May 2013 – Virginia Trail Guide

Laurel Prong – Mill Prong Loop

May 24, 2013April 12, 20226 Comments

This 7.3 mile loop has a bit of everything – views, waterfalls, history! The route takes you over Hazeltop Mountain, along several streams and past President Hoover’s Rapidan Camp.

View the full album of photos from this hike
View a short video clip of Adam crossing the stream below Big Rock Falls

The Rapidan River — Camp Hoover sits where the Laurel Prong and Mill Prong spill together, forming the Rapidan River. Below: Trillium was blooming everywhere when we hiked; The route had many stream crossings; Adam enjoys the view from Hazeltop.

Christine Says…

We love hiking in this part of Shenandoah! It’s the area we typically choose when we have out-of-town friends who want to visit Shenandoah National Park. It’s also a likely choice when we’re hitting the trail with hiking newbies. Why? Well… we think it’s pretty much perfect. The climbing isn’t difficult, so it helps convince non-hikers that hiking isn’t just torturous uphill climbing. This area is great for spotting wildlife. (In his portion of the post, Adam will tell you more about the exciting wildlife experience he shared with his office.) It’s also scenic, with lovely streams and a waterfall along the route. There is even a significant piece of American history sitting in the middle of the forest – the Rapidan Camp, which served as Herbert Hoover’s presidential retreat.

Our normal route in the area is a relatively easy 4 mile out-and-back to ‘Camp Hoover’. For this post, we decided to go the long way and make a 7.3 mile loop incorporating the Appalachian Trail, the Laurel Prong Trail and the Mill Prong Trail. This longer route added a nice view, many stream crossings and a bit more elevation gain.

Apple Blossoms — Lots of trees were blooming in the park! Below: Adam walks along the Appalachian Trail. Adam was like a wind sock on Hazeltop.

We parked at Milam Gap. The hike started across Skyline Drive on the AT, headed southbound. Almost immediately, the trail began a long, gentle ascent to the summit of Hazeltop Mountain. The AT is so well-worn into the mountain that the path looked like a ribbon of dirt through the bright green of spring grass. On this particular May morning, the trail was abundantly lined with my favorite wildflower – Trillium. They were everywhere with big showy flowers in pink and white. We also saw (and heard) many birds. The prettiest songs came from the eastern towhees. This type of towhee has striking orange, white and black markings, which makes them easy to spot.

After almost two miles of climbing, we reached the high point of the hike on Hazeltop Mountain. There was one nice place to take in the view. It was really windy on the rocky outcropping, but I enjoyed looking out over the spring-green valley. From the viewpoint, we hiked downhill for almost half a mile to reach the junction of the AT and the Laurel Prong Trail.

Views from the Laurel Prong — There are obstructed views from the Laurel Prong Trail. Below: Eastern Towhee; Huge boulders and rocks along the Laurel Prong Trail; A neat tree near the junction of the Cat Knob trail.

The Laurel Prong trail descends all the way to Camp Hoover. Along the way, you’ll get some obstructed views from the trail, especially when trees are without their leaves. There are lots of rocks and boulders lining the path, especially right at the beginning. The lower parts of the Laurel Prong trail pass through a mix of open forest and mountain laurel thickets. As you approach the low point of the hike, you should begin to hear the sounds of water. Most of the time, streams along this trail will be shallow to non-existent. When we hiked, it was after several days of heavy rain. Single-step crossings became multi-rock hops and in many places the trail was under several inches of rain. It was fun to cross so much water!

At around the 5.25 mile mark, we reached Camp Hoover. It was a great spot to eat lunch, soak in the sunshine and enjoy the sound of rushing water. The camp is built at the headwaters of the Rapidan River, making it an ideal fishing spot. Most of the buildings that made up the camp have been lost to the ravages of time, but several cabins, including the president’s personal residence, have been renovated and preserved and are now open to the public (check park schedules for tour opportunities!).

While Adam napped in the sun, I went and did battle with my new carbon fiber tripod. It’s really light and stable, but it’s like an engineering puzzle to get it initially set up! I may have threatened to throw the tripod into the river. I guess I should look at this hike as the tripod’s dress rehearsal. It can prove its true worth on another hike. Besides, it really wasn’t a good day for taking photos of moving water (too sunny), but I think I was able to capture the impressive flow we witnessed on this day. I’ve never seen the streams around Camp Hoover flowing so powerfully! There were rapids and small waterfalls in places I’ve never seen them before. It was beautiful!

The Laurel Prong joins with the Mill Prong to form the Rapidan River just a few hundred feet from this spot. Below: Adam cross the stream again; The Brown House has a great back porch; Another streamside view of the Brown House.

After leaving Camp Hoover, we walked the trail along the Mill Prong. There is one spot where the trail crosses the stream (right below Big Rock Falls). We probably could have rock-hopped if we were careful, but both Adam and I decided to take off our boots and put on our Crocs to wade across the stream. The water came over my knees, which is really high for this spot.

After crossing, we took a few minutes to enjoy Big Rock Falls and then made our way back toward Milam Gap. For much of the way, the trail stayed close to the stream. We had several more stream crossings to complete, but none that required a shoe swap. The last couple miles of the hike went quickly, and we were back at the car by early afternoon.

We were surprised by how few people we ran into on the hike. I would have expected big crowds on a perfect, sunny Mother’s Day, but we really only saw a handful of people – a few backpackers making a short overnight of the loop and a pair of birders at the camp. I suppose we saw a few more people as we hiked back up the Mill Prong trail, but overall the crowds were light.

If I were to recommend a version of this hike – the 4 mile out and back or the 7.3 mile loop, I think I’d probably stick with the shorter version. The longer version is nice, and great if you’re looking to pick up some mileage, but there’s really not a lot to see on the Laurel Prong and it can sometimes be really muddy. The main reasons to hike in this area are Camp Hoover and beautiful stream scenery; and you get both of those on the shorter out-and-back.

Adam Says…

The hike down to the Rapidan Camp is always one of our favorites in Shenandoah National Park. We have taken several groups of people down to this area. When I talk to people about Shenandoah National Park, they have no idea that a Presidential retreat was once here and how this helped to establish a national park in Virginia. This route adds a view to the hike for an extra bonus.

Big Rock Falls was as big as we’ve ever seen it! Below: Adam crosses the stream right below Big Rock Falls; Lots of water in these little streams.

We’ve seen that on Hiking Upward and in our Hiking Shenandoah National Park Falcon Guide the hike was done in the reverse direction that we did the hike. But, our way has less of a continuous elevation climb and it puts Camp Hoover in the last third of the route (save the best for last!). We started off from the Milam Gap parking area and crossed Skyline Drive near the southern entrance to the lot to start on the Appalachian Trail. Heading southbound on the white-blazed AT, we quickly came across the junction with the Mill Prong Trail. This is your return route, so continue to go straight. The trail gradually climbs up a total of 450 feet. You reach a nice viewpoint to the right of the trail around 1.8 miles before you reach the Hazeltop summit in 1.9 miles.

The trail then begins to descend and at 2.6 miles, you reach the junction with the Laurel Prong Trail on the left. Take this blue-blazed trail which continues to descend. At the 3.6 mile, you will pass a junction with the Cat Knob Trail but stay on the Laurel Prong Trail. At 4.9 miles, you reach another junction with the Fork Mountain Trail, but again stay on the Laurel Prong Trail. The trail changes to yellow-blazed at this point, since it is now accessible to horses. At 5.3 miles, you will pass by a fire road on the left and then come up to a side trail for Five Tents. The Five Tents location was where some of the staff would stay at the Rapidan Camp, but there is no longer a building there. Christine took this route, but I stayed straight and we met up shortly at the Rapidan Camp, entering near the Prime Minister’s Cabin.

Upon leaving the Brown House at Rapidan Camp, we caught the trail heading past the Creel Cabin. Crossing the fire road, we picked up the yellow-blazed Mill Prong Trail which gradually ascends most of the way. At 5.5 miles, you will cross Mill Prong (which may require you to wade across the water after heavy rainfall) and reach Big Rock Falls on the other side. At 5.9 miles, you reach a junction with the Mill Prong Horse Trail. Continue straight instead of taking this trail, but the blazes change to blue as it is no longer a horse trail. The trail crosses Mill Prong again and then you will have a gradual climb back up. At 7.3 miles, you reach the Appalachian Trail junction again. Take a right and in a short distance you’ll reach the parking lot.

Abundant Trillium — Pretty pink trillium Below: Wild geranium (I think?); Ragwort; Adam finishes out the loop.

Last year, I brought a few of my co-workers down to the Rapidan camp for a team-building retreat. I felt that if it was good enough for the President, it should be good enough for us. When we arrived, a volunteer who stayed at the Creel Cabin, gave us a tour of the Brown House, where President Hoover stayed. We learned a lot about Hoover, the problems he faced during his presidency, and his relationship to Franklin D. Roosevelt. After the tour, we did some team-building and communication exercises to learn more about how to work best with each other. While we were in the middle of making some breakthroughs, a small snake fell down off the roof just a few feet from where we were working. One of my co-workers, who is not a hiker by any definition, jumped out of her seat and was constantly looking around for other animals. After we made our way back up, we were talking along the way. I heard some people say, “Adam, look out”. I nearly walked right into a mama bear with three cubs. The family of bears quickly took off up the hill. I had told my co-workers that I’m usually pretty good at finding bears and we may see some. They were thrilled to see the cubs, as a few of them had never seen a bear cub before.

Along with the possibilities of seeing bears, you can usually find this trail to be an excellent trail for birding. The Laurel Prong and Mill Prong trails were filled with beautiful songs as we hiked along. A couple that was hiking near us also recognized the song of a blackburnian warbler.

If you’re up for a longer hike to the Rapidan Camp, I would suggest this route. The views from near Hazeltop summit were expansive, you get to see a nice waterfall, hear the songs of birds, and learn about the history of one of our Presidents and how it helped create a national park in Virginia. This hike does have it all!

Trail Notes

Distance – 7.5 miles
(Check out the stats from MapMyHike)*
Elevation Change – 1330 ft
Difficulty – 3. This hike is not steep or difficult, but some hiking novices might find the 7+ mile distance a little challenging.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trails were in great shape, despite being underwater in several place. We didn’t see any blowdowns or sloppy areas.
Waterfalls/streams – 4. Big Rock Falls, the Rapidan River, Mill Prong and Laurel Prong are all lovely and offer lots of water scenery along this hike!
Wildlife – 4. We didn’t see much on this particular day beyond birds, but we’ve seen lots of deer and bears on past trips.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Trail directions are clearly marked at junctions with cement markers.
Solitude – 2. This is a popular hike, both as a day trip and a short overnight loop.

Directions to trailhead:

The hike starts at mile marker 53 on Skyline Drive. Park in the Milam Gap lot, then cross the drive. The trail picks up on the other side of the crosswalk.

* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.

Table Rock (WV)

May 14, 2013September 4, 20181 Comment

The drive to the trailhead is probably tougher than the actual hike, but this 2.4 mile out-and-back in the Canaan Backcountry has spectacular views and is well worth the bumpy ride to get to the trail’s start!

Christine on Table Rock — Table Rock has great views of the valley. Below: When the weather has been wet, there are several muddy sections to cross (it was quite dry when we visited); Later this summer, the rocks will be covered with blueberries.

Adam Says…

This hike was definitely one of those pleasant surprises you find once in a while. We have been going to Canaan Valley for years (my wife has been going since she was a kid) and we never knew about this great place for hiking that was just a short distance from where we always stay. I’ve driven by the Canaan Loop Road and thought to myself, “I wonder where that road goes.” If I had known earlier that it led to this area of hiking, we would have tried this out a long time ago.

We had picked up the Day & Overnight Hikes: West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest book a couple of years ago and have done a few of the hikes before. This one led us right to the Canaan Loop Road for this great out-and-back hike. When we started on the road, we passed by a few houses on the gravel, pothole-laden road and then quickly came upon a school bus parked in the middle of the road, blocking any traffic. I thought this was odd (and possibly a little like the start to a horror movie), but I didn’t see anyone inside. I walked up and saw a man about halfway down the bus that was straightening some things up. I asked if he was moving and he darted up front, started the bus, and gunned it down the road. We followed the bus for a while, but it was quickly leaving us in the dust kicked up from the gravel road. After a few miles, we came upon the bus again as it was parking for a scouting group that looked like they were packing up after a large picnic. We continued past the group on a very bumpy and narrow road that has some precarious edges that you just pray that another car doesn’t come the other way. We only came across one other vehicle on the road, but I would warn you to be cautious as you make your way along the road and drive slowly.

Thick Rhododendron — The rhododendron along this trail was thick and jungle-like. There were lots of buds, so it should be a pretty bloom this year! Below: Trails are not typically well-marked in the Canaan backcountry; Adam walks through open forest; Crossing another muddy section.

After driving for exactly 10 miles on the Canaan Loop Road, we came to the parking area to the left for Table Rock. We started down the trail. The trail is technically blue-blazed, but you will likely only see a few of these blazes on the trees. The trail is fairly obvious, but I can imagine after the leaves first fall, it could be a little tough to find your way. The trail starts almost in a jungle of rhododendron, but that quickly opens up to an open forest of larger beech, maple, and birch trees. The trail stays relatively flat the entire way and there are a few areas of mucky ground or pools. Rocks and logs have been placed over in some of these to help you traverse, but in some areas after a good rain, you will likely need to get your shoes wet. After about 1.1 miles, you come across a campsite. Just ahead is Table Rock.

The outcropping has phenomenal views. The rocks have crevasses that can be quite deep, so watch where you are stepping and be careful around the edges since there are huge drops below. Since this place isn’t visited often except by locals, this will be a great off-the-beaten path hike that you can likely enjoy the views all by yourself. The spruce-covered mountain across the gorge is Green Mountain. Since this trail is flat, almost anyone could enjoy this hike.

It was quite breezy at the top and I had to hold my hat a few times as the wind picked up. You can tell that this area does get a lot of wind that funnels quickly through the gorge. We look forward to coming back to this area sometime soon and visit some of the other trails that crisscross around the Canaan Loop Road.

Christine Says…

Normally when we visit the Canaan Valley area, it’s all about hiking and nature and waterfalls! This visit was all about… cleaning. Adam and I agreed to take care of the annual spring cleaning of my parents’ rental property in the area. In the three days we were there, we scrubbed, scoured, swept and probably did more than 20 loads of laundry. It wasn’t a fun trip, but we did manage to get out for one short, nearby hike.

I have no idea how the trails off the Canaan Loop Road escaped our notice. I guess when you’re close to Dolly Sods, Seneca Rocks, and Spruce Knob, other trails fall a bit by the wayside. But, I’m really glad we took the time to drive the ten bumpy miles to this trailhead.

Greening Up — I love watching green creep up the mountainsides each spring. Below: Lovely trillium, A couple views of Table Rock.

The hike to Table Rock was short, but had a spectacular payoff in terms of views and solitude. The path led through gorgeous forest, alternating between dense stands of rhododendron and open, mossy forest. The whole route is flat and easy, so in about 20-30 minutes, you’re already at the overlook. The rocky shelf stands over a magnificent, undeveloped valley. When we visited in mid-spring, the emergence of leaves created the effect of green creeping up the mountainsides. So beautiful! There were tons of blooming blueberry bushes in the area, too. It would be nice to visit in August and pick berries!

I also enjoyed the Painted Trillium along the trail. Most of the trillium I see along the trails in Shenandoah is plain white or pink, so seeing a different variety was a nice change of pace. We were there a little too early to see the rhododendron bloom, but most of the plants were abundant with buds. It should be really pretty when they finally open!

Trail Notes

Distance – 2.4 miles
(Check out the stats from MapMyHike)*
Elevation Change – 195 ft
Difficulty – 1. This trail is very flat, so just about anyone could enjoy it.
Trail Conditions – 3.5. The trail isn’t that well-used, but it was still a worn path. You may have to do a little rock-hopping to make it across some of the larger puddles.
Views – 4. Breathtaking views are clear from this point. We enjoy not being able to see houses from great viewpoints and you shouldn’t see many signs of civilization from this outcropping.
Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
Wildlife – 2. Other than a few birds, we didn’t see anything on the trail.
Ease to Navigate – 3. There is only one trail on this hike, so there shouldn’t be any confusion. The only reason to downgrade this is because it is not blazed often at all and in the fall it could be a little challenging to follow the path.
Solitude – 5. We didn’t see anyone on a beautiful weekend day in the afternoon.

Directions to trailhead:

From Davis, WV, head south on WV 32. In 3.2 miles, turn right on to Canaan Loop Road (Forest Service Road 13). Follow the road for exactly 10 miles. The parking area is on the left and there is a wooden sign that shows the beginning of the trailhead.

* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.

Hazel Falls

May 1, 2013August 26, 20155 Comments

This easy 5.2-mile hike leads to a beautiful waterfall on the Hazel River. The falls are surrounded by towering rock walls and a couple small caves.

View the full album of photos from this hike
View a short video clip of Hazel Falls

Wide View of Falls — Hazel Falls are not terribly high, but they sit in a beautiful gorge. Below: Adam at the Meadow Spring trailhead; Little wildflowers grew abundantly along the trail; A great place to enjoy the sun.

Christine Says…

Every time I think we’re running out of nearby hikes to complete, we seem to stumble across something that has escaped our notice for one reason or another. That was just the case with this beautiful, easy walk to Hazel Falls! Typically, when you think of Shenandoah’s waterfalls, you think of Dark Hollow, White Oak Canyon or Doyles River-Jones Run. It’s not very common to see photos or hear people talking about Hazel Falls. After being there in person, I’m not really sure why. It was a great hike! Although the falls are not high, I found them to be nicer than some of the park’s more popular falls – I’m looking at you Lewis Springs Falls! It’s probably spring’s higher water flow, but this small waterfall was much more impressive than some of the park’s larger falls.

Christine Hiking — The trail was mostly wide and gentle. Below: Adam negotiates the largest blow down on the hike; The junction of the steep rock trail that leads down to the falls/caves; Rock walls tower above the falls.

The hike mostly consisted of pleasant, gentle walking through pretty forest. The last time we hiked in this area was a few years ago when we went on our very first overnight backpacking trip with PATC. That trip made a loop of Hazel Mountain and Catlett Mountain. It’s funny – I remembered the trail being a lot steeper than it seemed this time. I guess I had a heavier pack and wasn’t in very good condition on that trip.

On this particular spring day, I enjoyed seeing all the early season wildflowers blooming along the side of the trail. We had perfect weather – sunny, crisp blue skies and a nice breeze. It was ideal for hiking, but not so ideal for waterfall photography. When we finally got down to the falls, I did the best I could to capture a few decent shots under the bright mid-day sun. It didn’t go that well.

I also really enjoyed the little caves adjacent to the falls and sunning on the big flat rock next to the smaller falls. It was a gorgeous spot and I’ll look forward to visiting again.

After our hike, we decided to stop by Big Meadows for Shenandoah’s famous blackberry ice cream. Even though the park has a new concessionaire for food/gift shops, the ice cream was just as good as it’s always been!

Adam Says…

The hike to Hazel Falls was a pleasant surprise. When looking for hiking suggestions, we typically peruse our hiking guides, study maps, and explore the internet for ideas. The 2000 edition of the Falcon Guide for Hiking Shenandoah National Park didn’t include Hazel Falls in the book, but the updated 2012 edition does cover it. So, we have to give thanks to Bert & Jane Gildert, the authors, for including this one for us to explore. As Christine said, I feel that this is a great waterfall that really allows you to sit down and take in the beauty of the setting around you.

Hazel Falls with Adam — Adam enjoys the falls. Below: Adam makes his way down the steepest part of the trail; Pretty cascades leading away from the falls; Christine at the lower falls, Another view of Hazel Falls.

The trail starts off from the Meadow Spring Trail parking lot. This is a popular parking spot for many hikes and overnight backpackers; we have rarely seen this lot not packed with vehicles. If you are going with a larger group, try to carpool to minimize the number of parking spots you may need. The good news is that most of the cars will likely be heading down to Buck Hollow or doing larger loops around Hazel and Catlett Mountains. The trail goes just a few feet before you reach a junction with the Buck Hollow Trail. Instead of branching off, just stay straight on the trail and walk down the wide path. The trail is mostly a slight downhill grade with some flatter sections. At 1.5 miles, you will reach a junction with the White Rocks Trail on the left. Take the White Rocks Trail. At 2.4 miles, you will reach a junction post that will direct you to take the trail to the right for the falls. Climb down the steep trail and you should reach the first, small waterfall at the bottom. Continue along the path over the rocks and you will reach the larger Hazel Falls and see the cave to the right. Make your way back the way you came to get back to your vehicle.

Cave Near Hazel Falls — Adam checks out the cave near Hazel Falls. Below: Making the steep climb back up; Blackberry ice cream at Big Meadows wayside

Because of the uncomplicated, mostly gentle terrain, this might be a great hike to do with older children. The only strenuous part of the hike was hiking the last .2 miles (the climb down will challenge your knees and the climb back up will get the blood pumping). You can tell a lot of great trail work has been done to create the stone steps that allow you to climb down without it being too slippery. The picturesque setting of the falls will encourage you to take some time to relax, eat a snack, and enjoy the sound of rushing water. The pool at the larger falls could also be one to wade into fairly easily if you like getting your feet wet.

While Christine was busy taking a lot of photos, I enjoyed peeking inside the larger cave near the falls. Christine took some coaxing to go in, since she was worried that bats would fly out. I didn’t see any bats inside or guano on the ground, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of them took refuge in the top of the cave on occasion. At the falls there is also a path that leads to a small rock opening that you can climb around to get closer to the falls. As I was climbing around there, I saw a bird’s nest tucked in the top of the rocks. Sure enough, within a few minutes, I saw a bird (I believe a sparrow of some sort) fly into the nest. I hope too many people don’t disturb the nest and it is able to raise some cute chicks.

I imagine we will go back to Hazel Falls many times in the future. If you haven’t been here before, this is a waterfall that is worth checking out.

Trail Notes

Distance – 5.2 miles
(Check out the stats from MapMyHike)*
Elevation Change – 800 ft
Difficulty – 2. The final .2 mile descent (and climb back out) into the stream gorge is very steep, but the rest of the hike is flat or very gently graded.
Trail Conditions – 3.5. There were a few blow downs that required navigation, but most of the trail is smooth, easy footing. The descent to the waterfall showcases the great work trail maintainers do in the park. They turned a extremely steep piece of terrain into a giant staircase with a series of well-placed rocks.
Views – 0. In the winter and early spring, you may catch some glimpses of mountainsides through the trees. Otherwise, this walk takes place exclusively in the woods.
Waterfalls/streams – 4. Though the waterfall is not tall, it’s it a lovely setting surrounded by towering rock walls and small caves.
Wildlife – 2. We didn’t see anything on this trip, but we have spotted bears and deer in the vicinity on past trips.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Trail directions are clearly marked at junctions with cement markers.
Solitude – 2.5. The parking lot was jam-packed on a pretty, sunny Saturday afternoon, but there are lots of trail options in this area. We saw about 15 people over the course of the hike.

Directions to trailhead:

From Skyline Drive proceed to mile 33.5. Parking is on the east side of the drive at the Meadow Spring parking area. The trail descends from the south end of the parking lot.

* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.