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Massanutten Ridge Trail

June 3, 2010June 6, 201624 Comments

The Massanutten Ridge Trail is part of the network of trails on resort property. This hike departs from the overlook at the top of Del Webb Dr. in Massanutten Resort. The hike is extremely rocky, but offers superb views from an outcropping above the ski lifts.

Update 6/6/2016: As far as we’ve heard, no one has seen goats on this hike for quite a while, so they may no longer be there. Also… watch out for snakes along the rocky scramble. While there have been no reported sightings of goats, we have heard about multiple rattlesnake sightings. Timber rattlesnakes are generally reclusive and non-aggressive. They would prefer to stay hidden and not bite, so be respectful of their space, but don’t be unduly afraid. 🙂

Chased by Goats — The friendly goats were the highlight of the Massanutten Ridge Trail. Below: The hike also provided beautiful views of the valley below; blueberries (not ripe yet) were abundant along the trail; The goats used us like human salt licks; When we tried to walk on, the goat chased us down the mountain.

Adam Says…

If I could have a movie made about this hike it would be called “The Men Who Are Licked by Goats”. Who would have thought that there would be feral goats on the top of Massanutten?

An online hiking group I had joined, Valley Hikers, completed the Massanutten Ridge Trail Hike recently, but I was unable to attend. While we have been up to the beginning of this trail before, we hadn’t completed the entire hike before. We recently did the Kaylor Knob hike, so we thought we would also take care of the other hike from the top of the Massanutten overlook.

We parked one car at the Massanutten General Store near the ski slopes and then drove to start our hike at the overlook at the top of Del Webb Drive. At the parking lot, you are treated to views of the ski slopes and mountains around. You start the trail by climbing up a staircase to get to the level ridge. The blue-blazed trail starts with a fairly well-trodden wide path. There are spots along the way to peak through to see some views along the first .25 mile. Around the .5 mile marker, the trail becomes much rockier. You will need to constantly look where your feet are stepping or you could easily sprain an ankle. This rocky, difficult portion continues for about 1.5 miles. At mile 1.25 on the trail, you come to a nice overlook on the right side of the trail to see some views to the North. At 2.25 miles, the trail eventually joins a gravel road. You will see some blue blazes directly across the road, but there is not a trail there. Simply take a right at this junction and climb the gravel road to reach the cellphone towers at the top. The trail picks back up just to the right of the highest cellphone tower. As soon as you rejoin this trail, you will come to the best views on the trail at some rocky overlooks. At mile 3.0, you will also see a hang-gliding ramp. It is insane to think of people just running and jumping off of this. To your left, you will be able to see the ski lift drop-off for the top of the Diamond Jim and ParaDice ski trails. During the ski season, the lift area is blocked off (maybe to keep people from illegally jumping on the ski trails). There was a rope blocking it off still, but the cordoned area does not completely block access to the trail. Continuing past the hang-gliding area, the trail continues and you start your descent. At mile 3.25, the trail leads to an opportunity to walk down the ski slope. You could continue further on the actual trail, but we were unsure how close it would return us to our car. We jumped on to the slopes to take a steep descent back to our car at 4.0 miles. During this last .75 miles, you descend about 1000 feet of elevation. I highly recommend taking trekking poles to help keep your balance as you navigate the steep terrain.

Summit of Massanutten — The hike followed the ridge and provided many views of Massanutten Resort and the valley on both the eastern and western sides. Below: The middle two miles of the hike was extremely rocky and required quite a bit of rock scrambling; A view of a pond at Massanutten resort; Eastern Fence Lizards in a mating dance; We even stumbled across a Box Turtle on the trail.

The highlight of the trip definitely had to be the goats that we saw at the top of the ski slopes. As soon as they saw us, they came running toward us to lick the sweat off of us. It reminded me of a sign that we saw during our trip to Olympic National Park, warning us not to urinate in public or goats would come. They love salt and were quite eager to lick the salt off of us. So, beware if you are not into that thing, but I thought it was funny. The goats were extremely friendly and followed us around for a while at the higher elevations.

There are a couple of geocaches that you could do from this hike:

This hike was tough due to the trail conditions, but it was great to see the views and the wildlife on the trail.

Christine Says…

I had art shows to work over the weekend, so we needed to find a short hike that was located really close to our home. The Massanutten Ridge Trail seemed to perfectly suit our needs. I thought the hike would be a piece of cake because the ridgeline has very little elevation change overall. So, I was rather surprised to find that it was a real hike with challenging terrain. The middle section had a lot of tricky footing and rock scrambling. It was a constant up-and-down, resembling a small scale roller coaster. Normally, it would be the type of terrain I really enjoy, but I was fighting off a cold all weekend. My stuffiness and fatigue made this squarely moderate hike feel a lot tougher than it typically would. There were definitely a few scrambles where I would have been happy to hang-glide right off the side of the mountain just to avoid climbing over anymore rocks!

Goat - — The Goats were fun! Below: The cell towers on top of Massanutten are a real eyesore; trail markers along the trail are blue and show mileage; for the brave – there is a hang-gliding launch on top Massanutten; the sign shows gliding regulations and disclaimers; the mountain laurel was in full bloom along the trail; at the summit there were many vultures soaring.

My favorite part of the hike was the unexpected amount of wildlife we saw along the way. It started off with a cute Box Turtle walking along the trail. Then we saw numerous Eastern Fence Lizards – two were even participating in a courtship dance. There were lots of butterflies fluttering about and at the overlooks we saw plenty of vultures soaring on the thermals. But the best part was seeing the two goats living at the top of Diamond Jim. I spotted them first through an opening in the woods, and squealed “GOATS!” I couldn’t stop laughing at the way they licked. They went nuts for the salty sweat. We decided to name the goats. “Diamond” – the white goat – is shy. She follows the other goat everywhere, but does not participate in the vigorous licking. The red and white goat, we decided to name “Salt Lick”. I think the basis of that name is pretty self-evident.

All in all, the Massanutten Ridge Trail was a pleasant surprise. The views and the wildlife both far exceeded anything I expected.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4.0 miles as a shuttle trail or 6 miles out and back. (If you do this as an out and back, you will not be walking on the ski slopes and will likely miss the goats)
(Check out the stats from MapMyHike – for the out-and-back – added 4/4/15)
Elevation Change – 1000 feet
Difficulty – 4. The elevation doesn’t change a lot initially, but the terrain will make it hard work and slow going.
Trail Conditions – 1.5. About 1.5 miles of the trail is rocky and then a very steep downhill at the end requires trekking poles to be safest.
Views – 4. You get some different views along the way, but the best views are from near the cellphone towers and hang-gliding platform.
Waterfalls/streams – 0.
Wildlife – 4. There aren’t many places you get to see free-ranging goats and I think most people see them here. We also saw lizards and a turtle.
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. There was a couple of spots where it was a little difficult to see which way the trail goes, but since you’re on the narrow ridge, it is not hard to just stay on that ridge.
Solitude –3.5. We didn’t see anyone there, but you do typically see a lot of people on the initial trail. The people you see will generally be during the first .5 mile. Not many people continue on this trail after that.

Directions to trailhead:
From Harrisonburg, head east on US 33 for about 10 miles. Turn left at the Exxon on the left and head on SR 644, Resort Drive. Follow this road and take a left on Massanutten Drive. You will reach a guard house. Let the guard know that you are here to hike and they will give you a guest pass. After about 3 miles, take a right on Del Webb Drive. Follow Del Webb Drive for about two miles until you begin to drive up to the ridge, where there is a parking lot on the left. The trail begins up the small, wooden set of stairs leaving the parking lot.

Riprap Trail

May 28, 2010September 16, 201816 Comments

This 9.8 mile circuit hike offers all the best of Shenandoah – panoramic views, bubbling streams, a swimming hole and even a nice final stretch along the Appalachian Trail. It comes close to our 10 mile limit for a day hike, but it’s definitely well worth the effort.

Chimney Rock View — The view from Chimney Rock is very pretty on a clear day.

Christine Says…

The Riprap trail has long been on my list of hikes to tackle in Shenandoah National Park. Last Friday, we finally got around to it. I have to admit, the nearly ten-mile length and over 2,300 feet of elevation gain intimidated me just a little. The hikes we’ve completed that are close to that length (i.e. McAfee Knob or Mount Rogers) both have substantially less elevation gain. But, we had a free day and beautiful weather, so we decided to go for it. I’m so glad we went because the scenery on this trail showcased everything I love about Shenandoah. And, honestly… hiking 9.8 miles really wasn’t that hard.

We started the hike from the Riprap parking area at mile marker 90. We turned right at the end of the parking lot and followed the Appalachian Trail uphill for about a third of a mile. At the intersection with the Riprap trail, we turned left. The trail went alternately downhill and uphill for about three-quarters of a mile. We passed around a talus slope and came out to a viewpoint near Calvary Rocks. This was a great place to pause and take in the panoramic scene of the valley below. About a third of a mile downhill past Calvary Rocks, we arrived at Chimney Rock. I found this to be the prettier of the two views – but they were both very nice. The trail was especially pretty in late May because of all the blooming mountain laurel, wild azaleas and rhododendron. There were some sections that were so lush, I felt like I was walking through a tunnel of flowers.

Wild Azaleas, Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel. Below: The view near Calvary Rocks; Adam taking in the view from Chimney Rock.

From Chimney Rock, the trail follows a ridge for a while, with many nice views between the trees. There is still quite a bit of evidence of forest fire damage from the late 1990’s in this area. The mountainside is still rather barren and charred stumps are visible. Slowly, the trail descends into Cold Springs Hollow. We passed through some of the densest mountain laurel along this section. We saw and heard so many beautiful birds – everything from American Redstarts to Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks.

Near the bottom of the hollow, we started to pick up the stream. It started off as a trickle, gaining volume and speed as we climbed continually downward. There were a few small, unremarkable waterfalls in the gorge, but we didn’t stop walking until the first stream crossing. Adam and I sat on a couple big boulders in the middle of the stream and ate a few handfuls of trail mix.

Swimming Hole with Fish and Rhododendron Reflection — The swimming hole displayed beautiful rhododendron reflections and was full of brook trout. Below: The trout were hard to photograph through the water, but you get the point.

We stopped again just a couple tenths of a mile later at my very favorite spot along the trail – a wide, green swimming hole shaded by the forest canopy. We sat along the pool for a long while. We watched colorful brook trout lolling in the water. Every now and then, one would splash up and break the quiet surface of the water. The water was so clear. We could see reflections of the rhododendron on the surface and big, round stones at the bottom of the pool. The spot is made even more beautiful by the gentle slide waterfall that cascades down and fills the pool.

After leaving the pool, we had almost about three-quarters of a mile of level walking and a couple more stream crossings. A post marks the intersection with the Wildcat Ridge Trail. We turned left, and enjoyed our last little bit of flat walking for a while. We decided to stop and eat lunch before the big uphill climb began. We had ham and cheese on crackers, chips and some candy – perfect to give us lots of energy!

Climbing along Wildcat Ridge is a steady uphill for almost three miles, but the grade is generally moderate. There were several more decent views through the trees along this section of trail. And of course, more mountain laurel! I think I must have said “This is SO PRETTY!” to Adam a dozen times as we walked through the flowers. This section is where we saw our only other hikers of the day – a young couple hiking the loop in the opposite direction. We got to the junction with the Appalachian Trail faster than we thought we would. We were anticipating another .7 miles of uphill climbing when we reached the marker post. It’s always such a pleasant surprise when an uphill climb ends earlier than you thought it would.

Adam on the AT — Adam and I both enjoyed the more level terrain along the Appalachian Trail.

We took a left onto the AT for the final 2.8 miles of the hike. This section was typical Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah – rolling hills, nothing too steep. We saw a brief glimpse of a bear diving into the mountain laurel about a mile into this stretch. After about an hour of walking on the AT, we arrived back at our car. My feet were a little sore and tired, but other than that I still felt pretty energetic. Riprap now claims the spot for the longest hike I’ve ever done in a day! The 9.8 mile circuit took us just under six hours – including our very frequent snack and photography stops. On the way home, we stopped and rewarded ourselves with Lime Cream Slushes from Sonic – my favorite post-hike treat.

Adam Says…

This may also be the longest hike I have done but it was well worth it! This hike really does have it all and we hit it at a great time of year. The mountain laurel and rhododendron were at peak on this trail and we often felt like we were in some type of fantasy land while being surrounded by pink flowers.

The views from Calvary Rocks and Chimney Rock give you some great 180 degree views to the north of the mountains. I was a little worried that the payoff for this hike was going to be over in the first couple of miles of the hike, but I was glad to be wrong. After we continued the descent from Chimney Rock, there were still some open views along the way. Once we reached the bottom of Cold Springs Hollow, we saw a glimpse of a waterfall along the way. Shortly after the falls and after crossing the stream you come to the beautiful swimming hole that Christine mentioned above. This was a great spot to relax and enjoy seeing the fish, or you could take a quick, refreshing dip.

View Along the Riprap Ridge. Below: The swimming hole is such a beautiful place – even though we constantly had to bat the bugs away. Note the slide falls coming down to the pool.

Once we were done with relaxing, we took the hike up the Wildcat Ridge Trail. This is a constant uphill for about three miles and does include a couple of switchbacks on the trail. However, we felt that the terrain wasn’t too steep. You continue to observe nice views as it hugs closely to the side of the mountain. Once we met up with the AT, the trail didn’t have a lot of elevation gain/loss. I do suffer from plantar fasciitis, so my feet were quite sore on the rocks of this section of the trail.

Butterfly on Mountain Laurel. Below: Adam hikes through the mountain laurel along the Appalachian Trail.

For those interested in geocaching, I did place an earthcache at the overlook for Calvary Rocks. This is a way to learn about the geology of the area and there are a few steps to get credit for the cache:

Calvary Rocks geocache

I definitely enjoyed my first trip of the Riprap trail, but I know it won’t be my last. This would also be a great place to do a backpacking trip, since there is a reliable water source at the bottom of the trail. We really felt like it was one of the prettiest trails we have done in all of Shenandoah National Park. Part of that largely is due to the abundance of blooming wildflowers, but another part was the views. The Riprap trail really has it all!

Trail Notes

Distance – 9.8 miles
Elevation Change – Around 2300 feet. The hike is a mix of uphill and downhill, with one long, steady uphill stretch of about three miles.
Difficulty – 4.5 While the elevation gain is substantial, the trail is rarely steep. Grades are moderate. We scored the hike a 4.5 mainly due to the length.
Trail Conditions – 4 Nice trail to walk along! The stream crossings are easy.
Views – 4. You get the best views from the Chimney Rocks and Calvary Rocks overlooks.
Waterfalls/streams – 3 The stream was on the low side when we hiked, but was still pretty. The swimming hole at the bottom of the hollow is very beautiful.
Wildlife – 4 We saw lots of brook trout, a little toad, many bird species and we even caught a glimpse of a black bear’s rear end diving into the laurel thicket.
Ease to Navigate – 2 A few turns to make along the way. There are a few false trails leading away from the main trail and also one tricky turn after a creek crossing.
Solitude – 3 We saw only two other people on the entire loop. We hiked it on a beautiful Friday in late spring. I imagine the trail is much more crowded on weekends. It’s a very popular short backpack loop.

Directions to trailhead:
From Skyline Drive, park on the western side at mile marker 90. There is a parking lot specifically for Riprap hikers.

Beards Mountain

May 10, 2010August 26, 2015Leave a comment

Beards Mountain is a hike within Douthat State Park that provides lake and mountain views at various stages of the trail.

View of Douthat Lake from Beards Mountain — A view of Douthat Lake from the trail. Below: The trails in Douthat State Park are clear and well-marked.

Adam Says…

This was our first trip to Douthat State Park and we were quite impressed. The park contains over 40 miles of hiking trails. The origin of the name “Douthat” is from a land patent given to Robert Douthat from the Governor Robert Brooke. Part of this land makes up the park today. The best guess as to how to pronounce the name I found was “dow-thut”.

Like most state parks, you have to pay $3 on the weekends to enter. We went to the park office first to talk to someone about the two hikes we were contemplating – this one and Blue Suck Falls. The Blue Suck Falls hike is close to 10 miles, so we opted for the shorter hike on this particular day. Before we started, I wanted to check out two new programs that state parks are now offering. The Trail Quest Program is something created to replace the state park passport program. This program allows you to track the state parks you have visited online and there are some pins given as rewards based on how many you visit. I started the passport system a while ago, which I have enjoyed, but I think this program is also a great idea. The second opportunity is now all of the Virginia state parks are sponsoring geocaches. Each park has a multi-stage geocache that leads you to a wildlife card for each park. When you collect a number of these cards, you can also get some prizes.

View from the Trail — Most of the views along the hike were peeks through the trees. Below: Another glimpse through the trees; the stream along the Beards Gap Trail was made up of interesting terraced rocks; another view of Douthat Lake

Due to the tricky network of trails, I would recommend picking up a map at the park office. The hike up Beards Mountain starts to the right of the park office entrance by taking the blue-blazed Beard’s Gap Trail. This trail starts off relatively flat and crosses a creek a few times (it was dry when we crossed) before it starts an uphill climb with several switchbacks. While I normally don’t enjoy switchbacks, this trail was well planned and it really takes the difficulty out of the elevation gain. At 1.2 miles you will reach a trail junction and a hut that was created as an eagle scout project. Take a left on this trail to join the yellow-blazed Mountain Top Trail. At 1.7 miles, you will reach a junction of three trails. You will see the Buck Hollow Trail and the Mountain Side Trail to the left, but you will just head straight continuing on the yellow-blazed Mountain Top Trail for the toughest climb of the trip. At 1.8 miles, you will take a sharp right on a switchback and be able to see Douthat Lake below through the trees. There are better views ahead. The hike continues to climb up, leveling off around 2.0 miles, until you see a marker for the forest boundary around 2.5 miles. At the marker, you will take a left to stay on the yellow-blazed Mountain Top Trail. Around 2.7 miles, the trail begins to descend steeply. Around mile 3.1 the woods will open up to reveal a very nice view of Douthat Lake below. Around mile 3.4, as you are descending, you will come to another junction of trails. Take a left on to the Mountain Side Trail. This will continue be a fairly level trail that will eventually give you a third lower view of Douthat Lake around the 3.7 mile marker. After the view, you will have a slight ascent back up to the familiar junction with the Mountain Top Trail. At this junction, you will take a right down the blue-blazed Buck Hollow Trail. Around the 4.7 mile marker, you will see a branched path that is marked as an Overlook Trail. We did not go down that path this time, but it adds an extra .5 mile on to your trip. Around the 5.4 marker, you will reach a junction and take a left on the white-blazed Wilson Creek Trail and you will cross a small bridge. Shortly after rounding the corner, you will see a water tower that is on a gravel road. Just cross the road and stay on the white-blazed trail. The trail will eventually pass a few staff houses and a stone chimney around 6.9 miles. Just travel the last .1 miles to reach the park office and your vehicle.

While we felt the views weren’t exceptional, we did really enjoy this hike. We had a perfect hiking weather day with a cool breeze to keep from sweating profusely and to keep the bugs away. We definitely plan on returning to visit and explore this park some more. Most of the people that come here seem to come for fishing, picnics, and camping but I do think the trails we saw were very enjoyable. While it was a longer hike, it wasn’t too tough to handle if you’re in decent shape.

Christine Says…

Beards Mountain was an enjoyable hike for a blustery spring day. For a seven-mile hike, it was relatively easygoing. Most of the steep climbing was in the first third of the loop, which allowed for very pleasant downhill or level walking for the last two-thirds of the hike.

This was by far the windiest day I’ve ever been out in the woods – gusts were easily 45-50 mph. The wind was really roaring through the mountains, catching on all the newly leafy trees. Any time I looked up, I could see the treetops swaying and swirling dramatically above our heads. Every now and then, we would hear branches snap – but thankfully none fell close to the trail. It was nearly impossible to talk over the wind, so Adam and I hiked in silence most of the way.

Hiking Upward gave this trail a five-star rating for views, so I was really hoping there would be a pretty overlook to stop and eat our picnic lunch along the way. Unfortunately, all of the views were merely small openings in the trees along the trail. None of the viewpoints really had an off-the-trail space to sit and take in the view. We ended up eating lunch along the ridge of Beards Mountain, near the National Forest border marker. We love Hiking Upward, but have found that our opinions sometimes differ on what makes a five-star view. For me, a top rated view has to be panoramic, unobstructed, offer a deep view into the landscape beyond and have a nice place for a couple people to sit and enjoy the vista. The views on this hike were nice, but I wouldn’t give them top marks.

Snake Along the Trail — We saw so many reptiles along the hike. Below: The Visitor’s Center is both the start and end point of the hike.

The descent on this hike was long and followed a (usually) gentle grade. The one thing that made it tricky was the dryness/looseness of the soil and the narrowness of the trail. There were a couple spots along the Mountain Side Trail that had precipitous drops on the downhill side. For some stretches, the trail was only 12-18 inches wide – not even wide enough to use trekking poles. Every now and then, a rock would slip off the edge of the trail, and bounce endlessly down the steep mountainside. It made me think that someone could get hurt pretty badly if they took a wrong step. On these sections, I just kept my eyes straight ahead on the trail and my feet. If I looked downhill, I felt dizzy.

I think in early June, a lot of this loop hike will be extremely gorgeous! I noticed a lot of the trail was lined with mountain laurel. When it blooms in a few weeks, it should be amazing.

All in all, I was really impressed with Douthat State Park. The trail system there is pretty expansive and well-maintained. I’ll look forward to visiting the area again sometime.

Trail Notes

Distance – 7 miles loop
Elevation Change – around 1400 feet
Difficulty – 3. Some sections are tougher than others, but we still felt it was fairly challenging. The first couple of miles are the toughest.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trails were in decent shape, but some were a little overgrown and there were some areas affected by landslides that made for a narrow trail and careful footing.
Views – 3. The views are nice, but they are obstructed. You won’t find overlooks with expansive views on the trail, but you do see pretty mountainous scenery through the trees throughout your hike.
Waterfalls/streams – 1.5 There are some streams that might be really beautiful in times with lots of rain. The water was down to a trickle when we visited.
Wildlife – 2. We saw a couple of snakes on the trail, a few fence lizards, and some different bird species.
Ease to Navigate – 3. The trail is well-marked, but there are a lot of intersections and different trails to make this a loop.
Solitude – 3. We were surprised since it was a state park, but we only saw one hiker and a couple of mountain bikers on the trail.

Directions to trailhead: Take I-64 to exit 27 near Clifton Forge, VA heading north on state route 629. Continue on this road until you enter the park. Pay your fee at the gate and park at the park office just ahead on your right. The trail starts to the right of the park office entrance.

Trimble Mountain

May 7, 2010October 6, 2010Leave a comment

Trimble Mountain is a lovely, wooded trail through the North River Ranger District of George Washington National Forest. The hike begins near Todd Lake. It climbs the mountain, follows the ridge across two summits and then descends back to the start point.

A View of Trimble Mountain from the Todd Lake Dam. Below: Todd Lake has a nice campground with flush toilets and hot showers. The lake is open to swimmers.

Christine Says…

Well, this entry should have been part four in the Backpacking 101 series, but sadly my sprained ankle forced us to bail out on the trip. The weight of a pack on my sore ankle is still too painful. Fortunately, I was cleared to do some light day-hiking again. So, on Saturday morning, Adam and I headed out to George Washington National Forest.

Trimble Mountain fit the bill for a light and easy hike. The four-mile trail isn’t too rocky and follows a gentle grade both up and down the mountain. We parked along the road near Todd Lake. Before hitting the trail, we climbed up the backside of the dam and enjoyed the lake view. The top of the dam also provides a great look at Trimble Mountain. The sky was absolutely gorgeous – a real photographer’s dream. It was the prettiest I’ve ever seen Todd Lake look.

Shortly thereafter, we were on our way up the Trimble Mountain trail. Within a tenth of a mile, we reached a “Y” in the trail. We took the left branch, following Hiking Upward‘s advice that it was the gentler, more gradual grade. For about a mile and a quarter, we climbed steadily upward. It was never tough climbing, but it was consistent. The trail was really narrow and carved into the mountainside. A lot of places, one foot was always laterally uphill from the other, and there was barely room for placement of my trekking poles. It was also an unusually warm day for early May, so the bugs were out in full force.

Trimble Mountain actually has two summits with a saddle between. Once you gain the ridge, the terrain consists of both uphill and downhill hiking. There really aren’t any views to speak of at the summit. Every now and then, we could see glimpses of the mountains through the trees, but there was never a sweeping, panoramic view along this hike.

Wild Iris — There were so many different kinds of wildflowers growing along the trail.

The remainder of the hike went by quickly and was all downhill. I stopped many times along the way to photograph the abundant wildflowers on the forest floor. I also spotted a few little tree frogs. They were so tiny and fast that I had a hard time getting photos. They were the only wildlife we saw on the trail.

By the time we got back to the car, my ankle was quite sore again. The downhill walking really seems to strain it. I hope that little by little it will feel better and become stronger. Hopefully when it’s healed, we can make up that backpacking trip.

A tiny frog — This little frog was about the size of a fingernail.

Adam Says…

We had been to the Todd Lake area before of George Washington National Forest, but this was our first time hiking Trimble Mountain. Todd Lake receives a lot of campers and local visitors that want to enjoy swimming and basking. The Trimble Mountain trail that is nearby doesn’t seem to get a lot of traffic. We had the entire hike to ourselves on a beautiful day outside. The bugs helped us realize that the warm weather is here. One thing that is different about hiking national forest trails is that there isn’t a lot of maintenance to the trails. There were a couple of trees spread across the trail and the trail was becoming a little more overgrown in parts. We had heard that there were good views on this trail, but we were disappointed to find that most of the views are obstructed. The only views you will see is in break in the trees. The winter would probably lead to more views of the mountainside, but after the leaves fall this will look a lot more dull. We enjoyed getting out to hike and the wildflower variety was definitely a highlight of the trail.

One of the few openings in the trees that provided a view. Below: Trees blocked most of the view; the trail is marked with double yellow blazes.

There is one geocache on the trail and a few at the nearby Todd Lake area. The first you can find along this hiking trail. The other trail would involve hiking along the Todd Lake Trail which you can reach from the opposite side of the road from the Trimble Mountain trail. The Todd Lake Trail is a little less than a mile and takes you around the entire Todd Lake area. Since the day that we did the hike was the 10th Anniversary of geocaching, I felt I needed to do a couple of these to celebrate the hobby.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4 miles – loop
Elevation Change –around 1,050 feet
Difficulty – 2 This climb on this hike is about two miles, but is very moderate.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is narrow and little bit overgrown.
Views –1. There are some nice glimpses of the mountains through the trees, but nothing remarkable. Views might be nicer in the winter when trees are bare.
Waterfalls/streams –1. In times of heavy rain, you’ll find several small streams along the trail. Most of the year, these streams are dry.
Wildlife – 1. The national forest is used by hunters, so animals tend to stay hidden. We saw quite a few frogs and toads along the trail.
Ease to Navigate – 5. The trail is well-marked and easy to follow.
Solitude – 4. We didn’t see a soul.

Directions to trailhead: From Bridgewater, Virginia head south on Rte. 42 for about three miles, following signs to Natural Chimneys regional park. Take a right on 613 and in less than one mile, take a left on state route 747. Take a right .75 miles after Natural Chimneys to the intersection with 731. Take a right heading north. In about a mile, take a left on to State Route 730/North River Road. This comes to an end and take a right on to state route 718. In another mile, you will take a left on to Forest Road 95, entering George Washington National Forest (you will see signs directing you to Todd Lake). The trailhead is about 3.5 miles on the left. You can park on the side of the road right near a trailer dump station. The trailhead is on the opposite side. (There is a trail on the same side of the dump station that leads to the top of Todd Lake if you are interested.)

Kaylor Knob

April 27, 2010April 21, 20221 Comment

Kaylor Knob is a fairly easy 3.5 mile ridge hike offering nice (but slightly obstructed) views. The summit is the highest point on Second Mountain.

Adam Says…

For those that regularly follow our blog, you may know that Christine sprained her ankle badly during our hike up Buzzard Rock. While she was healing, we participated in a Backpacking 101 course through PATC. The workshop concludes with an overnight backpacking trip scheduled for the first weekend in May. We decided to test out the ankle with some extra weight to see if going on the backpacking trip would even be possible. So, we got our gear together and decided to do a short hike to Kaylor Knob after work last Friday.

While you can approach this summit from Cub Run, we decided to try the shorter approach, taking off from the overlook at Massanutten Resort. The hike starts across the road from the parking lot at the top of the overlook. We have hiked this trail several times to the first overlook where a geocache is hidden, but this was the first time that we took the hike to the summit.

Since the last time we did this hike, someone has improved the trail markings. You simply follow the blue-blazed trail along the way (some points also have blue signs marked with a “K.K.” and the mileage). At around .5 miles, you will come to a junction with another trail that is marked with pink blazes. Just stay to the right and continue on the blue-blazed trail. At .75 miles, you will come to a small rock outcropping that has a nice view to the west.

If you continue up the hill past this outcropping, you will continue to walk along the ridge. You will see views to the west and east through the trees that will open up at different spots. At 1.75 miles, you will come to the summit, which is marked with a larger outcropping and nice views toward Shenandoah National Park. After taking some time to enjoy the views head back the way you came.

I do think the views to the east are better than the views to the west on this hike. If you wanted to see a nice sunrise, you should get up early to make it to the summit by sunrise.

This is a great short hike to do if you’re visiting the Massanutten area.

Christine Says…

Adam and I have a backpacking trip coming up, so I needed to get out there and give the ankle a good test drive. Our original plan was to hike somewhere in Shenandoah on Saturday and then spend the night camping in our backyard. However, the weather took a turn for the worse, and we ended up just squeezing in a quick hike to Kaylor Knob on Friday evening. (we also skipped the tent in the backyard and slept in our nice, plush bed instead.)

I managed to load about 25 pounds of gear into our backpack for the “dress rehearsal”. My ankle felt completely fine for the entire hike – stable and painless. The pack was easy to carry and comfortable. It did make the hills a little tougher, but I still felt really good. I know our packs for the trip will be a little heavier, but this was still a decent test.

The Kaylor Knob hike is not particularly remarkable. It’s pretty and peaceful and has two nice viewpoints along the way. There are definitely more impressive trails in our area, but this one is a five minute drive from the house, so it was perfect for a quick after-work hike.

Note: If you have a couple days in the area, be sure to check out the Massanutten Ridge Trail!

Trail Notes

Distance – 3.5 miles out-and-back
(Check out the stats from Map My Hike)*
Elevation Change – about 450 feet
Difficulty –1.5 Most people should be able to do this.
Trail Conditions – 3. While the trail is used often, it contains lots of pointy rocks.
Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
Views – 2.5. Pretty, but not terribly open or panoramic.
Wildlife –1.5 There isn’t much room for wildlife on the top of this ridge. Expect to see birds of prey soaring in view as well as many of the local birds in the thickets.
Ease to Navigate –4.5. If you stay on the blue-blazes, you’ll be fine.
Solitude –3. You may see some people due to its popularity with vacationers, but you should still have mostly solitude.

Download a trail map (PDF)

Directions to trailhead: From Harrisonburg, head east on US 33 for about 10 miles. Turn left at the Exxon on the left and head on SR 644, Resort Drive. Follow this road and take a left on Massanutten Drive. You will reach a guard house. Let the guard know that you are here to hike and they will give you a guest pass. After about 3 miles, take a right on Del Webb Drive. Follow Del Webb Drive for about two miles until you begin to drive up to the ridge, where there is a parking lot on the left. After you park here, cross the road. At the end of the guard rail you will begin the Kaylor Knob trail.

Buzzard Rock

April 4, 2010August 26, 20157 Comments

This 4 mile out-and-back hike takes you to a ridge walk with views of Fort Valley below.

Adam on Buzzard Rock — From Buzzard Rock, you get a great view of Passage Creek and Fort Valley below. Below: The view below from this vantage point; Scrabbly pines are the predominant tree at the summit

Adam Says…

This was the first time that we had done this hike. The hike seems to be very popular for people from nearby Front Royal, Winchester and Northern Virginia. It is not too difficult of a hike, which makes it a great hikes for families and newbie hikers.

You start the trail from the parking lot and you’ll follow the double white blazes for the entire trip. You begin walking through a piney area that will smell nice if the area has been warmed up in the spring/summer sun. The trail has some hills to go up and down and a few small streams to cross. Around 1.0 miles, you will arrive at a frequently-used campsite. Just cross the campsite and continue up the trail for about another .75 miles until you reach the first overlook. You will continue up the hill to reach the ridgeline. Continue to hike across the ridge to take in the views from different angles. Once you feel that you have seen all that you would like, you can return the way you came.

Trail Sign — The trail is well-marked and connects to other local GWNF trails. Below: Lots of stuff along the trail is in bloom now; the rocks at the top are covered in lichen.

For any of those people that are interested in geocaching, you can grab three easy ones along the trail. All of them are normal-sized containers and have some things to trade. One of these was placed by our inspiration for a lot of hikes, Hiking Upward.

Unfortunately, this trip was marred for us since my wife sprained her ankle very badly at the top of the ridge. She somehow managed to hike back down under her own power despite my offerings to carry her down – quite a trooper! We definitely will do this hike another time.

Christine Says…

Buzzard Rock was a beautiful hike for a beautiful spring day. The summit offers a great scenic payoff with minimal effort. The elevation gain of 650 feet is very gradual with the exception of one very short, steep climb to the ridgeline.

The early part of the hike passes close to civilization, so the sound of cars and glimpses of houses are always in sight. However, within a half a mile, the trail leads away from everything and passes through a pretty stretch of open woods with very little undergrowth. In early spring, the forest floor is covered with tiny wildflowers peeking out from under the brown leaves. The view from the trail eventually opens up and provides a nice view of the Front Royal Fish Hatchery and the surrounding valley below.

View of the Valley Below — The view of the valley below is beautiful! Below: The Front Royal Fish Hatchery; A view of the Buzzard Rock “spine”

From this point on the trail is extremely uneven and rocky – big slabs of stone, angle up out of the ground like jagged teeth… more about that later. The view from the top is not as dramatic as other Virginia hikes, mostly because you can’t see many distant layers of ridges. What you do see is a deep, narrow valley below with Fort Valley Road and Passage Creek winding their way through. Because of all the recent rain, we could hear creek’s roar even hundreds of feet above.

We enjoyed the view, had some trail mix and then headed back down the mountain. I stopped along to way to photograph some flowering trees. When I turned to rejoin Adam, I moved a bit too hastily and carelessly. The toe of my boot got caught between two of the “jagged teeth” on the ridge. My toe stopped dead, but my ankle kept moving. It completely rolled to the side, resulting in a bad Grade 2 ankle sprain.

Parking Lot — I was extremely glad to get back to parking lot so I could stop walking on my injured ankle. Below: My bruised and deformed ankle.

My ankle immediately started to bruise and swell, but I had no choice but to hike myself out. Adam found a makeshift walking stick in the woods, and that helped offset weight on my injured foot. Nonetheless, it was a long two miles back down to the car. I’ll be off the trails for several weeks to come while my ankle heals and rehabs. I’m hoping it won’t take as long as the doctor predicted. I hate to waste three (or more) weeks of this fantastic spring hiking weather.

Wookie Says…

This was a great first hike of the year for me! It wasn’t very steep, and I love to scramble on rocks. What I liked less were all the small stream crossings on this trail. I hate to get my paws wet and muddy, but that’s exactly what I ended up doing on this hike. I actually acted quite brave, and on the return trip I crossed all the streams with confidence. Maybe I’ll be a water loving dog yet!

Wookie on the Trail — Wookie had a great time on the hike.

I really enjoyed the breezy overlook atop Buzzard Rock. I liked sniffing the air and feeling the sun on my back. I even got to enjoy a few graham crackers from my masters’ trail mix. I also got some water from my portable dog dish.

It was a great day, but I have a feeling I’m getting a bath when I get home.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4 miles – out-and-back
Elevation Change –around 650 feet
Difficulty – 2 This trail isn’t too steep and most people should be able to make it up to the top.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is in decent shape. There are some muddy spots and a lot of jagged rocks on the ridge.
Views –3.5. There are great views along the entire ridge. We would have liked it better if we couldn’t see a road below.
Waterfalls/streams –1. There are a few rock-hops across some streams, but nothing photo-worthy.
Wildlife – 1. This is a better bird-watching trip than a trip for spotting any mammals. We were glad we saw a buzzard at the top since it is their rock.
Ease to Navigate – 4.5. The trail is well-marked with a white double blaze.
Solitude – 2 . This is a popular trail for local families and also rock climbers.

Directions to trailhead: From I-66, take 340 South Exit. Take a right on 55 – Strasburg Road. Take a left onto 678 – Fort Valley Road. Take a left onto Mountain Rd., Route 619, towards fish hatchery. Parking lot is on the right-hand side. If you are arriving from the south, go up 340 (following directions for Front Royal Airport) until you reach 619-Rivermont Drive. After a few miles, Rivermont Drive becomes Mountain Rd (At sharp right bend ~1/2 mile past Fire Dept.). Parking lot is on the left-hand side just past Massanutten Farms Rd. If you reach the fish hatchery or Fort Valley Road you have gone too far.

Mount Pleasant

April 2, 2010February 26, 201714 Comments

This 5.4 mile loop hike takes you to the beautiful double summit of Mount Pleasant, across Pompey Mountain and then back down to your car.

NOTE (2/26/17): A recent hiker reported that the fall forest fire in this area did severe damage to this trail system. He reports that many of the blazes have been destroyed and the trail is hard to follow.

West Overlook - Mt Pleasant — Adam enjoys the vista from the west summit of Mount Pleasant. Below: Moss was still the only greenery along the trail. Leaves are still a few weeks away; The sign at the trailhead marks the loop at 5.2 miles. Our GPS marked it at 5.75, so we’ll split the difference in mileage for this blog post.

Christine Says…

When we hiked the Cole Mountain trail last fall, we made a mental note to return to the area sometime to do the Mount Pleasant hike. We’re so glad we did. The hike up Mount Pleasant provides gorgeous views from both its east and west summits. We had a crystal clear day and could see for miles in every direction.

We started out on our hike a couple hours later than we normally do. The delayed start turned out to be quite fortuitous. As we drove down Wiggins Spring Rd toward the trailhead, we saw 15-20 cars parked near the AT crossing and Cole Mountain trail. We assumed that they were a group camping and hiking on the Cole Mountain trail and were thankful not to sharing trail with such a large crowd. A little further down the road, the Mount Pleasant parking lot was empty with the exception of one frost-covered car that had obviously been left there overnight.

We started down the trail. It was icy and muddy, but pleasantly flat for the first mile. After we crossed a small stream, the upward climb began in earnest. It wasn’t terribly difficult or steep climbing, but it was constant for the rest of the way to the summit. Much of the trail was wet/soupy and covered with a thick layer of leaves. There were several places that the trail was tough to follow, but I imagine that once more hikers pass this way, the trail will become clear again.

The Dreaded Youth Group — These could be the poster children for the defiance of Leave No Trace principles. This was just a portion of the group we encountered.

At around the 1.5 mile mark, we started hearing distant voices in the woods – lots of distant voices. I looked at Adam and said “I don’t think all those people are on Cole Mountain after all.” At 1.9 miles we came to a trail junction being used as a rendezvous point for about 30 kids on a church youth group trip. I have never heard people being so loud in the woods. One group of three boys thought it was hilarious to repeatedly scream “NINKOMPOOP” at the top of their lungs as they headed down the trail.

After we cut through the crowd, we took a right turn and followed the spur trail up to the mountain top. On the way up, we passed about 20 more hikers from the same youth group. As I mentioned earlier, it was lucky we started our hike late, or else we might have been sharing the beautiful mountaintop with 50 shrieking kids. As it turned out, we had the view all to ourselves.

At the summit, there was a small sign with arrows pointing to the east summit and the west summit. We headed west first. The west summit is on a dramatic outcropping of rocks. It provides an expansive, layered mountain vista, including a great look at the bald summit of Cole Mountain. The east summit is also lovely, albeit a little less dramatic. The view is mostly valley and farmland.

We stayed at both summits longer than we normally would. We wanted to put some time and distance between ourselves and the youth group. We took in the view, had a snack and a drink and took a few photos.

The hike back down from the summit brings you back to the trail junction, where instead of turning left to hike back down the way you came up, you continue straight on the Henry Lanum Loop Trail. This trail will almost immediately begin to climb upward again – over the summit of Pompey Mountain. There are no views from this mountain. After reaching the peak of Pompey, there is a short, but steep downhill. The trail from this point on is a mix of uphill and downhill walking until you’re eventually returned to your car. On this loop, you definitely spend more time hiking uphill than you do hiking downhill. If you want less climbing, I recommend hiking this as an out-and-back. It won’t make the hike much shorter, but will significantly cut down on the climbing.

Adam Says…

Mountain Layers — The summit provides a beautiful view of distant mountains. Below: A telephoto shot of the Cole Mountain summit from the west side of Mt. Pleasant; The eastern summit is beautiful, albeit a bit less dramatic.

The hike up Mount Pleasant is one of the better hikes for views in Virginia. If you have a few days to spend in this area, I would also recommend doing this and the Cole/Cold Mountain hike. This area has some gorgeous mountains around you and the reason for the town nearby to be named Buena Vista. When you combine both views from the two overlooks at Mount Pleasant, you get nearly a full view of the area around you.

The hike was not too difficult. I would recommend that if just want to see the views, complete this hike as an out-and-back hike. When we did this hike as a loop, we added on the trip up Pompey Mountain, but there are not any scenic views or much of note on the way back.

One interesting note about this trail is that you may see some remnants of fallen American chestnut trees throughout your hike. They once covered this area until a fungal blight wiped out their population. It is interesting to think how different these views would have looked in a canopy of chestnuts.

To know which way to start the hike can be a little tricky. There are lots of paths away from the parking lot, including two blue-blazed trails marking the Henry Lanum Trail. You will start the hike at the blue-blazed trail that starts off very flat. The other blue-blazed trail looks clearly uphill and is the path that you will return. We felt this trail was a little hard to follow at times and could have used a few more blue blazes painted. There were times we were unsure if we were still on the correct trail.

The trail starts off relatively flat or going downhill for about the first 1.5 miles. Around 1.3 miles, you see a wooden sign that reads “Trail”, but other than that it is fairly easy to follow. Keep following the blue blazes and you will eventually need to cross a couple of areas that may include small streams. We didn’t have any trouble hopping across and I’m guessing that most of the year, it is relatively dry. After you cross the stream, the trail will lead to the climb up to the summit. Around 2.0 miles you will reach a junction sign that shows the Mount Pleasant Summit Spur Trail to the right. This summit trail continues for about .4 miles until you reach the saddle. A sign at the junction here shows there are overlooks to the West and East. The western summit takes about .1 mile to reach and you will need to climb up the rock outcropping for the great views. The eastern summit is closer and doesn’t require any climbing, but we were both more impressed with the views from the western summit. Once you take some time to soak in the views, go back the way you came to reach the junction sign for the Summit Spur Trail. If you want to continue the loop back to your car, you will continue straight on the Henry Lanum Trail. This leads you through the forest for some more uphill climbs over Pompey Mountain. From the junction sign, it is about 1.9 miles back to your vehicle.

Luckily, we were able to avoid the crowds of screaming teenagers that clearly don’t understand Leave No Trace principles. Once more of the leaves start spreading their leaves, the summit overlooks will give you absolutely amazing views.

Trail Notes

Distance – 5.4 miles – loop.
Elevation Change –1350 feet.
Difficulty – 3.5 This loop has long, moderate uphills and shorter, steeper downhills. It’s one of those trails that makes you feel like you’re always walking uphill.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is in decent shape. There was a lot of mud when we hiked.
Views –5. The east/west double summit of Mount Pleasant is magnificent
Waterfalls/streams –1. There is a small stream in the woods on the departing arm of the loop.
Wildlife – 0. Nothing, but doubtlessly the large church group scared any wildlife away. We did see lots of juncos along the trail.
Ease to Navigate – 2.5. In several spots, the trail was hard to find under thick leaves and blowdowns. Some blazes are starting to wear away and it might be easy to miss turns. I think ease of navigation will improve as spring/summer approach and hikers wear the path down.
Solitude – 3 . For today, we had a 0 for solitude, but we just had a bit of poor timing. Being the namesake hike for this area, you will likely run into some other people on the hike.

Directions to trailhead:
Follow I-81 to Buena Vista (exit 188A). After passing through the town of Buena Vista, follow US60/Midland Trail for 9.5 miles. Take a left on Coffeytown Rd. Follow Coffeytown for just under two miles. Take a right on Wiggins Spring Rd. Follow Wiggins Spring for 3 miles. This road will turn to a rugged gravel road. Follow the signs for the Mt. Pleasant trailhead. There is a small parking lot at the trailhead.

Virginia Creeper – Whitetop to Damascus

October 20, 2009August 26, 201522 Comments

The Virginia Creeper Trail is a picturesque rails-to-trails path that winds its way for thirty-four miles through the Mount Rogers recreational area. The trail starts in Whitetop and ends in Abingdon, with Damascus sitting right in the middle. The area caters to bikers, offering plenty of opportunities for shuttles, bike rentals and food along the way.

Adam crosses one of the many old railroad trestles along the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Adam Says…

The Virginia Creeper Trail is something we’ve wanted to do for years. It is very well known in the biking world as being one of the best rails-to-trails in the east.

The origin and history of the name has to do largely with the train that used to ride this route. The train was called the Virginia Creeper due to the slow churning of the train. The trail was also partly named in honor of the native vine that you will normally see turning crimson as an early sign of fall. The train ran its last trip in 1977 and it was converted and opened as a multi-use trail in 1984.

The Virginia Creeper is a beautiful trail that passes through the woods, often alongside a rushing stream.

We were expecting rain that day and wanted to hit the trail as early as we could. We arranged for a shuttle to take us to Whitetop Station to begin our trip. We recommend the Virginia Creeper Trail Bike Shop. They are located in Abingdon and run a shuttle to Whitetop and will even pick you up in Damascus if you are thinking about only doing half of the trail. After we were dropped off, we decided to not lollygag, since the rain was imminent. We got through the first couple of miles of the trip with only a few errant raindrops, before the heavier rain started.

Despite the rain, we really enjoyed the beauty of the trail. There are 47 trestles and bridges that pass over the Green Cove Creek and the Whitetop Laurel Creek. You get gorgeous views of the rushing water in the creeks; pass by quaint, country farms; and canopy forests. We picked a perfect weekend to do this trip to see the beautiful fall foliage. The trail is shared by bikers, walkers, runners, horses, and even an occasional dog sledder in the winter.

Here are a few highlights along the way. There are also several information signs along the way that provide valuable insight into the history and nature of the area. You will see mile markers along the way to help point the way.

Mile 34 – The Whitetop Station to park your car. Bathrooms are available. Highest point on the trail at 3576 ft.
Mile 30.5 – Green Cove Station sells a lot of essentials and souvenirs. Bathrooms are also available.
Mile 27 – Creek Junction – Parking and Bathrooms are available. 563 foot trestle.
Mile 23 – Taylor’s Valley – Parking available. Daniel Boone campsite.
Mile 20.7 – Straight Branch – Parking and Bathrooms are available.
Mile 20 – Whitetop Laurel Falls – when you see a large overhanging rock, the falls are down a small path on the right side of the trail.
Mile 16 – Arrive at the town of Damascus. Railroad exhibit is available.

There are so many beautiful farm and stream scenes along the trail. The huge Christmas Tree farms along the way are lovely. Pictured Below: The trail follows a rushing stream with many small waterfalls; The fall color was spectacular in Mid-October.

For those that are interested in geocaching, there are a ton on this trail.

We definitely plan on coming back in the spring and tackle this another time. The rain got us fairly wet and also covered us with “Creeper Streak” – the streak created on your back from the wet dirt being kicked up from our back tire. We decided to stop after the halfway point and catch the shuttle back to our car. While the rain was annoying and kept us from relaxing and enjoying the trail as much as we wanted, we still felt the scenery around us made up for it.

Christine Says…

I woke up early the morning of our Virginia Creeper bike ride, peeked out the hotel window and started silently chanting the mantra “please don’t rain, please don’t rain, please don’t rain”. The sky was that heavy gunmetal gray that promises rain is coming sooner rather than later. It wasn’t supposed to start raining until the evening, but I was fairly certain that we were going to be in for a soggy bike ride.

Nevertheless, I donned my new padded bike pants and a fleece top and headed over to the bike shop to catch our shuttle ride out to Whitetop Station. The shuttle services for the Creeper Trail are a great idea, as they let bikers enjoy the whole trail without making a return trip over repeat scenery to get back to your car. I think most people just bike half the trail – Whitetop to Damascus, but we were really hoping to do the full 34 miles back to Abingdon.

The van ride out to the trail’s end was pretty long – about an hour along winding mountain roads. The driver shared lots of trail trivia and helpful tips to kill the time. Some of the things he shared:

Celebrities like to bike the Virginia Creeper (Clint Black, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, some NASCAR driver I don’t remember). Apparently, Brad Pitt even has a home near Whitetop and has been spotted fishing the area’s rivers. (although I can’t find any evidence to corroborate this as fact)
Most of the accidents (75%) along the trail happen to males between the ages of 13 and 21. Boys on bikes are reckless, I suppose.
It’s a very bad idea to slam on your brakes when crossing wet railroad trestles. You WILL wipe out. I can vouch that this tip is quite true. We saw the same poor woman wipe out on two separate occasions – both times she was on a wet trestle.
The trail is probably the only 34 mile bike ride that you’ll actually gain weight on. There are snack shops, coffee house, bakeries, ice cream parlors and full service restaurants all up and down the trail.

The trestle supports are very picturesque/ — The trestles along the trail are very picturesque. Pictured Below: We were lucky enough to bike the trail during the peak of fall color; The trail is a multiuse trail and is also used by pedestrians and equestrians.

On the ride out, the sky started spitting a bit of rain. It had stopped again by the time we were dropped off at Whitetop Station. We kept our fingers that it would continue to hold off. Adam and I don’t like biking or hiking in crowds, so as soon as we got our bikes off the trailer, we raced off to get a jump start on the crowd of bikers arriving at the trailhead. Our driver told us that on nice weekend days, the trail might see upwards of 2400 riders. Area bike shops have 1800 bikes available, and frequently sell out of rentals. I was a bit surprised that more people rent bikes than bring their own. Maybe most people don’t own bikes these days.

The trail was gorgeous – a leaf-covered pathway under an endless tunnel of fall-colored trees. Every now and then, we’d pass an opening that provided a view of the mountains or one of the area’s many vast Christmas tree farms. Around Green Cove Station the rain started in earnest, and never let up again. I had to put my camera in a trashbag I had packed in my bike rack. There were so many scenes along the way that deserved to be photographed with care. Sadly, with the rain, all I was able to do was take a few quick snapshots.

Even in the rain, the ride was incredibly beautiful. I loved crossing the old railroad trestles and riding alongside the rushing streams. We biked the entire stretch from Whitetop to Damascus in about ninety minutes. I would have loved to take more time to enjoy the scenery, but it was cold, wet and windy. I started thinking less about scenery, and more about a mug of hot chocolate and a steaming cup of soup.

In short order, we arrived in Damascus. We decided to try lunch at one of the places our shuttle driver had pointed out. He had mentioned that In the Country and Fattie’s Diner were both really good. I saw “Hot Soup” on In the Country’s sign, and I was sold.

The trail offers many charming places to stop for a delicious lunch or snack. Pictured Below: We had a fantastic lunch at “In the Country”; The only red train car along the trail is located in Damascus.

The staff at the restaurant was so friendly and welcoming. They didn’t even flinch when we walked in through their front door, soaking wet – covered with mud and trail grit. My ponytail felt like I’d dipped it in wet concrete and my legs were coated with black sludge from my ankles to my knees. Adam even had mud splashed up and down his cheeks. They invited us to eat inside in the warmth, but I felt too guilty about my filthiness and chose a picnic table under their covered porch.

Adam and I both got their boxed lunches which included a sandwich, side, drink and dessert. I chose their potato soup as my side. It totally hit the spot. Lunch was washed down with hot chocolate and followed up with delicious homemade pumpkin squares. We sat on the porch after lunch, watching others from our shuttle group pass by on their way to the pick-up point. I think most bikers take about two and a half hours to bike the Whitetop to Damascus section.

The rain was still falling steadily, and although we wanted badly to see the rest of the trail, we decided to call the bike shop and let them know we’d be joining the shuttle in Damascus. We met up with everyone at the red train car in the middle of Damascus. Everybody looked cold, dirty and tired. The heated shuttle van was such a welcome sight.

It was a real disappointment to miss the second half of the trail, but it’s also a great motivator for us to make a return trip to the area in the spring. I’ve heard the rhododendron and mountain laurel bloom along the Creeper is amazing!

Trail Notes

Distance – 18 miles for this segment
Elevation Change – From Whitetop to Damascus, you lose 1646 feet in elevation
Difficulty – 1.5. You hardly have to pedal at all on this stretch of trail, so it is suitable for bikers of all fitness and skill levels
Trail Conditions – 3.5. The trail is in good shape. There are some errant holes and jutting rocks to watch out for. Entrances and exits from the trestles can be jarring if you’re going moderately fast.
Views – 3. While the views aren’t high and lofty, they are still beautiful and showcase Virginia’s most picturesque scenery.
Waterfalls/streams -4. The two streams that flow along the trail are gorgeous and include many small waterfalls.
Wildlife – 1. We didn’t see anything, but our shuttle driver told us people regularly spot deer and the occasional bear.
Ease to Navigate – 5. The trail is very simple to follow.
Solitude – 0. People love the Creeper! On nice days in the spring, summer and fall, the trail can see over 2000 bikers in a single day.

Directions to trailhead:

We recommend hiring a shuttle service in either Abingdon or Damascus. For a reasonable fee, they will drive you and your bikes to White Top Station. This lets you enjoy the entire trail without having to backtrack on the return trip to your car.

Mount Rogers

October 17, 2009August 25, 201555 Comments

The summit of Mount Rogers, Virginia’s highest peak, can be reached via a nine mile (total, out-and-back) hike starting from Grayson Highlands State Park. The hike follows the Appalachian Trail for most of the way and crosses into Jefferson National Forest.

Mt. Rogers is beautiful, rugged and home to several herds of wild ponies. — Mount Rogers has beautiful and rugged terrain. The area is home to several herds of wild ponies.

Christine Says…

Mount Rogers has long been on my list of must-do hikes. The peak’s status as the state’s highest point was one draw, but personally, I wanted a chance to see the feral highland ponies that roam the area.

Our trip started under rather inauspicious conditions. We missed a turn on our way to the park, and ended up an hour out of the way. The weather had been forecast to be sunny, but the morning dawned with a thick, wet, windy cloud of bleakness blanketing the entire area. But when you have driven almost four hours to do a long-anticipated hike, you’re going to do it regardless of minor complications like gloominess and getting lost.

The trail starts out from Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands State Park.

We parked at Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands State Park. From there, we walked across a wide pasture, passed a sign warning of extremely erratic weather in the area and went through a horse gate. The trail climbed upward along a wide, gravel path.

We almost immediately saw our first small group of wild ponies, clustered under the trees on a hillside next to the trail. The fog was so thick; they looked like silhouettes in the mist. I quickly got my camera out and started snapping shots. The ponies were so small and rugged looking. Their coats were thick and their manes long and wavy. Some were solid colored and some were spotted. They also turned out to be incredibly inquisitive and gentle. While I was squatting down to take photos, a dark brown pony walked up to me and nuzzled her soft nose onto the back of my hand. I know she was looking for food, but I had nothing to offer. We lingered with the ponies for a while, and then moved on.

(note: The park rules prohibit feeding the ponies.)

The ponies are very friendly. They come right up to you, especially if they think you have food. Although it may look like Adam is feeding the pony, he’s actually just unzipping his backpack. Pictured Below: More ponies; State park rules!

We soon reached the junction with the Appalachian Trail, followed the white blazes and headed south. The fog was such a transformative element on the morning of our hike. Instead of the amazing mountain views we’d heard about, the thick mist made the scenery feel closer and more intimate. I told Adam several times that I didn’t feel like I was in Virginia at all. I felt like I was walking through some storybook version of the Scottish Highlands. It was so quiet and mysterious-feeling – no people, no tall trees rustling in the wind, no birds chirping. The terrain was open, studded with rocks and covered with scrubby low-lying brush.

The Wilburn Rock scramble was slippery, but fun.

The Appalachian Trail exits Grayson Highlands State Park at around the 1.5 mile mark. The trail becomes increasingly rugged and rocky at this point. There are a couple route options for the middle section of the trail. Hikers can continue along the AT, or choose to branch off on the Wilburn Ridge Trail for a short rock scramble (and nice views on a clear day). We chose to scramble. In retrospect, we probably should have stuck to the AT. The boulders on Wilburn Ridge were quite slippery. After we finished scrambling, we passed through a thick tunnel of rhododendron that spilled us back out into another open pasture area.

When we rejoined the AT, we started to see signs of the sun burning through the cloud layer. We soon reached a horse camp next to an enormous rock outcropping . When we climbed to the top of the rocks, we both gasped in awe at the view. The valley below us had been mostly cleared of clouds and fog, and a blanket of fall color spread out before us, as far as the eye could see. Only a few wisps of mist were left hanging on the ridges below. We sat on the rocks and took a break from walking. A couple backpackers passed below, and we overheard them talking about hearing coyotes howling in the night before. Instead of coyotes, we heard the distant squeal of ponies whinnying ahead on the trail.

We got our first view with clearning clouds atop a huge rocky outcropping. — We got our first clear view from atop a huge rocky outcropping. Pictured Below: fog and clouds lift off the colorful mountainside; the ferns along the trail were turning gold; one of the pony stallions we saw along the way.

After a short break atop the rocks, we continued along, passing through another thicket of rhododendron. The area was completely shaded and nearly ankle deep in mud. My trekking poles came in very handy traversing the sloppy footing. This section of the trail runs almost parallel to the Mount Rogers horse trail. There are many beautiful backcountry campgrounds nestled into the trees along this stretch. We saw about a dozen more wild ponies near the campsites, including a couple stallions.

This gorgeous gray was hanging out near the campsites. Pictured Below: More ponies – they are everywhere along the trail through Rhododendron Gap.

By this point in the hike, all the fog and clouds had blown off the mountain, giving us a great look at the gentle rolling terrain and spectacular open views. You can’t help but feel like you’re on top of the world walking along this ridge. The fall color was amazing! We stopped for lunch at the Thomas Knob Appalachian Trail hut. We shared the picnic table with several groups of day hikers and backpackers. We read the logbook, stretched a bit and then made our final push for the summit.

The spur to the summit departs the AT and heads into a dense, rainforest-like grove of spruce-fir trees. It was damp and green and draped with moss. It reminded Adam and I of the forests in the Pacific Northwest. The summit of Mt. Rogers is rather anticlimactic after passing by so many sweeping panoramic views and rocky pinnacles. The marker lays set in stone, tucked into a shady spot in the woods. There is no view to speak of, just a quiet little spot under the trees.

We only stayed at the summit for a few minutes, as there were quite a few people there. We hiked the return trip to Massie Gap fairly quickly, stopping briefly along the way to admire ponies and take in views that had been obscured by fog earlier in the day. The hike almost felt like a loop because the weather changed so dramatically between the hike up and the hike down. My final treat along the hike came less than a mile from the end, when a young foal came bounding out of the brush, nickering loudly for his mother. The foal was absolutely adorable. I wanted to pack him up and take him home with me! (Incidentally, the wild ponies are periodically rounded up and sold to keep the herd at a sustainable size. Although, I don’t think our property owners association would appreciate me bringing a miniature horse home, so I’ll just have to keep the pony ownership idea in the realm of fantasy for now.)

We had beautiful autumn views hiking back down Mt. Rogers — We had beautiful autumn views hiking back down Mount Rogers. Pictured Below: A foal is curious; View from the trail on our return.

We got back to our car, tired and happy. The entire hike took around six hours – even with lots of breaks and dawdling along the way. For its nine mile length, it’s a surprisingly easy hike.

I really can’t fully put into words how much I loved this hike. I went to sleep that night dreaming of wild ponies and gorgeous fall views. I know I’ll revisit Mt. Rogers often in my mind until I have a chance to hike it again.

Adam Says…

We had such a great hike up Mount Rogers! A co-worker that had previously hiked the mountain had described the scenery as God’s country and I couldn’t agree more. While walking across the highlands, you can’t help but feel reflective about the beauty before you. The land around you is vast and I guarantee you will be humbled by the nature.

The trail along the top of Mt. Rogers is surprisingly level.

Mount Rogers was originally named Balsam Mountain, but the name was changed to honor Virginia’s first state geologist and first president of MIT, William B. Rogers. With the peak being the highest in Virginia at 5,729 feet, this is quite an honor.

One thing that does make this a special hike is the ponies. Another co-worker of mine didn’t believe that there were wild ponies here (even with photographic evidence). The ponies were originally placed here by the park service in 1974, but are currently maintained by the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association. The ponies help protect the area from wildfires by eating grasses and underbrush. The Wilburn Ridge Pony Association takes care of their veterinary needs and provides supplements of salt and hay in winter months. There are close to 150 ponies, that are separated into three herds – some are in Grayson Highlands State Park, more are in the Scales area of Pine Mountain, and the most are near Rhododendron Gap on the Mount Rogers trail. The proceeds from the sale of the ponies at the end of September supports the vet and winter feed costs.

Adam points out the only sign of humans he can see for miles from Mt. Rogers. Picture Below: a pair of palominos; beautiful clouds and blue skies over the rocky vista.

The geology of Mount Rogers provides an interesting tale of how things were formed over the years. Geologists will be able to see evidence of gneiss, sandstone, rhyolite, and shale on their hike along the trail.

For people that like a little more direction for the route that we took, here are some points of interest along the way:

Cross the field at the Massie Gap parking lot and go through the gate to start the trail.
You will now be on the Rhododendron Trail for .8 mile until it intersects the Virginia Highlands Connector Trail. Take a left on this trail for just .2 miles.
When you reach the junction with the Appalachian trail, head south. You will shortly leave Grayson Highlands State Park and enter Mount Rogers National Recreation Area through a gate – continue straight on the AT at this point. After another .25 mile, you will have the option to stay straight on the Appalachian Trail or turn left and proceed on the Wilburn Ridge Trail. The distance is about 1 mile either way. The Wilburn Ridge Trail does join back to the AT. It is a tougher rock scramble, but I would recommend doing it on the way up rather than the way down.
Once you are back on the AT, proceed for another mile until you reach a junction of trails. This area is known as Rhododendron Gap and comes to an elevation of 5526 feet. At this junction, there is a large pinnacle rock. Climbing up the rock will give you gorgeous panoramic views that are a must-see of the hike. This area joins the AT with the Pine Mountain Trail and Crest Trail. Once you enjoy the view, make sure you follow the white blazes to stay on the AT.
You will then proceed on the AT for about 1.5 miles, walking through the bald area known as the Crest Zone, until you reach the Thomas Knob Shelter, protected by gates on both sides. This is a great place to grab a snack. There are also great views behind the cabin. This cabin sleeps plenty, since there is a ladder that goes to a second floor, allowing a little light through two small windows on the side.
Once you leave the shelter through the gate, you will be entering Lewis Fork Wilderness. Shortly after this point, to reach the summit you will need to leave the AT and proceed to the summit by taking the Mount Rogers Spur Trail for .5 mile straight ahead. The summit is marked by a simple USGS benchmark in the stone. There are two within 100 feet of each other, so make sure you find the correct one for any of you peakbaggers.

The Summit of Mt. Rogers resembles a rainforest. Pictured Below: the Thomas Knob Appalachian Trail Shelter; Adam on the summit.

Overall, the trail was really quite manageable for a 9-mile hike. The terrain is very nice in some points walking across flat lands, but there are some rocky parts, especially around the Wilburn Ridge Trail. My back and feet were in pain from having too much weight on my pack, but my muscles didn’t feel sore at all the next day.

There are just a few geocaches that you can find along the way. A couple of them are earthcaches, which do not have you finding a physical cache, but it teaches you about the geology of the area.

Christine told me that this hike has been her favorite ever. While there are a lot of contenders for me, this would definitely be a strong candidate for me as well. I feel that anyone interested in hiking in Virginia should make this a trail you must do. It is a day you will remember forever.

Trail Notes

Distance – 9 miles the way we went making a partial loop in the middle with the Wilburn Ridge Trail.
Elevation Change –About 1100 feet
Difficulty – 4. The actual trail wasn’t too tough, but due to the length we upped the difficulty. The Wilburn Ridge Trail does include a few rock scrambles, but is also manageable for most people that are the slightest bit nimble.
Trail Conditions – 3.5 The trail is well-maintained and traveled. There are muddy spots, especially through the Mount Rogers Spur Trail. The hike on the AT and Wilburn Ridge before the Rhododendron Gap area is quite rocky, causing you to watch your feet.
Views –5. Great views walking along the trail in all directions. The views from Rhododendron Gap are especially beautiful.
Waterfalls/streams –0. Non-existent.
Wildlife – 5. It doesn’t get much better than wild ponies. Bears and coyotes have been spotted also. Lots of bird-watching available also.
Ease to Navigate – 3. It is easy to get a little confused at Rhododendron Gap, but overall things are very well-maintained. Make sure you grab a map to have a backup plan.
Solitude – 2. You will get good spacing due to the length, but you will see other people due to the backpackers, AT hikers, and day visitors. It is the highest summit, which is going to draw crowds, especially at the shelter and summit.

Directions to trailhead:
From Abingdon, take 58 East until you reachGrayson Highlands State Park on the left through SR 362. Continue for three miles to reach the Massie Gap parking area. The start of the trail at the gate is across the field to the north.

Molly’s Knob

October 12, 2009August 26, 20153 Comments

Molly’s Knob is the best known hike in Hungry Mother State Park. On a clear day, views of Mount Rogers can be seen from the summit.

Adam takes a look at Molly's Knob from the viewing platform lower on the trail. — Adam takes a look at Molly’s Knob from the viewing platform lower on the trail.

Adam Says

On our way down to Abingdon for a weekend of hiking and biking in the Highlands, we decided to stop by Hungry Mother State Park. There is an interesting legend surrounding the origin of the park’s name. Native Americans destroyed many settlements south of this park on the New River. Molly Marley and her child survived the raid and were taken captive. Eventually they escaped the raiders. They wandered through the wilderness until Molly finally collapsed. Her child wandered away, hungry and alone. Eventually the child was found by residents of a small settlement near where the park stands today. All the child would say was “Hungry Mother”. A search party went out to find Molly, but they were too late. There are some variations to this legend, but it is an interesting tale.

The colors of the fall leaves were really quite gorgeous in the park, so we decided walk around a bit. Of course, the hiking enthusiasts that we are, we decided to try the hike up Molly’s Knob.

We parked in a small lot on the northeast side of Hungry Mother Lake. We left the car and began walking the Lake Trail Loop, giving us glimpses of the beauty of the lake. After .5 miles, this joined the blue-blazed Ridge Trail. We continued on this up a steady uphill grade for .2 miles until we reached the viewing platform pictured below. With the beautiful colors on the mountain of Molly’s Knob in view, we decided to take the remaining trip to the summit. We continued up the white-blazed Molly’s Knob Trail for .9 miles. The trail was marked as a black diamond trail, but we didn’t find this portion to be too difficult. After the .9 miles, we began the fuchsia-blazed Vista Trail. This was the steepest portion of the hike, but once we got to the top, we were quite impressed by the view. While I scurried around looking for a geocache, Christine enjoyed taking a few pictures of the views. We shortened the trip back by just following the Molly’s Knob Trail to our car. We were worried about the hike taking too much out of us for our trip to Mount Rogers the next day, but it was worth the risk to see these views.

There are several geocaches to find in Hungry Mother State Park, but here are the few that I located on the trail:

The forest was filled with foliage of every color. Pictured Below: The golden foliage along this trail was especially spectacular. Adam even found several geocaches along the way.

Christine Says…

Going on this hike was completely unintentional. We wanted to drive through Hungry Mother State Park just to see what the park had to offer. But the foliage along the lake was so pretty, that we felt compelled to get out of the car and walk a bit. I thought a short stroll along the level Lake Trail would be pleasant and scenic.

After a short bit of walking, we reached the junction of the Ridge Trail, and decided to turn there to make a short 1 mile loop back to the car. At the top of the ridge, we saw the platform overlooking Molly’s Knob off in the distance. Next to the platform, a sign indicated that the summit was only 1.3 miles further. The short distance made the summit far too tempting, and we were on our way. I kind of regretted not changing clothes before we hiked. The impromptu nature of this hike had me wearing jeans, a dressy shirt and my hair was down. About halfway up the steep climb, I would have traded just about anything for a ponytail holder. As luck would have it, someone left a pack of hair elastics in one of the geocache boxes Adam found. I was much more comfortable with my hair up, but hiking in jeans is never fun.

The view from the top was obscured by fog and clouds, but it was still beautiful with all the fall color. Pictured Below: You get some nice views of the lake along the trail.

There were some steep sections of trail, but the fall colors were so beautiful I hardly noticed the climb. We had almost the entire trail to ourselves, too. We saw just two other solo hikers near the beginning of the hike, but after that we didn’t encounter a single soul. The wind was rustling through the treetops, sending colored leaves falling down all around us. Plumes of fog curled around the folds of the mountains. Off in the distance, we could hear a pileated woodpecker cackling. In no time, we reached the summit and its beautiful view of the valley. There were two benches built into the summit, so it was a perfect place to rest before hiking back down.

The trail down was so steep in some places, that momentum had us practically running downhill. The final stretch back gave us a very pretty view of the lake and the beach below. This hike turned out to be a great surprise!

Trail Notes

Distance – 3.8 miles the way we went making a partial loop. You can shed .4 miles off, by cutting out the Lake Trail Loop trail and Ridge Trail
Elevation Change –1000 feet
Difficulty – 3. The steepest parts were the Ridge Trail portion and the Vista Trail, but we found it to be a moderate hike.
Trail Conditions – 4 The trail is well-maintained and traveled. We found the Vista Trail to be a little slippery during the rain due to some clay surface.
Views –3.5. Great views from the summit and Hungry Mother Lake. On a clear day, you should be able to see Mount Rogers.
Waterfalls/streams –2. You do get some nice views of the lake. Since it used to be a stream before it was dammed, we thought it was worth mentioning.
Wildlife – 1. We saw a pileated woodpecker, but nothing else. There is some good birding in the area.
Ease to Navigate – 4. There are a few switches in trails during the path we chose, but everything was well-marked.
Solitude – 4. We only saw two people on the trail on a Saturday afternoon, so I’m guessing it is not very well-traveled. During heavy camping weekends, I would expect more traffic.

Directions to trailhead:
On I-81, take exit 47 and then take 11 South. After a little over a mile, take a right on to 16. Follow this into Hungry Mother State Park (fee required of $2-$3). Take a right immediately after the P6 lot and continue on the road until you reach a cul-de-sac parking lot. The sign for the Lake Trail Loop is at the end of the cul-de-sac.