break at the shelter, we took a few minutes to flip through the log book.  We noticed the entry from one of the backpackers we met in September at the Pinefield Hut.  It was kind of neat to see a name we knew.

I also took some time to explore and photograph the stream.  Along the bank of the stream, there is a marble bench placed in memory of John Donovan.  He was an experienced hiker and a member of the Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club. He died on his attempt to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2005.  The bench gave me enough information to Google his name so I could learn more about what happened.  As it turns out, Backpacker Magazine published a long feature story about John Donovan’s disappearance and death in a 2006 issue.  It was a fascinating read!  The tragedy that befell Donovan turned into a miracle that saved two other lives.

A bench is placed in memory of John Donovan. Below: The privy has a half door!

The plane crash was an interesting stop, too.  I expected the plane wreckage to be a lot rustier after close to fifty years in the woods, but it was still completely recognizable as an aircraft.  I couldn’t find anything more about the crash other than the year it happened and the type of plane.

After leaving the plane site, we finished out stint on the Albright Trail and made our way back to the car.  The parking lot was really full, but pretty much everyone else was on the Humpback Rocks trail.  I’m really glad we took the time to explore this trail – it turned out to be a perfect way to celebrate our anniversary.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 6.2 miles
  
• Elevation Change – 1500 feet.
  
• Difficulty – 3.  There is a good amount of uphill climbing.  The steepest section is along the Albright Loop Trail.
• Trail Conditions – 4.  The trail is nicely maintained.  During the fall season, be sure to watch your footing if the trail is covered with leaves.  There are loose rocks underneath a good portion of the trail.
  
• Views –3.  The best unobstructed views are from the Glass Hollow Overlook. 
• Streams/Waterfalls – 3.  Mill Creek was moving nicely near the shelter.  According to a journal entry from an AT hiker, there is a small waterfall and pool shortly downstream.
  
• Wildlife – 1.  We didn’t see anything beyond birds, chipmunks and squirrels.
  
• Ease to Navigate – 3.5.  There are a few intersections, but there are also signs at each of the intersections.
  
• Solitude – 3.  You will likely run into a few others on the trail, due to the proximity of Humpback Rocks.

Directions to trailhead: The trail is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mile Marker 8. The hike begins on the blue-blazed trail to the right of the picnic table.

There was a nice group of eight people camping in or around the Pinefield Hut – our stop for the night.  Below: Pretty mountain layers as seen from the Ivy Creek overlook; Our tent site was on a hill above the hut. You can see the roof of the hut through the trees; Adam climbing the trail upwards from Simmons Gap.

Adam and Christine Say …

We’ve found that with our backpacking trips, it’s usually easier to combine our thoughts into one large post.  Here we go!

Even though this backpacking trip was scheduled weeks ago, we weren’t sure until the last minute that we were actually going to pull it off.  It rained all week, Adam was having back spasms, our friends couldn’t make the trip and we were both coming off a particularly busy week at work.  Sitting in the air-conditioned house, pajama-clad, and watching TV from the couch seemed quite a bit more appealing than heading out into the damp, buggy woods with 30+ pounds of gear strapped to our backs.

The thing that ultimately tipped the scale in favor of hitting the trail for an overnighter was actually all the 9/11 anniversary coverage.  When Friday morning rolled around, Christine was feeling overwhelmingly sad.  All week long, virtually every news outlet had been covering 9/11 – bringing all the horrific imagery and stories back to the forefront.  Remembering and paying tribute is important to her, and she felt drawn to having a quiet, peaceful place to reflect without seeing any more images of people dying or cities burning.  We both wanted to be in the woods – away from the TV, away from the internet, away from the radio.

Adam takes in the view after the first climb out of Powell Gap. Below: There is not a paved parking lot at Powell Gap.  Instead, you can leave a car in the grassy field next to the trail entrance.

We had a leisurely Saturday morning.  Christine made a big breakfast with eggs and biscuits (for Adam), blueberry pancakes (for herself) and bacon (for both of us).  After cleaning up dishes, Christine packed our camp food into Ziploc bags and put together bathroom kits.  Adam worked on loading our backpacks.  We decided to eat lunch at home and then headed off to the park around 1:00.  We chose to hike south along the Appalachian Trail from Powell Gap to Loft Mountain, with an overnight stop at the Pinefield Hut.  We brought two cars into the park to make the trip logistically easier, parking the return car at the Loft Mountain wayside.

We left one car in the grassy field next to the trail entrance at Powell Gap.  After doing last minute pack checks, we headed off.  The trail climbs immediately upward from the gap.  You gain about 300 feet in just a few tenths of a mile. Within the first half mile, you pass a pretty eastern-facing view of the valley below.  We stopped and made some pack adjustments.  Adam insisted on taking over the burden of carrying our extra water.  The south district of Shenandoah is famously dry, so we hauled a 3 liter Nalgene canteen so we’d have plenty of water for cooking and hiking on Sunday. Even with all the rain, we weren’t sure if the spring at the hut would be running.  Christine bickered with Adam over the extra weight of the water, because she didn’t want him to make his back pain worse.  In the end, he won and we headed down the trail with the extra 6.6 pounds of water hooked and freely swinging from a carabiner on the back of his pack.  He was definitely carrying too much and it did slow his pace down a bit!

We spotted a young bear on a hillside before the descent to Simmons Gap.  Below: Stopping for a snack and map break at the Simmons Gap crossing; Our trekking poles make backpacking trips so much easier; Monarch butterflies were everywhere!

The Appalachian Trail between Powell Gap and Pinefield Hut is pretty uneventful.  There are a few road crossings, several climbs and descents, and just the one open view.  Most of the trail is just typical walking along a forest trail – pretty, but not remarkable.

On the descent toward Simmons Gap, a black shape caught Christine’s eye.  She turned back and mouthed ‘BEAR!’ to Adam.  Sure enough, a handsome yearling bear was perched on the hillside, quietly watching us pass.  She managed to get an OK photo of the bear, but he was really too far up the hillside for our pocket camera’s zoom capabilities.  We stood still and had a little stare-down with the bear for a few moments before he turned and lumbered up the hill.  We’ve decided the park has two kinds of bears: 1) indifferent bears and 2) scared bears.  The scared bears run as soon as a human comes into view.  Indifferent bears may cast you a sidelong glance, but otherwise ignore you and continue along with whatever they were doing before you spotted them.  We like the indifferent bears; they’re easier to photograph!  We’ve never come across an aggressive bear in Shenandoah – thankfully.

At the trail crossing near the Simmons Gap Ranger Station, we stopped and had a snack of cashews.  The cement post indicated that we had 2.2 miles to cover before reaching Pinefield Hut.  We figured we’d make it there well before dinner time.  As we were sitting on the grass eating cashews, another backpacker came up to us and asked which way it was to reach Brown Gap.  We pointed the way (12 miles to the south), rested for a few more minutes and then continued.  The trail climbing out of Simmons Gap was probably the hardest climbing of the day, but still fairly moderate. Christine noticed that Adam was really struggling with his pack weight, so we made some more adjustments and she took the big Nalgene canteen back.

We saw this timber rattler after climbing out of Simmons Gap. Below: A good look at the rattle.

As we continued climbing, we spotted the hiker headed toward Brown Gap stopped in the middle of the trail.  We didn’t see anything, so we continued climbing until we were right behind him.  He turned and said ‘There’s a rattlesnake on the trail!’  Christine replied ‘Ooooh, where?’  But as soon as she peered over his shoulder, she immediately saw the large snake laid out, almost completely spanning the trail.  He wasn’t moving or rattling.  We speculated that maybe he was dead or in a state of torpor.  We stood and looked at him for a good five minutes.  Finally Adam climbed off the side of the trail, making a wide arc around the snake (since he is definitely more fearful of snakes than Christine).  Christine followed suit, as did the other hiker.  As soon as we all passed, the snake slowly slithered off the trail and coiled up in the leaves about a foot off the path.  We got a few exciting photos of the snake before we headed off to finish our climb uphill.

Eventually the trail leveled off for a while before gently descending to Pinefield Gap.  Climbing downhill, we both noticed how much bear scat there was along the trail.  This area obviously has a pretty healthy population of black bears.  After one final road crossing, we had just two tenths of a mile left until we got to the shelter.

Pinefield Shelter lies just a couple hundred yards off the AT.  As we were walking down the side path to the shelter, we heard voices and laughter.  We were greeted at the shelter by six other hikers – a mix of thru-hikers, section hikers and weekenders. Peak use of AT shelters happens May- June, so we were a little surprised to see so many people at Pinefield.  Everyone was really friendly and they already had a great campfire going.  We chose a tent site up the steep hill behind the shelter.

We quickly set up the tent, inflated our sleeping pads and fluffed our bags before heading back down to the shelter to socialize and cook dinner.  We had a repeat favorite dinner from Backpacker’s Pantry – Pad Thai and Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert.  Two of the others hikers in for the night, Brendan and Ayla, had purchased a bag of marshmallows and were roasting them over the fire.  Talk centered heavily on food for much of the evening.  If there is one thing hikers have in common, it’s hunger!  We set our camp chairs near the fire and enjoyed an evening of conversation and a little music.  Ayla had a flute and Brendan carried a small guitar.  It was a pleasant evening, and you really can’t beat a good campfire!

Adam relaxes by the fire.  Below:  A comparison – the first photo is the park’s representation of Appalachian Trail backpackers.  The second and third photos are what backpackers really look like!  Sometime soon, I think Adam and I are going to pose to recreate the park’s image – spacy expressions and all!

Sometime after dark, we climbed back up the hill to our tent by the light of Adam’s headlamp.  Christine listened to the new book in the Game of Thrones series on her iPod and Adam continued to read his John Muir book.  As we relaxed in the tent, we began to notice that our tent site wasn’t quite flat.  It was on just enough of a slope that you can feel, even if you can’t see it!

Christine had a decent night of sleep – occasionally waking to the hoot of an owl or the sound of Adam thrashing around next to her.  He didn’t sleep well at all!   He still hasn’t figured out the best way to get comfortable with his sleeping set-up.   In the morning, everything had shifted to the downhill side of the tent.  Adam was crammed up along the tent wall and Christine was practically on top of him!

Almost everyone was up early, cooking breakfast and packing up their gear.  We took down our tent and shoved everything back into our packs.  We fired up our JetBoil and made oatmeal and coffee.  We didn’t even use all the extra water we had hauled down to camp, so we shared with everyone else.  Incidentally, the spring was running at Pinefield so we didn’t even need to carry all that extra water.  Oh well… better safe than sorry.

Our second day of hiking was a little tougher, but a little more rewarding in terms of views and scenery.  Ivy Creek, which we passed near the end of the hike, was actually running much more than usual  Our packs were lighter, since most of the food and water were gone.  The forest was beautiful and misty, with golden sunrays cutting down between the trees.  Spider webs covered with dew glistened in the morning sun.  We crossed paths with the hiker we had met at Simmons Gap the day before.  He was headed north, and looking for water.  We were kind of surprised, because he must have passed at least three decent water sources that morning returning from Brown Gap.

We got a great view of Skyline Drive and the mountains beyond on our second day.  This view looks to the west.  Below: Morning fog created some nice sunrays in the forest; Ivy Creek was running nicely; Spider webs glistening in the morning light.

We reached the junction of the AT and the trail down to the Ivy Creek maintenance building around 10:15 a.m.  It was a quick downhill walk of .6 miles back to Skyline Drive.  We got to the Loft Mountain Wayside around 10:30.  Even though it was still on the early side, we wanted lunch!  The cook behind the counter was nice enough to make us fries and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches even though they were technically still serving breakfast.  It really hit the spot!

After lunch we passed through the gift shop and picked up a couple 75th Anniversary Shenandoah souvenirs – a magnet and a Christmas ornament.  We’d been meaning to get something from the anniversary all season.  Park shops are only open for a few more weeks, so we figured it was now or never.

Lunch at the Loft Mountain Wayside. Below: Our hike down to Skyline Drive from the Appalachian Trail took us past the PATC’s Ivy Creek trail maintenance building; Adam crosses Skyline Drive and heads toward the Loft Mountain Wayside where we left our car.  Unfortunately, someone whacked our car pretty hard while we were away.  We have a huge dent and a paintless streak on the passenger side now.  Boo!

We were back home before 1:00, which was perfect!  We had the rest of the day to relax and clean up before heading back to work on Monday.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 10 miles
  
• Elevation Change – 2500 feet over five different climbs
  
• Difficulty – 3.  Mostly uphill climbing on this hike.
• Trail Conditions – 4.  The trail was in pretty good shape.  Some areas were slightly overgrown and there were a few tree blowdowns, but otherwise, it was fine.
  
• Views – 3.5.  Some nice eastern views on the climb up from Powell Gap and nice western views near the Rockytop overlook.
• Wildlife – 4.  We saw many signs of bears along the trail (and saw one), we saw our first timber rattlesnake, and several pileated woodpeckers.
  
• Ease to Navigate – 4.  Not many turns on the Appalachian Trail, but a few turns to make it to the Loft Mountain wayside.
  
• Solitude – 4.  You will likely see people near Powell Gap and Loft Mountain, but not a lot in between.
  

Directions to trailhead:  Mile 70 on Skyline Drive, park in the large field.  You’ll see the post for the Appalachian Trail from the lot and head south.

Rohrbaugh Cliffs at Sunset. Below: Gearing up at the car before starting the hike; Making the short walk down Forest Road 75; Adam points out our route on the trail sign.

Christine and Adam Say…

For this particular post, we decided to team up and write one massive post, instead of the normal ‘He Says, She Says’ versions. Enjoy!)

Last year, we participated in a Potomac Appalachian Trail Club workshop called Backpacking 101 (read part one, part two, and part three).  Initially, we were scheduled to do an overnight trip to the Dolly Sods Wilderness as a ‘graduation’ from our class.  Sadly, we ended up missing that trip because Christine’s ankle sprain still hadn’t healed enough for the rigors of backpacking.  While the make-up trip we eventually did to Hazel Mountain in Shenandoah National Park was great, we still wanted to do an overnight trip in Dolly Sods. For the best maps of the area, print off the Northeast and Southeast sections of these maps.

Dolly Sods is such a unique area for the mid-Atlantic region. It’s the only area close to us with a sub-Arctic tundra climate – loaded with heath barrens, blueberry bushes, acidic bogs and coniferous forest.  You feel like you’re somewhere far north of West Virginia when you visit this wilderness area.

The route we chose through Dolly Sods was of a length and difficulty we would typically choose for an easy day hike.  (5 miles with 900 feet of elevation change)  But we decided it would be fun to do an easy hike and enjoy camping at one of the most beautiful sites in the entire Monongahela National Forest’s wilderness area.

We also were lucky to have some awesome company for this trip.  In Backpacking 101, we met a nice couple – Suzanne and Anthony.  We enjoyed hanging out with them on our class trip to Hazel Mountain and had stayed in touch with them ever since.  We tried planning trips together a couple times, but until this trip our schedules just hadn’t matched up.  We were thrilled when plans finally came together for this Fourth of July weekend trip.

Day One:

Suzanne and Anthony drove down to our house on Friday night so we would have time to go through all our gear before getting an early(ish) start on Saturday morning.  We spent most of the evening fiddling with our packs, splitting up shared gear and contemplating how many Clif bars we truly needed to survive our expedition. That evening, it looked like an REI store exploded in our basement.  We laughed about how much stuff we had to pack for just one night of camping.  We ran through our checklist to make sure we had everything – stove, tent, sleeping bag, clothes, food, emergency kit, etc.

On Saturday, we had a big breakfast and were out the door a little after 9:30.  We didn’t make it to the trailhead until after 1:00.  We made a stop at Seneca Rocks Visitor’s Center and ended up buying another trail guide and a new map for West Virginia hiking.  (Not for use on this trip, but just to have for the future.) We also stopped at the Subway in Franklin, WV to grab sandwiches to have for lunch on the trail.

When we got to the Fisher Springs Run trailhead, the parking lot was overflowing with cars.  A couple people had decided to park sideways in the lot instead of straight-on, so they took up space that could have accommodated five or six more cars.  It was a little annoying and worrisome – would we get out to Rohrbaugh Cliffs and find all the prime campsites already occupied?  We ended up parking a short distance down Forest Road 75, in a patch of dirt just wide enough to get our car off the road.

The forest floor was a sea of ferns. Below: Adam hikes along the Fisher Springs Run Trail; The trail junction of Fisher Springs and Rohrbaugh Plains; Subway for lunch; Our huge pile of packs; Adam traverses a rocky section of trail, Suzanne crosses a small stream.

We found space to shove the sandwiches into Suzanne’s pack, slathered ourselves with sunscreen and bug spray, and got to the business of walking.  Almost immediately after stepping off the dusty, gravel forest road onto the trail, we found ourselves ensconced in a cool, lush, green forest.  Ferns spread across the ground for as far as the eye could see.  The trail descended gradually, occasionally crossing small, mostly dry streams.  The trail got rockier as we followed it for a little over a mile to its junction with the Rohrbaugh Plains trail.  We stopped at the trail junction and ate our lunch.  We chatted with a passing backpacker who was doing a 19-mile loop through Dolly Sods.  She was on a solo trip and told us she was headed down into the Red Creek basin.  We asked her if she had noticed many camps set up near the cliffs.  She said she hadn’t seen anyone, so we took that as a hopeful sign.

After lunch, we took a left onto the Rohrbaugh Plains trail.  The trail at this point was all rocks.  They almost looked fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle.  Almost immediately after the rocky patch, we dipped deeply into a ravine with a pretty flowing stream.  It was a perfect water source for backpacking. We figured that in the worst case scenario, we could hike back to this point to fetch water for cooking and cleaning at camp.

The last 1.2 miles to our campsite ascended ever so slightly, winding past giant mossy boulders and through dense thickets of rhododendron.  With about a half mile to go, we passed another trail junction with the Wildlife Trail.  Taking the Wildlife Trail to the Rohrbaugh Plains trail is probably the most popular route for day hikers to reach Rohrbaugh Cliffs.  After this trail junction, we crossed a swampy, muddy area and walked across a grassy meadow.  A couple tenths of a mile past the meadow, we came to a beautiful clearing where we ended up making camp.

Crossing the meadow. Below: Christine and Adam's camp; Adam collects water for cooking and cleaning; Anthony and Suzanne's camp.

There were so many soft, flat spots that were perfect for our tents!  We chose a couple spots located out of sight of the trail.  We had a fire pit, a nice place for cooking, a view and shady trees.  It was nothing short of perfect.

It felt great to shed our packs and get to work setting up camp.  Our Mountain Hardwear tent (the Drifter 3) is super-simple and was pitched in just a few moments.  While Adam worked on staking the tent, Christine inflated our Big Agnes pads.  We put them in the tent along with our sleeping bags, so they’d have some time to re-fluff after being compressed in stuff sacks all day.

On this backpacking trip, we had a few new and exciting ‘creature comforts’.  Since our last backpacking trip, we acquired Alite camp chairs.  They’re so comfortable and lightweight!  We also both got the large Thermarest pillows.  They’re really bulky and take up a ton of pack space, but they’re very lightweight and make a world’s difference for getting comfortable at night.  Christine also brought a fitted sheet for her sleeping pad.  Even though the sheet is made by Thermarest, it fits the Big Agnes pad perfectly.  A sheet is not a necessity, but it definitely improves the texture and breathability of your sleeping pad.  Christine especially hates feeling clammy or slippery when she’s trying to sleep, so having the sheet made a huge difference.  Neither of us actually sleep inside our sleeping bag unless it’s freezing cold.  We prefer to open our bags up and use them like quilts.

After we finished setting up our tent, we carried our cooking stuff down to our kitchen area.  We also pulled out all our ‘smellables’ and set them aside so they could easily be stowed away in our hanging bear bag.  Christine found a couple branch stubs to hang our trekking poles and our packs. We both covered our packs with garbage bags in case it rained overnight.

Anthony and Suzanne were still working on getting there camp set up, so we decided to go on a water run.  We hadn’t passed a better water source after the stream near the trail junction, so we took our collapsible bucket and headed back down the trail.  Filling up was easy, but getting two gallons of water in a soft-sided bucket back to camp without spilling anything over a 1.2 mile distance was substantially trickier!  We were very thankful we went as a pair to get water, because it was nice to trade off carrying the bucket. We joked that it was like being in a challenge on some adventure reality show.  We made it back without much spillage at all!

When we got back, Anthony and Suzanne were all set up, so we decided to walk a few hundred feet further down the trail to explore the cliffs.  Rohrbaugh Cliffs were spectacular.  The view into the valley below was all wilderness – not a single road or farm or house – just mountains and streams for as far as the eye could see.

Adam on Rohrbaugh Cliffs. Below: Wild, ripe blueberries; A cute frog that visited our camp; Rosebay Rhododendron were in bloom; Our group on Rohrbaugh Cliffs; A couple more views of the cliffside.

We visited the area at a truly beautiful time of year.  The Rosebay Rhododendrons were just starting to bloom.  The mountain laurel was a bit past peak, but there were still plenty of flowers to enjoy.  And best of all WILD BLUEBERRIES were everywhere along the cliffs!  Suzanne and Christine were significantly more excited about the berries than the guys and spent a lot of time searching for ripe berries tucked into the bushes.

Most of the late afternoon was spent relaxing near camp and getting dinner ready.  Around 5:30, Adam got out the JetBoil and boiled water for all of our dinners.  We had wanted to come up with some homemade backpacking recipes, but never got our act together.  Adam and Christine ended up eating Backpacker’s Pantry Chicken Risotto with Mocha Mousse Pie for dessert.  It was satisfying and very filling!  Anthony and Suzanne had macaroni and cheese and blueberry cobbler from some backpacking meal company (AlpineAire) none of us had heard of before.  They were pretty happy with their dinner, too.

Chef Adam filters and boils water for dinner. Below: Chicken Risotto for dinner; Anthony and Suzanne relax after dinner; Playing Monopoly on the cliffs; Hanging our bear bag.

We cleaned up our dishes, brushed our teeth (We love Wisps for backpacking) and hoisted our bear bag into the highest, safest tree we could find.  We decided to play cards and watch sunset from the cliffs.  We found a big flat rock near the edge and played the card version of Monopoly. The game took a long time, and Adam eventually won.  The sky turned to hues of pink and soft purple and the sun dipped down behind the mountains.  It was so beautiful!

Shortly before full dark, a couple more groups of backpackers showed up – maybe five people and two dogs.  They set up their camps down the trail from us.  So even though we weren’t the only people up there, we still felt like we had a good measure of solitude.  It definitely was not the situation we feared when we saw the packed parking lot at the trailhead. We’re guessing most of the other backpackers ended up along Red Creek.

Once the sun was down, we all retreated to our tents.  Christine listened to a book on her iPod for a while.  By the light of his headlamp, Adam enjoyed reading some of his book by John Muir.  He’s been reading this book exclusively on backpacking trips.  It’s a nice tribute to read something by the ultimate outdoorsman while having our own experience with nature.

Christine started getting really sleepy, so she stowed her iPod away and dozed off, only to be woken almost immediately by the sound of fireworks in the valley below.  We think we heard fireworks shows from three different locations, because there were definitely three distinct grand finales.  The booming sounds and bursts of light in the sky came from different directions, too.  We contemplated leaving our tent and going back out to the cliffs to see if we could see the fireworks from above, but we ended up staying put. Christine didn’t feel like getting dressed again. When all was said and done, we kind of regretted not going back out to see the fireworks.

Eventually the fireworks drew to a close, and Christine drifted back to sleep.  Unfortunately, Adam did not sleep that well on this trip.  He was physically comfortable, but he just wasn’t tired enough to sleep soundly.  Going to bed shortly after sunset just isn’t what his body is used to, so he did a lot of tossing and turning during the night.

Our sunset card game. Below: Layers of mountains frame the Red Creek Valley; We had a pretty sunset; Suzanne takes a few final photos of the evening sky.

Around 2:30 a.m., Adam shook Christine awake to close the rainfly on the tent – a storm was approaching.  Christine stumbled and grumbled and totally failed at closing the fly.  Adam had to crawl over her to get both sides of the tent closed.  Christine completely lacks dexterity when she’s half asleep. The storm never really materialized beyond some lightning and wind.  We both fell back to sleep and didn’t wake up again until about 6:15.  Christine said it was the best night of sleep she’s ever had in a tent.

Day Two

Shortly after sunrise, we got out of the tent and took a walk over to the cliffs.  Christine thought there might be some pretty morning light, but it was completely cloudy.  Back at camp, we started breaking down our tent, deflating our sleeping pads and re-stuffing our sleeping bags.  We got the bear bag down and got everything ready to cook breakfast.

Christine tried Starbuck’s instant coffee, Via, for the first time.  It was surprisingly delicious.  Once she added sweetener and powdered Coffeemate, it tasted almost identical to a cup of brewed coffee.  In addition to coffee, we had boxes of apple-grape juice and instant maple-brown sugar oatmeal.  We figured that would be plenty of food to give us energy for the short hike out.

After everyone was done with breakfast, we finished packing up and cleaning up our camp area.  We were back on the trail by 8:45.  Our exit route simply retraced the trail we had hiked in.  We were back at the car by 10:15.

Breaking camp in the morning. Below: Fat Boy's Pork Palace for lunch!

On the way home, we stopped at Fat Boy’s Pork Palace for lunch.  With a name like that, you know it’s going to have perfect options for a post-backpacking calorie splurge!  We enjoyed BBQ sandwiches with coleslaw and French fries.  Suzanne got breakfast and Anthony got a burger.  It was all delicious!

Once we were back at our house, we split up our group gear and saw Anthony and Suzanne on their way.  Christine said her post-backpacking shower might have been one of the best showers of her entire life.  It always feels awesome to wash away DEET, sunscreen and sweat!

We all had a great time on the trip. We’re already trying to plan our next backpacking adventure for some time in September!  Although, it’s going to be hard to top the scenery at Dolly Sods!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 5.2 miles total. (plus an additional 2.4 mile walk back to fetch water for camp)
  
• Elevation Change – 900 feet.  The Fisher Springs Run trail descends about 500 feet and the Rohraugh Plains ascends about 400 feet.
  
• Difficulty – 2.  The hike was not that difficult, even with 35 pounds on my back.
• Trail Conditions – 3.  The trail was well-maintained, but there are lots of rocky spots where you could turn your ankle.
  
• Views –5.  The views from Rohrbaugh cliffs were quite spectacular and it was nice to see the sun disappear over the mountains.
  
• Wildlife – 1.  We were expecting to see some wildlife up here, but we didn’t see anything other than squirrels, frogs and some birds.  We did wake up to the sounds of dark-eyed juncos in the morning.
  
• Ease to Navigate – 3.5.  There are not any blazes on trails at Dolly Sods, but the trails are very well-defined and signs are in place to mark junctions.  Stay on the trail as much as possible and you won’t have any trouble.  I can imagine that when leaves fall and cover the trail in the fall, it would be more challenging to find the trail.
  
• Solitude – 4.  On a nice day, you may see some people at the overlook. 
  

Directions to trailhead:  From Seneca Rocks, go North on WV 28 for 12 miles.  Take a left on Jordan Run Road.  Go one mile up Jordan Run Road and take a left on to Forest Road 19.  In 6 miles, Forest Road 19 comes to a T on to Forest Road 75.  Take a right, heading north on Forest Road 75.  Drive for three miles until reaching the small parking lot and the trailhead for Fisher Springs Run.


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Blooming Trillium Along the Appalachian Trail. Below: Adam makes his way along the AT; The only view on the hike comes from an opening in the trees near Pocosin Cabin; Climbing the one rocky section of trail; Ferns were everywhere!

Christine Says…

This post should have been about our backpacking trip to White Rock in George Washington National Forest.  We spent all morning on Saturday getting ready – making toiletry kits, forcing our sleeping bags into waterproof stuff sacks, testing batteries in our headlamps, filling our Camelbaks, et cetera.  We even drove the nearly two hours over into West Virginia.  The forecast called for a 30% chance of spotty showers, however, at the trailhead we found a steady deluge of cold rain.  We sat in the car for about an hour and a half, waiting for the rain to pass by.  It never did, so we bailed on our backpacking trip and headed home feeling completely bummed out.

The next morning, we woke to drizzle and clouds, but the local weather guy kept saying “Not a washout, don’t cancel outdoor plans, dry air moving into the area.”  So, we decided to head out into the gloomy morning and finish our last section of Appalachian Trail in the central district of Shenandoah National Park. We had already hiked three sections – Big Meadows to Bearfence, Skyland to Big Meadows and Skyland to Thornton Gap, so that left the nine miles between Bearfence and Swift Run Gap.

It turned out to be a perfect day for this hike!  The drizzle stopped shortly after we arrived in the park, and the cool, overcast weather was ideal for a hike through the woods.  I always like cloudy weather when I’m going to be photographing scenes under the tree canopy.  The clouds are like a giant softbox – filtering the light and making every scene look softly-lit and shadow-free.  Sunny days in the woods always result in spotty/stripy uneven photos – the contrast between light and dark is too much.

The yellow lady slipper is a rather uncommon wildflower. Below: A collection of wildflower shots... trillium, wild violet, wild geranium, and some others we don't know.

It also was a fabulous day for enjoying the amazing display of wildflowers Shenandoah has underway right now.  I saw everything from wild violets to expansive carpets of trillium to colorful and rather uncommon yellow lady slippers.  The forest floor lining the trail was like an ocean of wildflowers – there were so many.  It was so gorgeous!  I think I must have said “Can you believe all these flowers!?” to Adam at least five or six times.  I don’t think he was as moved as I was!  For example, when I spotted the lady slipped, I gasped and said “Oooooh – oh, my gosh – look!”  He thought I saw a bear cub, and was duly disappointed when he learned I only saw a flower.

In addition to all the wildflowers, we also saw many birds that we don’t see often down in the valley.  We saw two mating pairs of Scarlet Tanagers, several Baltimore Orioles, many Eastern Towhees, Eastern Phoebes and a few Bluebirds.

This section of Appalachian Trail is a good example for why the path is aptly nicknamed ‘The Green Tunnel’.  Even though the leaves were not fully out, the trail always felt like a narrow passage cutting through the greenest of greens.  Everywhere you walk, trees form an umbrella overhead and ferns, grasses and other understory plants come right up to the trail’s edge.  It’s such a peaceful setting.

We didn’t pass any grand views – really, the only spot you could really see off into the distance was one small peek through the trees shortly before passing the Pocosin Cabin.  We also didn’t pass any streams bigger than small runnels that could be traversed by a single large step.  We also didn’t see many other hikers.  We ran into several AT thru-hikers.  They’re probably the first of many we’ll see over the next couple months!  Late May through the end of June seems to be when most of them pass through Shenandoah.

The Pocosin cabin sits just a few hundred feet off the Appalachian Trail. Below: Spring leaves are starting to pop up at even the higher elevations; Lower elevations are already leafed out; Lunch at South River Picnic Area.

As we got closer to the South River picnic area, we started seeing a few more people – a man out looking for morels, a few couples walking the South River Falls loop, and lots of picnickers.  We stopped at the picnic area and ate our packed lunch.  It was a nice place to take a break before knocking out the last three miles of our hike.

Most of the last three miles we hiked just a few months earlier, when we did the Saddleback Mountain loop.  There were several places along the trail that I remembered seeing covered with a dusting of snow last time we passed by.  Green leaves dramatically change the scene!  It didn’t look like the same place at all.

The last couple miles of our hike were all downhill back to Swift Run Gap.  Overall, this nine-mile section of trail was really easy walking, with only about 1300 feet of climbing.  And although it didn’t have the most impressive scenery, I enjoyed the hike very much.  It was a great ‘consolation prize’ for our canceled backpacking trip!

Adam Says…

This hike finished our Central District section hike of the Appalachian Trail.  Please see our Skyland to Thornton Gap, Skyland to Big Meadows, and Big Meadows to Bearfence entries to read about the entire hike through this section.  We hope to continue working on sections in the South and North districts of Shenandoah National Park to complete this section of the AT.

Bearfence Hut is an overnight shelter for backpackers. Below: The trail down to the shelter is slick and steep; the AT passes right behind Lewis Mountain campground and cabins.

We left one car at the Swift Run Gap entrance to the park and then drove up to the Bearfence Mountain parking lot around mile 56.8 on Skyline Drive (keep in mind there is also a Bearfence Trail parking lot around mile 56.5, so be sure to park at the correct lot).  There is a parking lot on both the west and east sides of Skyline Drive.  The Appalachian Trail picks up near the parking lot on the eastern side of Skyline Drive.  Head south on the white-blazed AT.  The trail descends slightly and you will soon come across a spur trail to the Bearfence Mountain Hut, that can be used for overnight backpackers.   The .1 mile spur trail is steep and may be slippery on the way down, but it is always interesting to see these huts along the AT.  Continue along the AT and the trail ascends slightly.  You will be able to see spur trails along the way to the Lewis Mountain Campground and picnic area.  After passing by this area, the trail will descend again.  At 2.7 miles, you will cross over the Pocosin Fire Road as you start a 500 foot ascent.  At the 4.0 mile mark, you will reach the peak of Baldface Mountain and then begin your descent.  At 5.5 miles, you will reach the South River Picnic Area to your right.  This is a great place to stop and eat a snack or use the restroom.  Once you get past the South River picnic area, you will shortly come across another fire road.  Take a left at this road to continue on the AT.  You will follow this road uphill a short distance and then you will find the entrance back on the AT on the right-hand side of the road.  Keep following the AT as it ascends the Saddleback Mountain.  You reach the peak of Saddleback Mountain around mile 7 on your hike.  You then descend for the next two miles back to the Swift Run Gap station.

The highlights of this hike were really all the bird sightings and the wildflowers.  There seemed to be a trillion trillium on the trail.  We really enjoyed seeing all the Baltimore Orioles (no sign of Cal Ripken, Jr.) and the Scarlet Tanagers.  With the rain being so heavy this spring, the colors were bursting.

Native Azaleas Along the Trail. Below: Closeup of azaleas; Adam passing a pretty dogwood at the end of the hike.

We enjoyed hiking the little side trail down to Bearfence Hut and chatting with a group of section hikers.  They had spent a rainy night in the shelter and were gearing up to hike another 8+ miles to the Big Meadows area.  One of the group was a boy, maybe eight or nine.  He asked if we were thru-hikers and talked about how much you have to eat when you’re hiking.  It was nice to see a kid learning to love the outdoors.

We also diverted down the trail to Pocosin Cabin for Christine to take a couple photos, but ended up staying only briefly because we didn’t want to disturb the party that had rented the cabin.  They had an adorable long-haired German Shepherd puppy named ‘Chance’.  He greeted us near the privy and was in full play mode!

I did feel a little out of shape on this hike.  It seems that after I hit the seven mile mark, my legs tend to cramp and I have to hobble along the trail.  Hopefully this will improve over the next few months.  The first part of the hike was great, but then fatigue started to set in for me.  Christine has been doing a ton of training with weights and cardio this spring, so she felt really energetic the entire hike.  Personally, I thought it was great to see the car at the finish line!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 9.25 miles. This includes the shorter spur hikes to Bearfence Hut, Lewis Mountain Campground, Pocosin Cabin and South River Picnic Area
  
• Elevation Change – 1350 feet in three main climbs.
• Difficulty –2. This is a pleasant and easy section to hike.
• Trail Conditions – 4. Very nicely maintained and easy to walk.  There are several rocky sections.
  
• Views – 1. You get one decent view near Pocosin Cabin.
• Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
  
• Wildlife – 3.5. You will likely see deer and you may even see some black bears during the warmer months.
  
• Ease to Navigate – 4. Follow the white blazes.  The one tricky place is where you cross the fire road that leads to South River Spring and the PATC maintenance hut.  As you come out on the fire road, follow it downhill to pick the AT back up.  You should see a white blaze.
• Solitude – 2. You will likely see people along the trail, especially near South River and Lewis Mountain.
  

Directions to trailhead: Park at mile 56.8 on Skyline Drive at the Bearfence Mountain parking.  The trail begins near the eastern parking lot.

Adam takes in the view from the Piedmont Overlook. Below: Mt. Bleak House was built in 1843 and is open for tours; An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker makes his way down the trail (he is in the far left of the photo, beyond the dogwood trees); A cute village in the valley below.

Adam Says…

This hike was amazing!  I can’t believe that we had never been to Sky Meadows State Park until now.  Each year, Christine and I pull a list of hikes together that we want to try and cover.  When I was looking through the Falcon Guide Hiking Virginia book, they mentioned under “other hikes” to try the Sky Meadows State Park.  I am shocked that the authors didn’t feature a trail through this area rather than leaving it as a footnote.  I think this is one of the best hikes in Virginia for views.  I would liken the scenery and open views to those you would find at Cole Mountain or Grayson Highlands/Mount Rogers.  Put this on your list of “must hikes” – you won’t regret it!

Pick up a trail map at the park entrance or download one.  Across from the Visitor Center, you will see the Park Office on the hillside.  Walk past the large board showing the map of hiking trails and walk up the gravel path that leads into the woods.  Once you reach the fork, take a left and continue down the gravel Boston Mill road.  Continue on this road, passing by the junction with the Gap Run trail, until you come to the junction with the South Ridge trail at .45 miles.

The Snowden House ruins. Below: We crossed this small stream early in the hike. It's probably dry most of the year; Adam makes his way up the South Ridge Trail; Adam reads information about Snowden; Dogwoods were at their peak.

Take a right on to the yellow-blazed South Ridge Trail.  The trail begins to quickly climb up the steep hillside.  At .5 miles, there is a short spur trail to a nice view.  At .58 miles, you will come to the Snowden Ruins.  You’ll see the foundation of the old homestead along with what is left of a stone chimney.  Further up the trail, you will come to the South Ridge overlook which sits under a dogwood tree.  Continue along the trail which tends to ascend most of the way.  At 2.2 miles, you will reach a junction with the North Ridge trail.  Take a left up the blue-blazed North Ridge Trail.  At 2.6 miles, you will reach a junction with the white-blazed Appalachian trail.  Take a right, heading north on the Appalachian Trail.  At 3.5 miles, you will come to a fork.

Take a right at the fork to go on to the light blue-blazed Ambassador Whitehouse trail.  At 3.9 miles, you will come to the Paris overlook viewpoint, which also provides gorgeous panoramic views.  After this viewpoint, the trail descends back through the woods.  At 4.53 take a left back on to the North Ridge trail, but in just a few feet you will take a left up the red Piedmont Overlook trail.

Adam under the Dogwoods. Below: Hepatica; Tiger Swallowtail; Mayapple Flower

The trail ascends through a steep section here, but you will climb up a few stairs and then reach a wider trail that leads to a few benches and the Upper Piedmont Overlook.  Enjoy the views here and as you climb down to the Lower Piedmont Overlook.  After passing by an old farm building, you will climb over a few stairs and then down until you come back to the Boston Mill Road at mile 5.1.   Take a left on the road and you should be making your way back to your vehicle and the Visitor Center.

The land that became Sky Meadows State Park was donated by Paul Mellon (son of Andrew Mellon – U.S. Secretary of State from 1921-1932), a famous philanthropist, art collector, and Kentucky Derby-winning horse owner.   He donated 1132 acres of the land in 1975 and later more donations (including the land for the Appalachian Trail) have taken it up to the current 1862 acres.  The history of the land also dates back to Lord Fairfax and previous owners had ties to Belle Grove.

This really was a perfect day to do this hike!  We started off the day with a trip through Shenandoah National Park to view some early morning wildlife and to take in some breakfast at Skyland.  We then made our way to Front Royal and headed to Sky Meadows State Park.  The weather was perfect for hiking with highs in the 70s and a breeze throughout.  The sky was very clear with a few clouds, but no threat of rain.  The views were extraordinary and I can’t wait to come back some time.

Adam find the Hiking Upward Cache. Below: Lunch on the trail; Turning onto the AT; Making our way across the high meadows.

If you are interested in geocaching, there are several geocaches to find on this loop:

Christine Says…

Last Saturday was a perfect spring day.  We got up before sunrise and drove through the central and north districts of Shenandoah National park en route to Sky Meadows State Park for a day of hiking. (Passing through Shenandoah, we saw a bear and had a good breakfast at Skyland!)

Sky Meadows was established in the early 1980s and is home to a beautiful restored Civil-war era farm and twelve miles of hiking trails – including a little snip of the Appalachian Trail.  Sky Meadows is unique in that its campground has no car access.  Anyone wishing to stay overnight has to hike in to their campsite.

We parked at Mt. Bleak House.  From there, we hiked down a gravel path leading to the park’s network of trails.  Finding the trail we wanted to start on was a little tricky, because park maps were not to scale.  After a little fumbling around, we were on our way up the South Ridge Trail.  The trail climbed slowly and steadily uphill, past the ruins of Snowden – another old farm within the park’s boundary.  All that’s left standing of Snowden is a crumbling chimney and a number of foundations from outbuildings.  The site has a plaque describing the house and the people that lived there many years ago.

From Snowden, the path ascended continually passing through open meadows and pretty forest.  The dogwoods and redbuds were all near their peak of spring glory.  The flowers on the trees were truly spectacular against the perfect blue sky.  The breeze kept bugs (and sweating) at bay!  It really was ideal weather to be outdoors.

A Beautiful Redbud along the trail. Below: A view into the valley from the Piedmont Overlook; More Views; A spectacular dogwood.

For a while, the trail was pretty level as it passed through thicker woods.  We startled a turkey and watched it fly off, chortling and gobbling in dismay at being disturbed.  I must say… turkeys look really funny in flight.  The trail in this area was lined with lots of tiny wildflowers – mostly violets and hepatica.

Eventually, we started climbing again and came to the junction of the North Ridge and South Ridge trails.  We contemplated stopping for lunch at this point, but decided to press on, following the North Ridge trail to where it meets Appalachian Trail.  Another nice thing about Sky Meadows… there are benches at most trail junctions and overlooks.  It’s nice to have a comfortable place to sit and eat lunch – away from ticks, poison ivy and other crawly things.  We ended up using the bench along the Appalachian Trail for our picnic spot.

For lunch, we feasted on sandwiches, brownies, grapes and cheese.   Adam was eating his cheese and looking especially contemplative, when he turned and asked me “What kind of cheese is this?”  I responded “It’s mozzarella and cheddar twisted together.  You don’t like it?”  He said “No, it’s really GOOD… it sort of tastes like lobster dipped in melted butter!”  It’s weird, but he was actually kind of right – something about the texture of warmish mozzarella blended with the flavor of sharper cheddar ended up tasting remarkably like lobster. We’ve taken to calling this particular cheese snack ‘Lobster Cheese’.

While we ate lunch, we watched several other groups of hikers pass by.  No one really seemed to know where they were going.  Someone asked us if Harper’s Ferry was where the Appalachian Trail began.  Someone asked if they were already in Shenandoah National Park.  Two guys with cigarettes, sodas and no hiking gear contemplated aloud to one another “Should we go to Shenandoah or Harper’s Ferry?” (they were 20+ miles from either destination.)

After lunch, we headed north along the Appalachian Trail for a short while.  Along the ridge, the forest completely opened up to high meadows with amazing views into the valley below.  We were walking along the trail, chatting, when a fast hiker snuck up and passed us from behind.  He turned out to be the first AT thru-hiker we’ve seen in Virginia this year.   He’s definitely ahead of the pack!

We passed this old farm building on the hike down the Piedmont Overlook Trail. Below: A pretty lone tree; Adam stands in the middle of a huge four-trunked tree.

We really enjoyed walking across the open meadow terrain.  Most hikes we do are through thick forest, so this was a welcome change of pace.

At the junction of the Ambassador House Trail, the Appalachian Trail continued north and we turned right to make our way across more meadows and downhill to the Piedmont Overlook Trail.  We dipped back into forested area and passed a really cool four-trunked tree.  It was big enough for Adam to stand inside between all the trunks.

We took the optional arm of the trail uphill to get to the actual Piedmont Overlook, which was beautiful!  I loved seeing all the little houses and farms below in the valley.  From the overlook, the remainder of the hike was steeply downhill across open meadow.

Mt. Bleak House Grounds. Below: A couple other shots from the Mt. Bleak grounds.

We arrived back on the gravel road and made our way back to the Mt. Bleak House area.  We stopped in the gift shop and chatted with the ranger.  We overheard her asking everyone walking in “Did you hike today?” and pretty much everyone answered “No – we’re just here to picnic!”  So, I made a point to tell her that we had hiked, had a great time and thought the park’s trail system was fantastic and very nicely maintained.  Adam got his passport book stamped and got credit for finding the state park’s official geocache.  We took a few minutes to poke around the farm and talk to two historical interpreters – one of them in a wonderful Zouave uniform.

We enjoyed our day in Sky Meadows very much.  It’s definitely a park we’ll visit again.

On our way home, we stopped briefly in Linden, Va to buy apple butter-cinnamon donuts from the Apple House.  If you’re in the area – you should do the same – they’re delicious!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 5.5 miles.
  
• Elevation Change – 1100 feet with one large climb in the beginning of the hike.  It’s mostly downhill or flat afterwards.
• Difficulty –2.5. The beginning section is the toughest and is not for every person, but if you take it slow most people will be fine.
• Trail Conditions – 4. It is very well-maintained.  The only rocky section was the .3 mile section on the North Ridge Trail.  The trail is wide in most places for two people to walk side-by-side.  Some sections you are even walking on soft grass.
  
• Views – 5. You have lots of views along this hike of the valley and farm below.  On a clear day, you can see for miles!
• Waterfalls/streams – 1. You cross one small stream in the beginning. It’s probably dry most of the year.
  
• Wildlife – 2. We only saw one wild turkey and some other birds (there are bluebird boxes along the road).  They have spotted golden eagles in the area recently.
  
• Ease to Navigate – 3. There are many options and junctions with other trails and the trails are not that well marked along the way.  While I don’t think a lot of people get lost up here, I do think some people take wrong turns before deciding they may have not gone the best way.  Take a trail map!
• Solitude – 2. You will likely see people along the trail.  However, I think most of these people will be within a mile of the visitor’s center.  While we did see several people, you should be able to find your peace along the trail to soak in the views.
  

Directions to trailhead: From Route 17, turn on to Edmonds Lane as you see the sign for Sky Meadows State Park.  Follow this road until you reach the parking lot in front of Mt. Bleak House.  Park your car here and then walk past the large billboard with hiking trails on the small gravel path near the Park Office House.  All of the hiking trails start once you reach the junction on the edge of the woods.  Take a left to start your hike.