views – Page 12 – 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.

Fridley Gap Loop

April 28, 2013August 26, 20153 Comments

This six-mile loop hike in the Fridley Gap area of George Washington National Forest has everything – views, waterfalls, beautiful stream scenery, rugged climbing and great backcountry camping. It’s a perfect hike to get away from the crowds in Shenandoah National Park.

View the full album of photos from this hike

Adam at the Overlook — If you miss spotting the faint side trail behind one of the many backcountry campsites along this loop, you’ll miss the best view of the hike! Below: Adam crosses the stream; A small waterfall on the stream; This loop has many choices for backcountry camp sites.

Adam Says…

Last year, we made an attempt to do this Fridley Gap loop hike, but we had trouble finding one of the trails. We bushwhacked for a while, but finally gave up. This time when we returned, we had better directions and the blazes had recently been repainted on much of the loop.

From the top end of the parking lot, we started on the trail. We saw both purple and blue blazes early on, and started to worry. (Fortunately, it turned out that this was the only section of the trail that hadn’t been recently re-blazed.) Early parts of the trail traverse large rocks, and it’s sometimes tough to see exactly which way the trail goes. We saw faded red Xs painted on the surface of some of the rocks which let us know that we were going the right way. The trail is uphill but not too steep. In .2 miles, you come to a fire road. Take a right here and continue on the fire road. You will pass by some small falls and Mountain Run to the right and a large boulder slide to the left. The trail actually follows the streambed, and you will need to rock-hop to continue on. At .45 miles, you will reach another falls area and you will cross over Mountain Run until you see the trail junction cement post. This is also the point that Mountain Run and Fridley Run join. It was at this point that we failed last time trying to find the orange-blazed Massanutten South trail. Looking at the cement post as you approached it, look back around 4:00. You will see the orange blazes on the Massanutten South trail as you will cross the water again (this time it is Fridley Run) and climb up the hillside. These weren’t painted on the trees before (they look fresh now), so you should be able to find your way more easily.

Walking in the Streambed — Early in the hike, the trail traverses the streambed. There are plenty of rocks, so it’s fairly easy to hop from spot to spot and avoid getting your feet wet. Below: Adam climbs up the trail shortly after the parking lot; A rockslide early on the hike; Blooming redbuds.

The climb up the Massanutten South trail is quite steep and you may need to stop a few times along the way to catch your breath. This trail is also narrow and you may have to cross over a few blown-down trees, but the trail wasn’t too hard to navigate with the recent re-blazing. At 1.85 miles, you will reach a campsite area. Look closely and you will see a path that leads to a rock outcropping called Grubbs Knob Overlook. Take this path up to the overlook to get the best views along the hike. You will see the top of Grubbs Knob to the left from the overlook and views to the west. After taking in the view, go back to the campsite and continue along the Massanutten South trail. At 2.05 miles, the trail reaches its peak and then you will start to descend, as the trail takes a steep turn to the left. You will make your way back down this very narrow path and cross Fridley Run at 2.70 miles.

After crossing Fridley Run, you will begin to ascend on the trail again (turning again into a wider fire road) until you reach a rocky slide that gives you views of Fridley Gap and North Mountain at 3.25 miles. Continue to ascend as you walk around part of Third Mountain. The fire road stops ascending at 3.5 miles. The trail then descends and you reach another cement junction post at 3.84 miles. Take a left on the purple-blazed Fridley Gap trail, which follow another wide fire road. You will likely see lots of burned trees from a fire in 2010 that covered a big portion of this area. At 4.5 miles, you will reach another junction. The purple-blazed Fridley Gap trail ascends to the left and continues through the woods. Take this trail and begin a steep ascent across some switchbacks. At 4.85 miles, you will reach the top of your climb and there are a few stones that you can rest on for a few minutes if you need to catch your breath.

Christine at the Small Waterfall — This small waterfall feeds one of the most popular swimming holes in the area. Below: More pretty cascades.

The trail now begins to descend very steeply. We were so glad we had our trekking poles since the rocks under the leaves were often loose and it helped to lower ourselves down the steep steps. We were also glad we did this hike this direction rather than the clockwise version of the loop. At 5.5 miles, we reached another junction with the Massanutten South trail. Take a left on the orange and purple-blazed fire road (don’t go the way that crosses the bridge) and you will reach the junction that closes the loop at 5.65 miles. Take a right here, crossing Mountain Run again and make your way back down the fire road. Be sure to catch the rocky path at 5.8 miles that leads back to the parking lot at 6 miles.

A funny moment happened along the hike. Christine had programmed her phone to use the MapMyHike app. In a recent upgrade, it now includes some vocal updates along the way, usually at the mile increments. One time, we heard the voice say “Don’t stop now. Walgreen’s is behind you.” (Walgreen’s is now advertising on MapMyHike.) While this is meant to be a word of encouragement to keep hiking strong, I was thinking of it as “Walgreen’s is chasing us.” As I sometimes do, I started thinking of a parody song to the tune of the Road Runner Show TV theme song. So for your enjoyment, here are my lyrics: “Fridley hiker, Walgreen’s is after you. Fridley hiker, if he catches you, you’re through. That Walgreen’s is really a crazy store. They have pharmaceuticals, toiletries, and so much more. Fridley hiker, never, never, never slow down. Fridley hiker. Walgreen’s is after you. Fridley hiker. If he catches you, you’re through.”

There is one geocache along the trail, Fridley’s Cache, a normal-sized cache near the swimming hole.

It is always a good feeling to know that we redeemed ourselves by covering a hike that we had previously failed to navigate. If you are looking for good views of streams or a swimming hole, along with a challenging hike to get some views, this may be a great hike to try out some time.

Rocks at Grubbs Overlook — The rocks at Grubbs Overlook might trick people into thinking there isn’t an open view. Below: Views from Grubbs Overlook and the campsite that sits adjacent to the overlook.

Christine Says…

Hallelujah for freshly painted blazes! I was so frustrated last year when our attempt to hike the Fridley Gap Loop ended in failure. The failure was mostly my fault. I tried to map out the hike based on a course I saw on someone’s Runkeeper page. There were no directions, just the route overlaid on a rudimentary map of the area. I thought we’d be able to figure things out on our own with a NatGeo map of the area. It turns out that faded blazes and a large group of people camping in the middle of the trail are insurmountable challenges to my ability to navigate. We’ll let bygones be bygones and get on to the successful version of our Fridley Gap hike.

Let me start by saying, I loved this hike! It was even better than I expected. The stream was running beautifully, the views of the valley ‘greening up’ below were lovely and the weather was perfect (sunny, cool and breezy enough to keep the bugs away). I really enjoyed the little rock-hop as the trail followed the stream bed. The small waterfall and swimming hole were so pretty.

The climb up the Massanutten South trail to Grubbs Knob was steep enough to be challenging, but not so steep that we had to stop for a breather. On the way up, we could see all the little signs of spring creeping back into the forest – tiny buds on trees, tightly curled ferns and the occasional early season wildflower poking up through the leaves. The overlook at Grubbs Knob is rather easy to miss. It lies at the top of a faint footpath above a campsite. When you first climb to the top of the footpath, vertical, spine-like plates of rock obstruct any possibility for a view. But if you climb along the rocks, eventually you come to a few footholds that allow you to scramble to the top of the rocks. Once you’re there, the valley below spreads out as far as the eye can see – farms dotted with red barns; small country towns; and wide, green fields make up most of the vista.

Downhill Through Dense Laurel — The climb downhill after Grubbs Knob takes you through dense mountain laurel. The harsh light makes for an ugly photo… but you get the idea. Below: Adam approaches the stream; Crossing Fridley Run.

After leaving the Grubbs Overlook, we ascended a few more moments before taking a sharp downhill turn. The trail passed through dense mountain laurel, with occasional peeks toward the next ridgeline. Eventually, we heard the sound of water again. For a short way, the trail followed Fridley Run. But soon, we had to cross the stream and head back uphill along a wide fire road. From the fire road, we caught our second open viewpoint of the hike. It was a nice view, but nowhere nearly as lovely as the one from Grubbs Overlook. It’s one thing to slog uphill and come to a magnificent rocky outcropping with a sweeping vista to appreciate. It’s a little less stirring to stop along a roadside and take in a view of a couple mountain ridges.

Eventually, the fire road met up at a four-way trail junction. One direction headed toward the Boones Run shelter, another toward Cub Run Road, another continued along the Fridley Gap trail in the direction of Martins Bottom, and of course the fourth headed back in the direction from which we arrived. Seeing this junction made me think of all the different ways these trails cross and connect. There are definitely multiple possibilities for overnight backpacking loops in this area.

Second Overlook — The second overlooks comes at a spot along the fire road. Below: Adam checks out the map at this four-way trail junction; Continuing along the fire road before our climb up Third Mountain; Charred trees from the 2010 fire.

We followed the fire road to another junction. Heading straight would have taken us toward Martins Bottom, but to stay on course we turned left and started very steeply uphill along the purple-blazed Fridley Gap trail. By this point of the hike, I was pretty hungry and my energy was starting to flag. If I were smarter, I would have eaten a snack before tackling the climb. But I’m not smart, so I spent most of the climb complaining that I was hungry!

After a short break (and snack) atop the tree-covered peak of Third Mountain, we began a crazy-steep descent. For three-quarters of a mile, we carefully picked our way down the craggy, leaf covered mountainside. Through the trees, we could see some really fascinating rock formations on the shoulder of the next mountain over. I kept trying to appreciate the view, but every time I did, I lost my footing a bit. This climb down definitely makes the case for paying attention and using your trekking poles.

Steep Uphill Over Third Mountain — The ascent of Third Mountain may not look steep in this photo, but it is! Below: Descending Third Mountain – you can see rock formations through the trees; A bridge not taken on the Massanutten trail; Adam once again crosses the stream we crossed early in our hike.

At the bottom of Third Mountain, we had just a short walk back to our original junction – the one where everything went wrong when we tried to hike Fridley Gap last year! I was quite pleased to see that marker again and be 100% certain that we had actually found our way successfully this time around. From the last junction, we retraced our steps through the streambed, past the rockslide and back to our car.

Trail Notes

Distance – 6 miles
(Check out the stats from MapMyHike)*
Elevation Change – 1850 ft
Difficulty – 3.5. The trail goes up and down several times.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail had blowdowns, loose conditions, and narrowness, but there were also sections that followed a fireroad. It gets an overall average rating.
Views – 3. The views from the Grubbs Knob overlook are the best on the trail, but if you miss the path from the campsite you’ll miss the best view on the loop. The views along the path at 3.25 miles are nice, but not remarkable.
Waterfalls/streams – 4. The trail goes along (and through) Mountain Run and Fridley Run on several occasions. The small falls and swimming hole gives it a bonus.
Wildlife – 2. This may be a good hike for bird watching. We saw a peregrine falcon soaring above at the Grubbs Knob overlook and enjoyed hearing the song of the eastern towhee along the way.
Ease to Navigate – 2. If we got lost before, we have to give this a low rating. The path to start the trail from the parking lot could be better blazed and there are several turns to make.
Solitude – 4. You may see some people at the swimming hole or camping alongside the junction with Mountain Run and Fridley Run. However, we only saw one other group after this point on a nice spring weekend day.

Directions to trailhead:

From Harrisonburg, VA, head east on 33. Take a left onto VA-620 North/Indian trail Road and continue for 1.7 miles. The road will turn into Rt. 717. Go 3.4 miles and take a right on Minie Ball Ln. Go 1.1 miles. At this point, the road will turn back into Rt. 620. Go 2.7 miles and take a right, continuing on 620 for about half a mile. Take a right onto Armentrout Path. Take the first left onto Airey Ln. Parking is a lot at the end of this gravel lane. If you pass the lot, you are on private property. The directions to this trailhead are a little confusing, and we recommend putting the coordinates on the map below into your phone/GPS.

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

High Knob & Hoover Ridge

April 22, 2013May 20, 2018Leave a comment

This 5.75 mile hike takes you to an old fire tower sitting atop a high peak on the border of West Virginia and Virginia. After visiting the tower, you can either head back to the parking area (which would cut the distance and make this a 3 mile total round-trip hike), or continue to explore the Shenandoah Mountain trail with a walk over to Hoover Ridge.

SPECIAL NOTES: Please be conscientious and respectful when hiking in this area. Hiking trails near High Knob are adjacent to private land. Please honor posted ‘no trespassing’ signs and stay on official forest service trails. Please do not tamper with posted private land signage.

View a 30 second video of the panoramic view from the High Knob fire tower.

Christine Says…

First of all, I’m not sure whether to call this a Virginia hike or a West Virginia hike. While you park in West Virginia, the Shenandoah Mountain trail meanders right along the states’ borderline. I believe the High Knob fire tower sits on the Virginia side of the line, but views look out into both states. This is definitely a hike worth doing!

Our first attempt to hike High Knob was on April 7th, 2013. That hike started off well enough, but within the first half mile the trail turned into a veritable luge track. It was a smooth, slick, well-polished chute of ice! Had we planned more extensively, we would have packed Yaktrax, but after a week of warm, sunny weather, we simply didn’t expect to see so much ice! We watched a couple on the trail ahead of us falling down, over and over and over again. The girl literally fell ten times in about two minutes. She couldn’t make a single step of forward progress. Adam and I looked at each other and said ‘Nah… we’ll come back and do this some other time.”

Mountain Laurel is Getting Ready to Blook — Fetterbush is blooming! Below: Trails are marked with a double yellow blaze; Occasionally views opened up through the trees.

The very next weekend, we headed back and ended up with much better hiking conditions. The trail to High Knob is pretty basic – it follows the Shenandoah Mountain trail until a junction with a spur trail that leads directly to the tower. The way is well marked with double yellow blazes and has nice footing. The path passes through dense stands of mountain laurel. From the number of flower buds on the laurel, it looks like it’s going to be a spectacular bloom this year!

About .8 mile into the hike, we reached the junction – hikers can turn uphill and take the spur trail to the fire tower, continue on the Shenandoah Mountain trail, or head downhill to the Brandywine Recreation Area. We decided to visit the fire tower first, mainly because it was early and we wanted to avoid Sunday afternoon hiking crowds. The spur to the High Knob tower is probably the steepest climbing of the entire hike. While the section is steep, it’s also fairly short. At the top of the climb, the trail comes out on a fire road that leads pretty much the rest of the way up to the tower. We were surprised how heavily the area was marked with ‘Private Land – No Trespassing’ warnings. There were dozens of signs and trees spray-painted red. I’m guessing the public land abuts private land that is heavily used for hunting, and the landowners are trying to protect hikers/bikers from getting shot. Regardless, the area is very thoroughly and clearly marked – you shall not pass!

As we arrived at the fire tower, we passed a foursome of hikers headed down. We had the tower all to ourselves for about twenty minutes. We enjoyed the views in every direction! I especially enjoyed looking down on Switzer Lake. It brought back lots of memories from my days as a college student at JMU. On warm spring days, my sorority would load up in cars and make the drive to Switzer for an afternoon of swimming (and perhaps some beverage consumption). Swimming is no longer allowed in the lake (maybe it was never allowed?), as it’s used as a public water source. Even though you can’t swim in the lake, it’s still a great place for scenery and birding. A friend of mine has even seen bald eagles at Switzer!

Steep Climb on High Knob Spur Trail — Adam makes the steep climb between the Shenandoah Mountain trail and the fire road that leads to the High Knob Fire Tower. Below: Private land in the area is very thoroughly and clearly marked. A bird’s eye view of the private land from the fire tower. I think those might be hunting camps/blinds.

After enjoying the views and eating a snack, we climbed back down to the junction. It was around 11:15 a.m. and we were torn – do we continue to explore Shenandoah Mountain or do we call it a day and get a nice lunch in Harrisonburg? We didn’t have a coin, so Adam flipped his pass-case – card side up, we hike on – card side down, we go home. The pass-case dictated a longer hike.

We followed the Shenandoah Mountain trail over to Hoover Ridge. If I were to make a recommendation, I would tell people to skip this part of the hike. In the end, the views weren’t worth the climb. The trail is narrow – too narrow to ever be level. You hike most of the way with your uphill foot much higher than your downhill foot. It’s also covered with tons of loose stone and slate that shifts under every step. On the early spring day we hiked, the trail was still under a foot of dry leaves. The footing was treacherous. I was so glad for my trekking poles.

There are several steep climbs on the way to Hoover Ridge. Once the trail meets the ridge walking along is pretty pleasant. The terrain is open and grassy and there are obstructed views of mountains in every direction. You can even catch a glimpse of the fire tower off in the distance. On Hoover Ridge, we decided we’d hiked enough for the day and turned back to make our return to the parking area.

Since it was mostly downhill, the walk went quickly. We were back at our car by 1:15 and back in Harrisonburg for lunch a half hour later. It was a great day to be out hiking after such a cold and snowy March! We’ll definitely make a return hike to the fire tower… Hoover Ridge, not so much.

Adam Says…

As Christine mentioned, this was a second attempt at High Knob, since it was too ice-covered to walk up previously. We hate having to bail on a hike, but we want to feel that it is something we can accomplish and still enjoy. We’re glad that we waited for the snow to melt to enjoy this trek up to the fire tower. Our friends at Hiking Upward covered this hike from the Brandywine Recreation Area, but this is a shorter way to accomplish the hike up to the top. If you’ve purchased National Geographic’s Staunton/Shenandoah Mountain Trails Illustrated Map 791, you will see High Knob Fire Tower on the cover.

Christine Enjoys the Fire Tower View — Views from the fire tower look out in every direction. Below: You can see Switzer Lake from the fire tower; More views; Adam enjoys a snack (Trader Joe’s Monkey Business trail mix) on the fire tower.

From the parking lot on 33, we took off down the stone steps. The parking lot and surrounding areas has a lot of trash thrown around, so if you can, bring a trashbag and help to carry out some of the litter. Once you join the Shenandoah Mountain trail at the bottom of the stone steps, the trail will be clear of litter. The trail starts off fairly level and then gradually ascends up the mountain. In .85 miles, you do reach a large junction that includes the spur trail to the High Knob Tower. Take this spur trail up the mountain. At about 1.1 miles, you will reach a forest road. Take a right on the road (taking a left will put you on private land) and continue to follow the signs to the High Knob Tower. Continue your ascent up the fire road until you reach the High Knob Tower at 1.4 miles.

We retraced our steps until we returned back to the junction of the Shenandoah Mountain Trail and High Knob Trail at 2.0 miles. At this point, we took a left to get back on the Shenandoah Mountain trail. This part of the trail was not well-maintained and we were constantly worried about turning our ankles on loose rocks that were hidden underneath the leaf-covered trail, crossing over tree blowdowns, or catching ourselves from falling off the narrow trail with our trekking poles. The trail in most places along this section felt more like a narrow animal path than an actual trail. The rough trail and the steepness in some sections really made us question how far we were going and if it was worth it. We made our way a little further uphill but we weren’t fighting rough terrain the whole way. We reached the crest of Hoover Ridge at 3.5 miles, which gave us some obstructed views of the areas to the south. After taking a few minutes to explore the open fields and campsites on Hoover Ridge, we made our way back.

Shenandoah Mountain Trail Cairn — One of the few tricky spots on the Shenandoah Mountain trail. The cairn indicates that hikers should take the lower trail, and not follow the trail partially blocked by branches. Below: Sign on Hoover Ridge

As Christine stated, I would agree that I probably wouldn’t add on Hoover Ridge to this hike unless you would like to get some extra hiking accomplished. However, this was also the area that we saw the best wildlife. We saw a deer in the distance take off when we were spotted and a grouse jumped out of some brush when we were walking by that caused us both to nearly jump out of our hiking shoes.

The hike up to High Knob is one that I think would be a perfect hike if your goal was to see great views from all directions. On a clear day, you should be able to see several layers of mountain ranges. I’m sure the foliage scenery in the fall is breathtaking. I can see this being a great hike to take some out-of-town visitors to show the splendor of the rolling Virginia and West Virginia mountains.

Trail Notes

Distance – About 5.75 miles
Elevation Change – 1168 ft
Difficulty – 3.5. This is a moderate hike in terms of elevation change. On the day we hiked, the Shenandoah Mountain trail was still covered with deep, slick leaves and quite a few fallen trees. These challenges increased the difficulty level somewhat.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail to High Knob is in great shape, but the Shenandoah Mountain trail is narrow and rocky.
Views – 5. Views from the High Knob fire tower are spectacular and panoramic. Views from Hoover Ridge are obstructed.
Waterfalls/streams – 0. There are no streams on this hike.
Wildlife – 2. We saw a deer and a grouse, but I think hunters scare off most wildlife in this area.
Ease to Navigate –3. Trails are generally well-marked/blazed, but there are a few mildly confusing spots on the walk to Hoover Ridge. There were a few worn paths in the woods that looked like old trails or animal paths. As long as you still to the most well-worn pathway, you should be fine. Take care to observe posted signs for private land.
Solitude –2. You will likely see quite a few people on the walk to the fire tower, but few along the way to Hoover Ridge.

Directions to trailhead:

Head on 33 West from Harrisonburg, VA. In about 10 miles, you will enter into George Washington National Forest. In 12 more miles, you will reach the parking lot on the left right after you see the “Welcome to West Virginia” sign. A large kiosk with a map of the area gives some general information and you will see a break in the girders that will lead down to start your hike.

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

Snowshoeing: Bald Knob from White Grass (WV)

March 3, 2013September 4, 20181 Comment

If you’re looking for a great place to enjoy snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the mid-Atlantic, don’t miss a visit to White Grass! Their extensive network of trails offer something for every skill level. Their terrain is beautifully groomed and the people who run the resort are so friendly and helpful.

If you don’t own snowshoes/cross-country skis, White Grass has them available to rent!

Christine at Summit of Bald Knob — Christine enjoys the view from Bald Knob. Below: The morning started off cloudy; Learning about winter trees with the naturalist; Lots of old cross country skis.

Adam Says…

It has been over a year since we went snowshoeing. Our area of Virginia was robbed of any meaningful snow for the past two years, so we decided to cross the border to West Virginia to catch the elusive snow. Christine’s parents had bought us each a pair of Tubbs Frontier snowshoes for Christmas over a year ago, but it wasn’t until now that we were able to break them in. We were both very pleased with how they felt on our feet. They felt lighter than many I had tried before and were a little more sleek than some others I had tried. This enabled me to not feel too fatigued using them and I also didn’t feel like I had to walk like a cowboy in fear they would cross over and cause me to trip.

We had heard great things about White Grass from other friends of ours that had been there for cross-country skiing. White Grass maintains a great website where they will post weather conditions, snowfall, pictures, and trail maps. Check it out to get the best up-to-date information. They will typically be open December-early March to access their 40km of trails.

When we first arrived at White Grass, we checked in at the lodge. They informed us they were having a naturalist from the Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge take a group out in about five minutes for a free snowshoe trail talk. We grabbed our shoes and met up with him. We were part of a small group of about 7 (including two little children). The goal of the walk was to teach us about the different trees that can be found in Canaan Valley, how to identify them, and threats to their future. We spent about an hour walking. The naturalist did a great job of teaching us many things about trees that I didn’t know before. After the walk, we decided to make make our way over to Hellbender Burritos for two Gendarme burrito bowls to power us up for our big snowshoe trip in the afternoon.

Spring Orchard Trail — We started out along the Springer Orchard Trail. Below: Trail junction; Warming huts along the trail; Adam snowshoes along groomed trails.

We returned to White Grass and paid our $20 trail use fee. We asked the woman in the shop for some trail suggestions, and she kindly mapped out a route that would take us to the top of Bald Knob. The trails criss-cross often and the maps, posted at each junction, a little confusing. We found ourselves asking other skiers and snowshoers where they had been to help us navigate through the labyrinth of junctions. We left the lodge and started on the Springer Orchard Trail, on the opposite side of the large Weiss Knob Slope that heads directly down the mountain. We stayed on this trail for about .35 miles, passing the Plum Orchard trail, until we reached the Highland View trail. We took a left on this trail and continued upward, crossing past several other confusing junctions. We stayed on the Highland View Trail for about .35 miles, until we made it up to its end at the Sawmill Flats shelter at .8 miles. The shelter was a small warming hut. There were a few ammo boxes that included snacks and there were some containers of bird seed that you could throw out to chickadees. From this point we made our way following the signs for the Double Trouble trail. We reached the junction at 1.0 miles, took a right, and headed up the Double Trouble trail. At 1.3 miles, we reached the Weiss Knob Ascent trail, took another right and made our way to the Roundtop shelter.

The shelter here was also filled with snacks and bird seed. The birds here were more accustomed to people and would actually eat the seed out of your hand if you wait patiently. We were also told that someone had left a Gatorade bottle of moonshine at the shelter. I picked it up and saw some stuff floating in the bottle and decided to pass. I find it is a good rule of thumb to at least know the person that has made the moonshine for you. There’s no need to go blind without anyone to blame. 🙂

Christine and Adam at Roundtop Hut. Below: Adam feeds a chickadee; Deeper snow as we climb upward; Snow draped on evergreens.

We continued from this point following the signs to Bald Knob. You will cross a Boundary trail and then make a right on the Bald Knob Trail to wind up the mountain. The trail then takes a sharp right and a junction where you can continue to hike up the Bald Knob Trail. We reached the summit at around 2.1 miles. The scenery was breathtaking and you could see skiers on the Canaan Valley Ski slopes and mountains off in the distance covered in snow. The wind is strong here at the top, so we didn’t stay incredibly long, but made our way back down. We returned down the Bald Knob Trail to the Roundtop shelter and back down the Double Trouble trail. However, instead of heading back to the Sawmill Flats shelter, we followed Double Trouble until it led us to the Lift Shack, crossing over the Weiss Knob slope. Right behind the Lift Shack, we then took the Barton’s Bend Trail until we reached the Falls Overlook trail. We took a left on the Falls Overlook Trail and then a left on the Three Mile Trail until it brought us back to the White Grass lodge. Our return trip was around 2 miles, taking our snowshoe hike to be around 4.2 miles.

I had three big highlights on this trail. Feeding birds out of my hand, the peaceful scenery through the spruce on the Bald Knob trail leading to great views, and looking back and seeing my wife smile. I told her that her face was going to be sore from all the smiling she was doing. We really had a wonderful time at White Grass and we can’t wait to return. We will probably take the Three Mile Trail all the way up to the Roundtop Shelter next time.

Christine Says…

I love some parts of winter – the snow (too bad there can’t be snow without cold), the potential for workplace closures, and most of all snowshoeing! For Christmas of 2011, my parents bought us snowshoes. And well… many of you will remember winter of 2011-12 as ‘the winter that never happened’ in Virginia. The only measureable snow we had was in October. The rest of the season passed – mostly warm and sunny – leaving our snowshoes to gather dust in the garage. This winter hasn’t been much better, but thankfully we live just a couple hours from Canaan Valley. Even though the areas lies less than 90 miles away as the crow flies, they have vastly different weather. It’s almost like a small chunk of Canada dropped into a bowl located in the mid-Atlantic.

Christine and a Chickadee — Christine feeds a chickadee.

We got up early on a Sunday morning and drove over to White Grass – one of the only big Nordic centers in our region. The entire drive, we saw nothing but bare grass and muddy fields. I’ll admit that I was a little worried that we were driving over for nothing. But as we grew closer, bare fields gave way to a dusting of snow and then smooth, billowing drifts. On the final drive up to White Grass, the road was not even cleared. As we pulled in to the parking area, an exuberant, bearded man gesticulated dramatically, guiding us to a parking spot. Every employee of the resort that we talked to during the day was super friendly and full of information happily shared about the area.

We headed into the lodge to get information and pay our trail use fees. The lodge is warm, cluttered and cozy, lacking the slick, commercial feel of most ski operations. Even though it wasn’t yet 10:00 a.m., it was packed with people chatting and enjoying hot beverages. The woman at the cash register told us we had arrived just in time to go on a free snowshoe walk with a naturalist. We had about five minutes to gear up and meet the group. She told us to run on ahead and to pay our trail fee later on. We ran back to the car, grabbed our snowshoes/poles, put on our layers, got the camera gear packed up and made it back just in time for the walk. The walk was more talking than active snowshoeing, but I enjoyed learning more about the areas fragile ecosystem.

The snowshoe walk finished up a little after 11:00, so we decided to drive into Davis for an early lunch before our longer snowshoe trek. At lunch, we learned something interesting – you can’t buy a beer in West Virginia on Sunday until 1:00 p.m. The restaurant was pretty crowded, and I don’t think I saw a single table not try to order a beer. I guess everyone was visiting from out of town and didn’t know the law.

Christine Snowshoeing — Christine snowshoes uphill. Below: Approaching Bald Knob, Bald Knob View, Enjoying the Summit

After lunch, we headed back to Whitegrass. With our trail feed paid and our route mapped out, we headed up the trail. When I heard that we were walking up to the summit of Bald Knob, I was a little hesitant at first. Hiking up to the summit of Bald Knob didn’t necessarily conjure pleasant feelings; rather I remembered the last time I attempted to climb that peak. It was probably about 15 years ago when I was not a regular hiker and generally quite out of shape. Adam and I had hiked Bald Knob from the Canaan Valley Ski Resort side. We made it to the top, but it involved tears and suffering on my part. I remember the trail being unbearably steep and thought it was going to kill me.

However, this time, I found the terrain easy, pleasant and totally manageable – even on snowshoes! One of the nice things about White Grass is that the trail grooming takes some of the exertion out of snowshoeing. When you snowshoe on fresh, unpacked powder, the shoes do keep you aloft on the snow — but only to a degree. In fresh powder, you sink down and a certain level of ‘slogging’ is required. At White Grass, most of the trails are packed and machine-groomed. There are usually a pair of cross-country ski tracks worn into the snow, and then smooth packed trail alongside. As snowshoers, we’re careful to stay off of the ski tracks, as the blades on the bottom of shoes can easily chew up the established tracks.

Walking the trail system at White Grass was so fun! As Adam mentioned, I smiled the entire way! I loved chatting with other people we met along the way. I was enthralled by the gorgeous, snow-draped scenery. I had a blast hand-feeding the chickadees at the warming up. I have a slight phobia of flying things (bad experience with a bat and several moths over the years), so at first I looked away and closed my eyes as the chickadees fluttered down. But after a few landings, I opened my eyes and watched the birds perch. When they land, they are weightless; the only thing you feel is a slight pinch from their gripping feet. One chickadee sat on my hand long enough to eat several seeds. So fun!

When we made it to the summit of Bald Knob, I stood in awe of the beautiful, snowy valley laid out before me. The wind was whipping and clouds were moving in, so we didn’t stay long. The walk down went by so quickly — all downhill. We were back at the main lodge within an hour.

Expansive View — Even though Whitegrass is popular and heavily used, you never feel like it’s crowded. Below: Adam checks out the old, abandoned ski lift apparatus; Adam says hello to a friendly Whitegrass dog.

I’m hoping that we’ll get another chance to visit White Grass one more time this season. If we do get to go again, I definitely want to plan a meal at the White Grass Cafe. The food people were eating in the lodge looked amazing! We would have eaten there, but we already had plans to eat at another local favorite – Sirianni’s. We love their pizza and can’t visit the area without going there to eat.

If we make a return trip, I’ll also be sure to take a few photos of the actual facilities – the lodge, the cafe, etc. In the rush to meet the naturalist on time and my eagerness to spend as much time as possible on the trail, I neglected to take any photos of the facilities. They are really cute, so I feel bad that I forgot.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4.2 miles. This is approximate. It was hard to gauge mileage when the trails crossed each other so frequently and were labeled on the maps in kilometers.
Elevation Change – 973 feet
Difficulty – 2. The trail did go uphill most of the way up, but the grade was only seriously steep in a few spots.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail was in excellent shape. They spend a lot of time grooming the trails, so it was fine to have both snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on the same trails.
Views – 4. The views from Bald Knob are some of the best you’ll see of Canaan Valley.
Waterfalls/streams – 1. Only a few streams that you pass on the trail.
Wildlife – 2. Red squirrels, Chickadees, and pileated woodpeckers were spotted.
Ease to Navigate –1.5. You have to pay very close attention to the trails and maps at the junctions to keep your bearings.
Solitude –2. The trails in this area are heavily trafficked, so expect to see others. We still felt that we had plenty of room for ourselves though as people are spread across all the distance of trails.

Directions to trailhead: The best directions can be found here. From Route 32 at Canaan Valley, take Freeland Road. Follow the signs to White Grass.

Big Flat Mountain Loop

February 5, 2013April 24, 20221 Comment

This 4.7 mile hike makes a wide circle around the entire Loft Mountain complex. It starts at the wayside and makes use of three different trails in the area – the campground path, the Appalachian Trail and the Frazier Discovery Trail.

Christine and Wookie enjoy a view along the AT. Below: Wookie enjoyed his outing.

Christine Says…

So… it’s been a while since our last post. We’ve been sitting on photos and information about our Thanksgiving hike for over two months now. Things got a bit chaotic with the holidays (travel/family obligations), I was sick for a full six weeks, and worst of all we lost one of our pugs (13-year old Mojo) after a short, tough, twelve-week battle with cancer. Things finally feel like they’re getting back to normal again, and we’re hoping to spend some more time on the trail this winter. Maybe even a snowshoeing trip?

Thanksgiving this year was a warm, delightful, sunny day. I was at the tail end of being sick , so I waffled back and forth – relax on the couch watching the parade and dog show; or get up, get dressed and go for a hike. In the end, the beauty of the day pushed me in the direction of Shenandoah National Park. I wanted a shorter/easier hike without much climbing, so we settled on the Big Flat Mountain Loop. This loop encircles the Loft Mountain complex. Here’s a bit of trivia – the campground complex is not actually on Loft Mountain – it’s on Big Flat Mountain – hence the name we’ve given this hike. It’s also the same hike I chose for my annual Father’s Day hike last June.

We started off at the wayside and made our way up the crumbling, but still (technically) paved, campground path. The path parallels the road, about 10-15 feet into the woods. There were lots of downed trees and branches across the path that had fallen recently. Wookie enjoyed getting his leash tangled in just about every obstacle.

The camp store stands quiet during the off season. Below: The view from behind the amphitheater; The Loft Mountain Campground Amphitheater.

We eventually came up to the camp store/laundry, which was closed for the season. We let Wookie eat some snow and took a few minutes to consult our map to make a few more route decisions. From there, we crossed the road and made our way toward the amphitheater. The amphitheater has a fabulous view of the valley below. It’s definitely worth a short stop along the way.

Near the amphitheater, we picked up the access trail for the AT. After a short walk, we turned onto the Appalachian Trail, heading north. The trail makes its way behind the Loft Mountain campground. There are wonderful cliff-side views to the east and several spur trails lead to campsites and the camp store. After passing the campground, there is a short downhill followed by the one semi-steep climb of the loop. This climb, which normally would have been quite easy, almost killed me with my diminished aerobic capacity It always amazes me how quickly one can get out of shape!

At the top of the climb, you’ll pass the first junction of the Frazier Discovery Trail. If you take this junction, you miss two of the nicest views on the hike. Continue a short way north, passing two spectacular views to the west. The prominent sloping peak in the distance is Massanutten. At the last view, you’ll see the other arm of the Frazier Discovery Trail. Follow this trail (unless you have a dog with you!) back to the bottom of the mountain and the wayside. If you do have a dog with you, you should continue north on the Appalachian Trail for almost another mile until you reach the spur trail to the Ivy Creek maintenance hut. Follow that trail back down to the road/wayside.

I bring the issue of dogs up primarily because we got in trouble for using a short section of the Frazier Discovery Trail on the return arm of the loop. The trail was marked ‘no pets’ – but only at the bottom of the mountain. The spot we entered, at the top of the mountain – along the ridge, was not marked. A ranger stopped us in the wayside parking lot and gave us a warning.

It was a nice way to spend the holiday!

Adam Says…

Christine and I both handle our festivities for Thanksgiving differently than most people. We don’t do a large Thanksgiving dinner with the huge bird, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and all the other side dishes. There is no pumpkin pie or a pulling of a ceremonial wishbone. Instead, we have homemade pizza. Christine isn’t a huge fan of turkey, so we have decided to have something that we both enjoy. We also have started the tradition the last few years of starting the day off with a hike. I definitely feel the touch of a higher presence when I’m communing with nature and there is no better setting to reflect on what I am thankful for in my life.

There were quite a few trees fallen across the trail. Below: Adam walks along the Appalachian Trail; Views along the hike.

With pug in tow, we parked at the Lost Mountain wayside and restaurant. There were only a few cars up here, which is typical of Thanksgiving and some of the colder months, so we knew we were in for a quiet hike. We crossed the road and on the northern end of the parking lot and made our way on the paved walk . After .1 mile, you reach a junction with the Frazier Discovery Trail, but stay on the paved walk. The path is mostly paved or gravel. We did have to hurdle or duck under a few blown trees across the path. Around 1.6 miles, you reach the Loft Mountain Camp Store. From here, we crossed the road and continued on the walkway for .1 mile to reach the Amphitheater. They really picked a gorgeous spot for this structure, since you’ll have marvelous views. I can only imagine watching the sunset during a ranger program for all the people camping overnight.

From the Amphitheater, the path begins to go downhill. At 2.1 miles, you’ll reach a junction with the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. Head left (going north) from this junction, going uphill along the AT. At 2.4 miles, the AT begins to level out somewhat as you will navigate around the Loft Mountain campground. You may smell hotdogs cooking and see glimpses of people and tents through the trees. You will pass a few spur trails that serve as access for campers to the AT, but stay on the trail. The trail stays fairly level for a while. At 3.6 miles, you will reach the first junction with the Frazier Discovery Trail. Stay straight on the AT and you will come to your first great view past the junction. Continue on the AT and at 3.8 miles, you will reach the second junction with the Frazier Discovery Trail. Take a left on this trail and you will immediately come up to another view. Follow this steep downhill path and at 4.6 miles, you will reach the junction again with the paved walk. Take a right and you will return to your vehicle at 4.7 miles.

Thanksgiving day view in Shenandoah National Park. Below: Cliffside on the Frazier Discovery Trail.

So, as we were hiking along, we typically like to reflect with one another for what we are thankful for. We both were reflecting how thankful we were for each other, our family, our dogs, our jobs, our health, and our ability to share our love for the outdoors together. Our hearts were a little more somber this day, since we had just recently received the bad prognosis for Mojo. We’ve had him for most of the time we’ve been married and we give so much love to our pets, that are key members of our family. We have lost Mojo since then, but he is forever in our hearts and we know he is in a more pleasant place now. Hiking is a large metaphor for life, as you have some steps that are harder than others and stumbles along the way. We have our love in our hearts to serve as our trekking poles to keep us balanced and help us reach the vistas along the way.

Wookie Says…

I have to say… this was not one of my better hikes. I accidentally broke SNP’s rules, and I feel really bad about it. But, in my defense, if the park doesn’t want dogs on a certain trail, they really should mark it ‘No Pets’ at both the start and the end of the trail. Because I entered the Frazier Discovery from the AT, I had no idea I wasn’t allowed to be there. The only sign indicating the rules was posted at the bottom of the mountain – way at the other end of the trail. Thankfully, the park ranger at the Loft Mountain wayside let me go with a warning. I also came home with THIRTEEN ticks, even though I use a preventative. Hopefully, I won’t get Lyme disease again. Despite the challenges and pitfalls, I still enjoyed being out on the trail.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4.7 miles.
Elevation Change – 675 feet
Difficulty – 1.5. The trail is gentle and rolling with only a couple very moderate climbs and descents.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail was in excellent shape. There was a little snow still on the ground in a few spots, but nothing that caused us trouble.
Views – 4. There are many excellent views to both the east and west along this hike.
Waterfalls/streams – 0. None
Wildlife – 3. We didn’t see anything on this hike, but there are bears, deer, birds and other small creatures in the vicinity.
Ease to Navigate –3. You’ll have several different options for turns on this loop, but as long as you don’t go south instead of north on the Appalachian Trail, you shouldn’t get lost.
Solitude –2. The trails in this area are heavily trafficked, so expect to see other hikers.

Directions to trailhead:

Park at the Loft Mountain Wayside at Skyline Drive mile marker 79.5. Walk north along the drive for a 150 yard and then cross the drive to pick up the fire road. The trailhead is almost directly across the drive from the Patterson Ridge trail.

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

MacRae Peak – Grandfather Mountain (NC)

November 30, 2012September 4, 20186 Comments

North Carolina Hikes

This hike follows the Grandfather Trail across series of ladders and cables to the summit of MacRae Peak. After climbing MacRae peak, we continued a little way along the trail before turning back right after Attic Window Peak. It’s a truly amazing hike with phenomenal views.

View the full photo album from this hike on Flickr

Top of MacRae Peak — Christine and Adam enjoy the view atop MacRae Peak. Below: Adam checks out the sign at the beginning of the Swinging Bridge Trail; A view of the bridge from the trail; the valley from the bridge.

Adam Says…

Hiking up Grandfather Mountain is nothing short of an adventure and one that I will not forget. This will challenge you as much mentally as it will physically as you have to decide how far you can go. Choosing to navigate up ladders on the side of a mountainside with nothing to save you from a nasty fall makes this hike one not for the faint of heart. I have a fear of heights, but especially when it comes to trusting in man-made things that tested me a few times on this hike. But Christine and I kept saying, “I can’t believe we just did that” when we passed through these obstacles and the adrenaline kept us going.

We drove into Grandfather Mountain through the main entrance off 221. If you are planning on doing any hiking on Grandfather Mountain, I would recommend starting as early as possible. Starting later than when the park opens could lead to an extremely long line of cars waiting to enter on a weekend or pretty summer/fall day. There is an admissions fee to get into the park ($18/adult with discounts for seniors and children at press time). Another reason to start early is this hike does take a while. While it is only a relatively short distance, you will want to take time to enjoy the numerous views and you will need to take time going up the ladders. With a lot of people on the trail, there could be a bottleneck through some of these passes. The park closes before nightfall and they do have rangers hiking along the trail to make sure that people get off the mountain in time. If you don’t get back to your car by nightfall, they post they will send out a search.

Adam Crosses the Swinging Bridge — Adam crosses the Swinging Bridge. Below: A look back at the Top Shop from the beginning of the Grandfather Trail; Adam looks at MacRae Peak

At the entrance to the park, the ranger warned us that the winds were between over 30 mph at the top. We made our way up the drive and stopped by Split Rock, a picnic spot and witnessed the drop in temperatures and wind firsthand. We then made our way to the Nature Museum and wildlife habitat. We walked around briefly and picked up a hiking trail map from the Nature Museum cashier. We continued our drive along the curvy road up until we reached a parking lot attendant. Since we were hiking, he instructed us to park in the lower lot to begin our hike.

From the parking lot, we took the Bridge Trail, a non-blazed trail that includes switchbacks through a hardwood forest. After a short distance, we started hearing a mechanical, whistling sound. This was the sound of wind whipping through the Mile High Swinging Bridge that lay above us. At .4 miles, we reached the Mile High Swinging Bridge and visitor center. The wind was blowing so hard up here. I felt that I didn’t have warm enough clothes, so we went inside the visitor center to buy a hat and gloves to replace the ones I’d forgotten back at our hotel. The wind was blowing much harder than 30-40mph. I would guess that it was closer to 60mph. My pants sounded like flags beaten by high winds and it was hard to even take a step ahead of you. From the visitor center, we went up the stairs to reach the bridge. Christine was eager to go across, but I had a lot of trepidation. The bridge was “singing” more than “swinging”, but I was wondering if it was safe to cross. Christine made her way across and per an earlier agreement, if I was going to make her hike up Grandfather Mountain, I had to hold my end of the bargain and walk across this 228 foot bridge. Being 6 feet tall, the side railings barely reached my hips and I was worried that a strong enough wind would have blown me off. The bridge has its name because the elevation here is 5280 feet above sea level making it a mile high. The bridge actually only spans two rock formations that has an 80 foot drop, but it is still unnerving. After making it across the bridge and back, we continued the hike.

Climbing Up the Grandfather Trail — Most of the way was steep and rocky.

Christine was having a difficult time making her way across the parking lot to the trailhead. I would see her take one step forward and the wind blew her two steps to the side. We made it to the other side and debated on if we could do this hike with such high winds. I convinced Christine to go a little further, hoping that the brush would slow the wind and after a short distance we didn’t feel the affect of the wind. We began the hike up using the Grandfather Trail, a blue diamond-blazed trail. At .8 miles (including the hike from the parking lot), we reached a junction with the Grandfather Extension trail. We kept going forward on the Grandfather Trail and at .9 miles, we reached Grandfather Gap, an open area that gives you great views. Continuing on at 1.4 miles, we reached a junction with the Underwood Trail. We stayed again on the Grandfather Trail and in a short distance the first ladder appeared. This was a long ladder (the first of nine total) that helped you navigate through a tight gorge between two rocks, but was not that scary. Shortly after this ladder, the real fun started where we had to do some rock scrambling, sometimes with the assistance of cables before coming up to a series of ladders. These ladders were definitely more frightening as you had to often climb up one ladder and then take a step to the left and climb up another ladder. We saw several people that got to the ladders and then wisely turned around as they didn’t think they can handle it. Knowing your limitations is definitely important. These ladders eventually led up to to one area that you were climbing up ladders on the side of the mountain with an insane drop to the side. We made it up this final ladder and took a moment to reflect on what we did and take in the views from the side of the mountain. We continued on the trail for a short distance and at 1.4 miles we reached a ladder on the side of the rock leading to the summit of MacRae Peak at 5845 feet. You climb up this 20 foot ladder and then grab a cable at the top of the ladder to pull yourself up the rock. You can find the benchmark for the peak at the top of the rock, giving you 360 degree views all around you, including the bridge to the southwest.

Christine Climbs a Ladder — Christine climbs a ladder on the Grandfather Trail. Below: One ladder went between two giant slabs of rock; Adam pulls himself up a sheer rock face; More ladders along steep, cliffside terrain.

We climbed back down the ladder and then continued on the Grandfather Trail to the next peak. At 1.5 miles, we reached another junction with the Underwood trail. Continuing on the Grandfather Trail, we went up to The Chute, a rock scramble that leads to the top of Attic Window Peak. The scramble wasn’t too tough, but did require you to climb up on all fours at some points. We reached the top at 1.7 miles and passed the overnight Attic Window campsite. Continuing on the trail, we reached a junction with the Indian House Cave, a short but steep side trail that leads to a cave wall that was a shelter to Native Americans back in the day as artifacts were found here when it was first discovered. We continued back on the Grandfather Trail and the trail here begins to be more of a ridge walk. We took some time to find some nice spots to take in the views, eat some snacks, and then made our way back. At the junction with the Underwood Trail at 2.2 miles, we ended up taking this Yellow Diamond blazed trail to avoid the ladders on the return. This was a steep and rocky trail back without much to see and there is still one large ladder to climb down on the way, but it feels safer than the ones leading to MacRae Peak. At 2.7 miles, we reached the opposite end of the Underwood Trail, rejoining the Grandfather Trail, by taking a right. At 2.9 miles, we reached the junction with the Grandfather Extension trail and then took this Red Diamond blazed trail downhill through some switchbacks for .6 miles (with some more views along the way) until we reached our car at 3.5. miles.

Many people just drive to the upper parking lot to experience the Mile High Swinging Bridge and then return. It is definitely a highlight of Grandfather Mountain, but we were so glad that we hiked past this feature. The bridge used to be a wooden suspension bridge (erected in 1952) and used to sway more in the wind, but the side rails and floorboards were replaced with steel in 1999.

Adam Enjoying the View Near the Top of MacRae — Adam enjoys the view near the top of MacRae. Below: The Blue Ridge Parkway winds its way through forest below Grandfather Mountain; the last ladder to the top of MacRae; Beautiful rugged scenery on Grandfather Mountain.

Grandfather Mountain was originally named Tanawha Mountain by the Cherokee, meaning “glorious hawk or eagle”. It was named Grandfather Mountain by pioneers as one view of the mountain does look like an old man’s face staring up into the sky. Daniel Boone once hunted in this area and John Muir after climbing Grandfather Mountain in 1898 proclaimed that the air during his climb had healed him of a bronchial cough.

Overall, I will say this has been one of my favorite and most memorable hikes that I have ever done. The views are absolutely gorgeous around you, as you can see for miles around on a clear day. Once you reached a viewpoint, you thought that it couldn’t get any better; but then you would take a few more steps and be even more impressed. We definitely plan on returning to tackle the hike all the way to Calloway Peak, the tallest peak at 5946 feet.

Christine Says…

It’s kind of ironic that John Muir proclaimed that Grandfather Mountain’s air cured him of bronchitis. I was sick as a dog when I hiked this trail, and the air did not have any magical curative properties for me! In fact, I think it may have helped precipitate my garden-variety bronchitis into a full-blown, month-long battle with pneumonia.

Some readers might wonder why I didn’t do the sensible thing and actually rest while I was sick. I wish I had been smarter, but we had planned this trip several months earlier and were there to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. There was no way I was going to miss it. So… stupidly, I pushed myself mercilessly so that I could see and do all the things we had planned. I had a great time on the trip, and especially this hike – but I definitely paid a high price for all that fun.

More Ladders Near the Chute — Adam approaches the rock scramble known as The Chute. Below: The Chute

Illness aside, this hike is probably near the top of my list of all-time favorite hikes. The scenery was breathtaking. Every boulder I rounded, every opening I stepped into; I practically gasped with disbelief at how truly beautiful nature can be. The ladders and cables were a perfect balance of scary and fun. I felt challenged and rewarded in equal measures.

Our adventure started off in the hiker parking area on Grandfather Mountain. The trail from the parking lot to the bridge was short and easy. Almost immediately, we could hear the harmonic hum of the wind whipping through the bridge. Evidently, the ‘singing bridge’ is a more accurate moniker than ‘swinging bridge’. We spent a little time at the ‘Top Shop’. We both crossed the bridge. I was very proud of Adam for crossing. He does not like heights and the bridge was not a happy place for him!

The bridge didn’t scare me at all, but the wind’s strength did! The main trail system on Grandfather Mountain starts directly above the parking area. The sign marking the trailhead is loaded with many, many warnings and cautionary tales. On the way over the the trailhead, the wind literally blew me off my feet! I rolled like a tumbleweed across the parking area – pretty remarkable for a full-grown, adult woman! It was the strongest wind I’ve ever encountered — even topping the weather we experienced on Mt. Washington. I told Adam that I thought it was stupid to hike in such strong wind, but he encouraged me to hike a little along the trail, in hopes that the trees and other obstacles would shelter us from the wind. Thankfully, he was right and the wind wasn’t bad for most of the hike.

All of the ladders and cables were sturdy and securely fixed to the rock, so I never felt like I was in any real danger. They greatly aided us in traversing some very steep terrain. When you look at MacRae peak from a distance, it looks so steep and practically unscalable. When you finally climb the last ladder to the highest point of the peak, you truly feel on top of the world! We shared the peak with a group of Boy Scouts and a group of Amish men. Quite an interesting mix of folks!

Beautiful views from Attic Window Peak. Below: Tent site on Attic Window Peak; More gorgeous vistas

After leaving MacRae, we continued along the Grandfather Trail in the direction of Calloway peak. The trail took us through a fun and challenging rock scramble called ‘The Chute’. Near there, we met one of the Grandfather Mountain rangers. He was out hiking the trail to sweep for hikers in trouble and for people who might be cutting time short to make it back to the parking area by 5:00.

After the Chute, we passed the Attic Window Peak backcountry tent site. After that, we walked a short way along an open, razorback ridge or rock. We had more spectacular views looking toward Banner Elk and in the direction of Calloway Peak. Along this ridge, we stopped for a snack. While I was eating my Luna bar, I measured up the distance to Calloway peak. I wasn’t feeling any better. I was cold, stuffy, achy and exhausted. As much as I wanted to reach Calloway peak, I wanted some soup and a hot bath even more. I apologetically told Adam that I couldn’t go any further. I could tell he was disappointed, but he willingly turned back.

Cliffside View — Adam enjoys cliffside views. Below: Fall foliage from Grandfather Mountain; Our last ladder down the Underwood Trail, Fall Foliage; Rocky and rooty footing on the Underwood Trail.

On the return, we took the Underwood Trail. It was quite steep and rocky, but only required one downward ladder climb. Eventually, we reached the junction of the Grandfather Trail and the Grandfather Extension. The extension led us back down to the hiker parking area without having to cross the Swinging Bridge parking lot again. That little section of trail had one pretty view from a bridge and lots of fall color. We got back to the car and made our way back down the mountain. I could not believe the line of cars waiting to get into Grandfather Mountain. It stretched for several miles! Insane! I guess it’s a good idea to get an early start when you visit Grandfather. All in all, it was a super day and a great hike. I can’t wait to go back sometime when I’m not sick!

Trail Notes

Distance – about 3.5 miles
Elevation Change – about 1600 feet
Difficulty – 4.5. The ladders and cables make this a tough hike. The climbs over the mountains make this hike take a lot longer than you would normally on this distance.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail was in good condition. Ladders and cables were sturdy and secure, but rainy/icy/snowy weather will make the rock climbing treacherous. If you have a fear of heights, ladders or precipitous edges, this hike might not be for you.
Views – 5. AMAZING!
Waterfalls/streams – 0. There are no streams on this hike.
Wildlife – 0. This area is heavily traveled, so it’s unlikely you’ll see wildlife.
Ease to Navigate –4. The junctions at all the trails are well-marked. We got a little turned around through one of the rock scrambles.
Solitude – 1.5. Expect to see lots of people on this trail unless you go at an off time. But we never felt too crowded where we couldn’t enjoy things by ourselves.

Directions to trailhead: The entrance to Grandfather Mountain is located on US 221, two miles north of Linville, North Carolina, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305. Signs for the entrance are well-marked and an entrance station is right off the road with large gates. Travel up the road by car until you reach the parking lot designated for hiking trails. The trailhead for the Bridge Trail is on the left side of the parking lot as you are driving up. Coordinates for the hiker parking area are 36.096145, -81.831802.

Beacon Heights (NC)

November 17, 2012September 4, 2018Leave a comment

North Carolina Hikes

The walk to Beacon Heights is just another short, easy leg-stretcher we did on our fall trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Beacon Heights has the bonus of offering two separate, but equally spectacular, vistas at the summit.

Beacon Heights View — Adam takes in spectacular foliage from the view atop Beacon Heights.

Adam Says…

The Beacon Heights trail, like the Rough Ridge trail nearby is a trail that gives you great views for minimal effort. This trail has two different expansive viewpoints at the top.

We started off our hike by parking in the parking lot at mile 305.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Across the parkway, you can see Grandfather Mountain looming overhead. Behind the parking lot is another parallel road, SR 1513. We crossed that and found the trailhead easily. The trail goes up and comes to a junction shortly. Take a right at this junction to follow the Mountains-to-Sea/Beacon Heights trail. At .2 miles, you reach another junction as the Mountains-to-Sea trail and the Beacon Heights trail splits. Take a left on the Beacon Heights trail. At .3 miles, you reach a junction where the trail splits where their is a stone bench. Each junction leads to views from Beacon Heights. The path to the left leads to an outcropping that provides great views to the north and west. The path to the right leads to another outcropping with views mostly to the east. Either spot provides plenty of room to spread out and take in the scenery. Head back the way you came for about a .7 mile round trip.

Due to the shortness of the hike, you should expect a lot of people at the top. I’ve heard this trail referred to as a “leg stretcher” and that is an accurate description. It is not too difficult, so there isn’t much of a need to get geared up for an intense hiking experience. My favorite of the two viewpoints was at the junction to the left of the bench, since it did provide views of Grandfather Mountain from the top. With a cell tower visible on the other junction, it takes a little away from the view for me.

Christine Says…

This was the last mini-hike of three we did in one day near the Linn Cove Viaduct. It was a great way to finish the day, and a good way to work off some of the English Pub fare we enjoyed for lunch. The walk was short and followed a gentle uphill grade.

The two views at the top were beautiful, and the fall color was simply spectacular! If we had planned our day a little more thoroughly (and if I hadn’t been so sick), I would have liked to park near Beacon Heights and then follow the Tanawha Trail from Beacon Heights all the way over to the Rough Ridge area. It would have been a great out-and-back with lots of scenery and view pay-offs.

After Beacon Heights, we briefly discussed tacking on another short hike up to Table Rock, but in the end I was just too worn out to go any further. Adam and I agreed at the end of the day that we must make a return trip to the area to make up for all the stuff we missed seeing on this trip.

Trail Notes

Distance – About .7 miles
Elevation Change – 120 ft
Difficulty – 1. This is a fairly easy hike. It’s slightly uphill, but almost anyone should be able to make it up.
Trail Conditions – 3.5. The trail is in great condition, but rain could leave a few areas slick.
Views – 4.5. Just docked it half a point for the cell tower visibility.
Waterfalls/streams – 0. There are no streams on this hike.
Wildlife – 0. This area is heavily traveled, so it’s unlikely you’ll see wildlife.
Ease to Navigate –4. Follow the signs to Beacon Heights and you won’t have a problem.
Solitude –1. We saw quite a few people on this hike.

Directions to trailhead: Follow the Blue Ridge Parkway to mile marker 305.2 Park in the parking lot or along the road. Behind the parking lot is another parallel road to cross and you will see the trailhead on the other side.

Rough Ridge (NC)

October 29, 2012September 4, 2018Leave a comment

North Carolina Hikes

Rough Ridge is a short hike that leads to wonderful views of Grandfather Mountain, the Linn Cove Viaduct and the valley below.

Christine Enjoying the Rough Ridge View — Rough Ridge is a great place to enjoy an autumn view. Below: A glimpse of the Blue Ridge Parkway below Rough Ridge; A series of boardwalks protects fragile ecology; Christine’s hair shows the windy conditions.

Christine Says…

After we finished our short hike around the Linn Cove Viaduct, we drove a short distance north on the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike Rough Ridge. This short hike is one of the Parkway’s most popular – understandably, because the views are truly breathtaking. The trail starts with a small series of log stairs that climb steeply into the woods. Shortly after the steps, there is a small footbridge over a chasm. Perhaps in wetter conditions, a small stream might flow under the bridge. When we visited it was dry.

The trail climbs uphill for about .3 mile, across muddy and rocky trail, until it reaches a series of boardwalks. The wooden pathways are intended to keep hikers off the fragile terrain. This part of the parkway is home to numerous rare species, and careless footsteps can do all sorts of damage. From the rocks beside the boardwalk, hikers are treated to a wonderful panoramic view of the scenery. The viaduct is almost always visible off in the distance.

After leaving the boardwalks, the trail continues a little more steeply uphill. There are more rocks to climb and more mud to traverse. At the top, you’ll reach a giant, sheer-faced boulder with a line of affixed cable. Use the cable to pull yourself to the top of the boulder. You’ll be treated to another amazing view. The impressive face of Grandfather Mountain looms above and pristine nature spreads out below. It’s nothing short of spectacular.

We stayed atop the boulder for a very short while – just enough time to take in the view and snap a few photos. The wind was so strong, it could almost blow a person of their feet! The hike down went very quickly, and simply retraced our steps.

After this short hike, we headed into the little town of Blowing Rock for lunch. What an adorable town! If you visit the area, don’t miss a visit to the nearby town.

Adam Enjoys Rough Ridge — Adam enjoys the rocky outcroppings on Rough Ridge. Below: Adam climbing the trail; We made it to the top; Christine crossing one of the footbridges; Log steps descending the trail.

Adam Says…

Rough Ridge was one of the hikes we were most excited to do on this trip. When we were at the Linn Cove Viaduct, we were hoping that the Rough Ridge hike would give us great views of the viaduct and we were not disappointed.

The trail starts from the parking lot by going up a few log steps. At the top, you reach a junction of the Tanawha Trail. Take the trail to the left and follow uphill until you reach the boardwalk at .3 miles. Interestingly enough, while they tell you to stay on the trail, they have left an opening to climb out onto a large flat rock. Just be careful if you have any children, since the edge has a large dropoff. From this viewpoint, you can see the Linn Cove Viaduct which looks quite straight from this perspective as you are looking at it straight on. After the boardwalk, the trail continues to climb and then takes a sharp turn leading up to another rock formation that daring people could climb onto. Continuing on, at .6 miles, you reach a junction with the Tanawha Trail again and see the trail blocked off to protect vegetation. There are a few different rocks to get great views, with the best being from the rock Christine mentioned above with a cable to hold to guide yourself up. There are some great spots here to have a quick snack and enjoy the views all around you. From the summit, you can see Grandfather Mountain rising above the Linn Cove Viaduct (which you can see snake from the summit) and views down into the Linville Gorge. On a clear day, you should be able to see for miles

One of the more popular rock climbing spots in the South lies below Rough Ridge in an area known as Ship Rock. If you are a skilled rock climber, I could see this being a way to do some climbing on the rocks before taking this trail to hike to the top.

This is definitely an easy hike for most people that has a huge payoff for minimal effort. If you are traveling along the Blue Ridge Parkway, I would make this a must-do hike along the way for a short 1-1.5 hour break.

Trail Notes

Distance – About 1.2 miles
Elevation Change – 480 ft
Difficulty – 2. This is a fairly easy hike. It’s mostly uphill, but never steep. The final viewpoint at the top requires a short, rope-assisted climb to a boulder top.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is good condition, but it can be muddy and slick.
Views – 5. AMAZING!
Waterfalls/streams – 0. There are no streams on this hike.
Wildlife – 0. This area is heavily traveled, so it’s unlikely you’ll see wildlife.
Ease to Navigate –4. This trail is an easy to follow out-and-back.
Solitude –1. We saw quite a few people on this hike.

Directions to trailhead: Follow the Blue Ridge Parkway to mile marker 302.8 Park at the Rough Ridge overlook.

Linn Cove Viaduct (NC)

October 25, 2012September 4, 20184 Comments

North Carolina Hikes

The Linn Cove Viaduct is one of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s most recognizable features. A short (less than one mile!) loop hike lets you see the viaduct from all angles, while enjoying a lovely walk through the woods.

Christine Says…

We recently spent a few days in western North Carolina along the Blue Ridge Parkway. What a spectacular area! On our first full day, we did a trio of short, ‘leg-stretcher’ hikes in the vicinity of Linn Cove – the Viaduct Trail, Rough Ridge and Beacon Heights. In retrospect, we think we should have covered all three of these hikes as one long out-and-back (or shuttle) along the Tanawha Trail, but you live and learn when you visit a new place.

Our first mini-hike of the day was a short loop that passed underneath and then alongside the famous Linn Cove Viaduct. The viaduct is a feature I had been wanting photograph for years, and to be able to visit at the peak of fall color was a real treat. The serpentine curve of the viaduct hugging the shoulder of Grandfather Mountain is a classic scene – probably one of the Parkway’s most iconic.

Our hike started out from the Linn Cove Visitor Center. The paved trail begins at the far end of the parking area. For almost a quarter mile, the trail passes underneath the viaduct. Cars rumble across the span overhead, while underneath walkers can marvel at the engineering it took to put the viaduct in place. At the end of the paved section, a set of stairs climbs up a hillside and the trail begins to run through the woods, parallel to the viaduct. If you continue uphill, you’ll find yourself on the Tanawha trail. A trail lower on the hillside follows the road more closely and crosses a couple small bridges. It really doesn’t matter which trail you follow, both will lead to the same place – a great vista just above the viaduct.

The trail to the vista is just a small, well-worn footpath through the woods. Be careful you don’t miss it! If you continue on, you’ll be following the Tanawha Trail for quite a while. The best clue that you’ve reached the side trail is that you’ll be able to see the north-end of the viaduct through the woods. Follow the trail until it reaches a jumble of rocks just off the side of the road. Climb the rocks, and you’ll be able to enjoy a beautiful view of the viaduct curving off around the side of the mountain, with the rolling valley beyond. It’s GORGEOUS, especially in early morning light!

After you’ve enjoyed the view, take the footpath up to the main trail and return the way you came.

Walking Through the Woods Alongside the Viaduct — The trail went through the woods, roughly running parallel to the viaduct. Below: The trail passed some interesting boulders; This tree’s roots really have to reach toward the ground; A paved section of path underneath the viaduct.

Adam Says…

Normally, if I were to hear someone suggest that I take a short hike with the highlight being a view of a paved road, I would think they don’t know what a nice hike is. However, I would be wrong in this case. It is impressive to think about how this feature was built and the bend in the road leads to some gorgeous views off the side. And when you hit this on a beautiful fall day, you have quite a scene.

I would recommend a trip inside the visitor center to learn more about the construction of this feature. I was impressed to learn that the viaduct was created with the purpose of not impacting the surrounding environment. Many times when roads are being constructed, they will cut into the mountain to build the road. The Linn Cove Viaduct was actually built by putting seven foundations below and then having 153 segments lowered down onto seven piers. This kept construction vehicles from having to build a temporary road to haul heavy construction vehicles and equipment on to the mountain, minimizing the stress on the nearby environment. For more information on how this feat was accomplished by the Figg & Muller Engineering Group, check out the NPCA’s website for details.

On our way down to North Carolina, we had extreme heavy fog and light drizzle. Visibility was at times only allowing us to see about 20 feet in front of the car. We had driven over the viaduct and didn’t even really know what we were missing. Pedestrians aren’t allowed on to the viaduct. To get the classic photo you see above, there was a side trail once you reach the other side of the viaduct that leads to a boulder for the birds-eye view.

This was a great start for a few days of hiking along this area of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The foliage near the peak of fall color made us excited to take in as many autumn views as we could.

Trail Notes

Distance – About one mile
Elevation Change – negligible
Difficulty – 1. This is an easy hike, part of it is even accessible and follows a paved path.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is in excellent condition.
Views – 4. The best views are from the small, rocky outcropping just above the road. You’ll also get some glimpses of the valley through the trees.
Waterfalls/streams – 1. There is one small waterfall cascading under the viaduct. You’ll pass over it on one of the small footbridges.
Wildlife – 0. This area is well-populated by people, so it’s unlikely you’ll see wildlife.
Ease to Navigate –3. We aren’t really sure what part of the hike was the Tanawha trail and what part was the interpretive trail for the Viaduct, but it really didn’t matter since the area is so small and close to the road.
Solitude –1. While we saw almost nobody on our visit, I think it was the exception. This area is typically very popular and heavily trafficked. When we passed the same area later in the day, it was swarming with people.

Directions to trailhead: Follow the Blue Ridge Parkway to mile marker 304. Park at the Linn Cove Visitor Center.