virginia hiking – Virginia Trail Guide

Appalachian Trail – Craig Creek to Catawba

April 23, 2026April 23, 20261 Comment

This two-day backpacking trip covered just over 23 miles and included a visit to the iconic Dragon’s Tooth, one of the three highlights that make up Virginia’s Triple Crown. We did this backpacking trip in June of 2022 and it’s been sitting unposted in our blog queue ever since. I decided to go ahead and share it… four years later!

You’ll find the full photo album at the bottom of this post.

We started by parking a car at the McAfee Knob lot on VA 311, then caught a shuttle to Craig Creek. There used to be a footbridge spanning the creek, though I am not sure if it is still in place. It had washed out at one point, and I have not seen confirmation that it has been rebuilt.

A few miles into the hike, we took a short spur trail to visit the Audie Murphy Monument. According to the inscription, Audie Murphy was World War II’s most decorated soldier. He died in a plane crash near this spot in 1971. It is a quiet, reflective place that is well worth the short detour. Check out this short video of the monument.

As the miles passed, we caught glimpses of views through the trees, a nice preview of what was to come. Late in the day, we descended to Trout Creek. Some kind folks relaxing by the water offered us cold beers, which was incredibly tempting, but we still had one more climb ahead before camp, so we kept moving.

We had planned to stay near Pickle Branch Shelter, but our hiking app suggested a campsite just a bit farther up the trail and closer to water. It turned out to be a great decision. The site sat in a beautiful spot, and while collecting water took a little creativity, the source was still flowing and reliable.

[Video] Improvising a chute to catch water
[Video] Water Source

Our campsite was tucked into a poplar grove beside a meadow filled with wildflowers. After setting up, we settled in for dinner. That night’s meal was the All American Works Burger from PackIt Gourmet, one of our favorite brands for trail food. It comes together with just a small amount of hot water and, wrapped in tortillas, tastes remarkably like a fully loaded cheeseburger. It is one of those meals you genuinely look forward to at the end of a long day.

Day two brought more miles and more of a challenge, with around 2,500 feet of climbing and plenty of rocky terrain. The effort paid off with more frequent views and a pass by Dragon’s Tooth. We saw a few more people that day, including day hikers near the overlook and a handful of thru-hikers, but the trail still felt pleasantly uncrowded.

The first stretch of the morning was especially rocky, requiring careful footing. As we approached Dragon’s Tooth, the views began to open up. The formation itself is an impressive quartzite spire rising sharply from the ridge. It is possible to climb to the top if you are comfortable with heights, but we decided to skip it this time since we had done it before and still had a long day ahead.

The descent heading north from Dragon’s Tooth is no joke. It is a steep, technical scramble over rocks and narrow ledges, made even trickier with overnight packs. We did not take many photos through this section since our focus was on staying upright.

The rocks continue for a while after the descent, easing only slightly but still demanding attention. Eventually, we reached a stream crossing near Newport Road and took a well-earned lunch break. Lunch was another PackIt Gourmet meal, a buffalo chicken wrap that rehydrates with cool water. We swapped the mayo for ranch dressing and wrapped it all in tortillas. It was another solid trail meal.

While we were eating, a mom pulled up to drop off her son, a thru-hiker heading back out after a weekend visit. She offered us ice-cold Pepsis, which felt like pure magic at that moment.

The trail eased up a bit after lunch. Along a quieter stretch, we spotted a mama deer and her fawn at a stream. Just moments later, a bear crossed the trail right in front of us, followed shortly by a large garter snake slipping through the grass. It was a memorable stretch packed with wildlife.

Soon after, we entered a long section of open pasture. The trail crossed several stiles and stretched for over a mile through sunny, exposed fields. It was hot, bright, and heavy with pollen.

By that point, Adam had already had a tough day. Earlier, he tripped on a root and took a hard fall, breaking his glasses and ending up with a swollen lip and a few cuts. Thankfully, it was not more serious. Later in the fields, the pollen triggered an asthma flare, and he needed his rescue inhaler. Even feeling worn down, he kept pushing forward and finished strong.

Not long before the end, we caught one last great view about a mile south of the McAfee Knob parking area where we had left our car. We made it back by mid-afternoon, grateful to be done with the miles as the day warmed up.

On the drive home, we made our usual stop at Three Li’l Pigs in Daleville for barbecue. It has become a bit of a tradition after hikes in the Roanoke area, and it was the perfect way to wrap up the trip.

Notes

Distance – 23.35 miles (10.2 on Day 1, 13.15 on Day 2)
Elevation Change – 4528 ft. ( 2182′ on Day 1, 2346′ on Day 2)
Difficulty – 4
Trail Conditions – 4
Views – 5
Streams/Waterfalls – 1
Wildlife – We saw a bear!
Ease to Navigate – 5
Solitude – 3

All Photos

Hungry Mother Lake Loop

July 18, 20222 Comments

This 6.1 mile loop is located in Hungry Mother State Park. It follows the perimeter of the lake and has about 830′ of climbing along the loop. The developed side of the lake, where the hike begins, is flatter and often paved, while the backside of the lake is wooded and has more rugged terrain.

If you’re looking for a scenic-but-easy hike that’s longer than five miles, check out the Lake Loop at Hungry Mother State Park! We decided to tackle it as a bit of a recovery hike on our vacation to the area last June. The day before, we had hiked a piece of the Appalachian Trail from Damascus, VA to the Tennessee state line. It had been a significant uphill climb on a very hot day, so we wanted a hike that was a bit easier.

We’ve only visited Hungry Mother once before – to hike Molly’s Knob. If you’re interested in hiking Molly’s Knob as a longer loop with the Lake Trail, there are two junctions along the far side of the lake that will allow you to create this loop. You can download a copy of the Hungry Mother trail map from the park’s website.

For this Lake Loop hike, we paid our entrance fee at a self check-in station and parked in a large lot along the waterfront. The trail can be started in different places, but we set off counter-clockwise from the busy, developed part of the park, where picnic shelters, guarded swimming, boat rentals, a snack bar, and restrooms are all located. Because we visited on a Monday, the park was really quiet and lightly trafficked. We ended up only seeing several people along the entire loop.

The trail began on paved, flat walkway following closely along the shoreline. The entire loop is open to foot and bike traffic, but you’re probably most likely to see bikes on the flatter. easier developed side of the lake.

At the end of the lake, we passed a spillway/dam before reaching Camp Burson – the RV campground run by the state park. There is also a tent/yurt campground called Royal Oak at the other end of the park. After passing the campground, the trail crossed a bridge into the woods.

On the far side of the lake, the trail is a bit more rugged with many small ups and downs. The trail departs the lakeshore, and you only get glimpses of the lake through the trees for much of the way. On this side, we passed an old shed used by the CCC to store dynamite when the park was being built.

As we reached the end of the lake, the trail descended and began to follow the shoreline more closely, giving us lake views again. Eventually, we reached the park’s cabin area and found ourselves on flat footing back to our car.

All in all, this was a pleasant, easy walk in the woods. There are definitely more scenic and impressive hikes in the area, but this was a fun way to spend a recovery day.

More Photos

Spillway at Hungry Mother
Stream beyond the spillway at Hungry Mother
View from the top of the dam
Pretty blooms
Close up of pretty blooms
Leaving the campground area, There is a obstacle course/playground you can see in the far distance.
View of the lake through the trees
CCC Dynamite Shed
Hiking the far side of the lake loop

Appalachian Trail – Damascus to Tennessee State Line

July 13, 20221 Comment

This 7.8 mile out-and-back is a section of trail we primarily did to work toward our completion of the entire Appalachian Trail in Virginia. This hike starts off in downtown Damascus and climbs 1,500 feet uphill to the Tennessee state line. There’s nothing in the way of views or noteworthy scenery – just a nice walk in the woods. We were lucky enough to have a great bear sighting on the trail.

Christine Says…

We seem to have a penchant for picking record-setting heat weeks for our vacations. I guess it’s not that unlikely when you’re limited to traveling in the summer, but man… this was an especially sweltering day to hike! Back in 2019, we did a week-long AT section hike that ended in Damascus at the parking lot across from Mount Rogers Outfitters. That left a 3.9 mile unhiked section between town and the Virginia/Tennessee border. As most of our regular readers know, we’re slowly section hiking our way across Virginia, so we had to fill in this little gap when we had a chance.

We parked in a public lot off of Laurel Street and picked up the AT where we left off in 2019. Headed south through town the trail is actually road walk, there are blazes on utility poles and AT logos built into the brick walkway. You can see people have made individual donations to have namesake bricks placed along the town section of trail. In a couple tenths of a mile, we turned left on Beaver Dam Ave. and walked through a little town park.

The park has an old train engine, a replica of an AT shelter, and the famous Damascus AT Welcome Arch. You’ve probably seen countless photos of hikers posing under the arch. We both took the obligatory photo for ourselves. After going through the park, the trail turns right onto Water Street, passing through a residential area before turning sharply uphill into the woods.

From there, the trail goes steadily uphill for 3.4 miles. About halfway up the climb, there’s a large campsite adjacent to a water source. I imagine some thru-hikers like the free camping right outside town the night before a resupply. Since we were hiking in late June, we had the trail all to ourselves, as most AT hikers are far north by then.

We plodded uphill until we finally reached the sign marking the state line! We both took a few steps into Tennessee, just for fun! We had a quick snack, and headed back down. The hike was naturally much easier going back downhill. We even saw a large, healthy-looking black bear about a mile south of town. Most of the bears we’re seeing in the Shenandoah are thin and mangy, so it was great to see a bear looking so fit. There had been a sign at the trailhead leaving Damascus warning of an aggressive bear further into Tennessee. I don’t think it was this bear, because this bear crashed away into the woods as soon as we saw him.

Pretty soon, we were back in town. It was even hotter in town as we walked the final third of a mile in the baking sun. After our hike, we went to Mojo’s Trailside Café for lunch and Off the Beaten Path for ice cream. Both are great stops post-hike!

More Photos

The LOVE sign along the creek in Damascus
Damascus is Trail Town USA
Blazes and Signage on Utility Poles
Bricked AT Walkway
Replica Shelter in the Town Park
Water Source Marking
Campsite outside of town
At the State Line
State Line Rock
AT sign headed into the woods
Old Engine in the town park
Adam couldn’t resist

Our Most Popular Trails – 2022 Edition

April 15, 2022April 15, 2022Leave a comment

These are Virginia Trail Guide’s TOP TEN most searched and most viewed hikes over the past year (as of April 2022)!

1) Great Channels

Why it’s so popular: We can’t think of anyplace in Virginia that has a better rock maze! Read More

2) Appalachian Trail – Ashby Gap to Bears Den Rocks (The Roller Coaster)

Why it’s so popular: We’re not sure – but we’re guessing it’s the proximity to large population centers! Read More

3) Cascade Falls

Why it’s so popular: An easy hike to one of Virginia most impressive waterfalls! Read More

4) Dark Hollow Falls

Why it’s so popular: A short Shenandoah classic located right next to Big Meadows, the park’s biggest lodging/camping complex. Read More

5) Mount Rogers

Why it’s so popular: Wild ponies and wide open views as you hike to Virginia’s tallest peak! Read More

6) Sharp Top

Why it’s so popular: Beautiful views from a distinctly shaped summit. There’s a bus that goes almost all the way to the top. Read More

7) Appalachian Trail – Maryland

Why it’s so popular: It’s an entire state’s worth of the Appalachian Trail. Read More

8) Three Ridges

Why it’s so popular: It’s a great workout with great views. Read More

Christine Takes in a View of the Priest from Three Ridges Mountain

9) Rose River Loop

Why it’s so popular: Two significant waterfalls and beautiful stream footage on a moderate loop. Read More

10) Moormans River & Big Branch Falls

Why it’s so popular: The waterfalls are pretty and it’s close to Charlottesville. Read More

Kennedy Peak

July 29, 2021April 27, 202221 Comments

NOTE: Parking at Edith Gap was greatly restricted starting in fall 2020. If you attempt to park there, be sure to pay attention to the the new ‘No Parking, Tow Away’ signs. Unless you are very certain you are legally parked, we suggest following the updated route outlined below, starting from the horse trailer parking area for the Stephens Trail about a mile lower on the mountain.

Kennedy Peak is an beautiful seven-mile out-and-back hike in the Lee District of George Washington National Forest. It gives hikers gorgeous views of the bends in the Shenandoah River.

The view from atop the Kennedy Peak Tower

Christine Says…

I love this hike. We’ve hiked it in winter and fall before, but this was the first time we’ve hiked it in the spring. Sunday afternoon was the kind of day that is custom made for hiking. It was dry, sunny, breezy and in the low 70’s. The trail was lined with brilliant, pink rhododendrons. All the trees were covered with new, spring green leaves and/or blossoms. Butterflies were fluttering all around the trail, taking pauses on the blooming trees and wildflowers. It was, in a word, idyllic.

turtle — Box Turtle, Swallowtail on Rhododendron, Indigo Bunting

We began in the Stephens Trail/horse trailer parking area on VA675. The Stephens Trail departs from the back of the parking area. You should look for the orange-blazed Massanutten Trail at the head of the parking lot. The trail climbs moderately uphill for .9 miles. At the top of the climb, you’ll exit onto VA675 at Edith Gap (the old parking area). On the road, take a sharp left, staying on the orange-blazed Massanutten Trail.

Hiking uphill along the Massanutten Trail, headed to Edith Gap.

The part of the trail starts off as a wide, almost road-like track. This part of the hike is extremely easy – climbing just a couple hundred feet over the next 1.75 miles.

At around mile 2.65, the trail takes a sharp, hairpin turn and begins to climb more steeply over increasingly rocky terrain. At this sharp switchback, you may be tempted to continue straight along a visible path, but be careful to make the turn and follow the orange blazes uphill. This slightly tricky misdirection has been blocked off by logs and rocks, but enough people have missed the turn that the false path remains well-trodden. We once followed it out of curiosity and it doesn’t lead anywhere. It eventually fades out into the forest.

After the switchback, the trail continues uphill for another half mile. There is a small outcropping on the left with a obstructed views and a tiny campsite (room for a hammock or a one-person tent). After you pass this spot, continue a couple tenths of a mile to the junction with the Stephens Trail. (Note: If you want to make a longer day, adding about two more miles to your route, you can descend back to your car via the Stephens Trail. We’ve heard it’s not very scenic and is often muddy and manure-covered, so we chose the out-and-back.)

At the junction, you will turn right and follow the signs toward the fire tower. The tower is a little over .2 miles from the junction. The last stretch to the fire tower is steep and rocky. It’s really the only challenging section of the hike. The tower is a sturdy one-story structure with great views looking into the valley and Shenandoah National Park beyond.

When we got to the summit, we had the observation tower all to ourselves. We watched birds in the treetops, spotted lizards climbing around on the rocks and took in a fantastic view of the Shenandoah River and the Page Valley. It was one of the least hazy days we’ve had in a while, so we could clearly see Shenandoah National Park from this summit. Lots of vultures were soaring overhead, and even though they’re kind of creepy, they were casting cool bird-shaped shadows onto the mountain top. I always like it when they do that.

The trail is pretty rocky for the last half mile.

Sunday was the only time we’ve hiked Kennedy Peak in the afternoon. Adam and I tend to be morning hikers — it helps us avoid the crowds. But, the light is definitely prettier in the afternoon on Kennedy Peak. If you hike it in the morning, the sun shines right in your face at the summit. That makes it hard to appreciate the great view, and makes it nearly impossible to get any decent photos.

Adam Says…

This is one of our favorite hikes. This hike is not very steep and the payoff is wonderful. This is a good multi-use trail, since there are campsites and good footing for horses. There are a couple of campsites at the beginning of the trail, near the road. The nicest campsites are further up the trail. Once you are on the fire tower trail, you will find a couple of places where you can have some nice lookouts over the valley and the Shenandoah River. From some points, you can see several bends in the River. Once you reach the top, there is an observation tower where you can chill for a while before heading back down.

If you are into geocaching, look for the Presidential Peek Cache! After your hike, be sure to visit Camp Roosevelt – a great spot for a picnic.

Trail Notes

Distance – 7 miles round-trip
Elevation Change – 1300′
Difficulty – 3. The trail for the first miles is moderately uphill. The next two miles are either flat or gentle rolling terrain. The last third of a mile up to the observation tower is steeper, but very manageable.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is well-maintained, but there are a lot of rocks, so you’ll need to watch where you step.
Views – 4. You can really see some nice views close to the top.
Waterfalls/streams – 0. This trail is dry as a bone.
Wildlife – 2. Seems like a great bird-watching area. We saw an Indigo Bunting, Goldfinch, Wood Thrush, and Eastern Towhee. Also spotted a box turtle and Eastern fence lizard. We saw a bear when we hiked it in spring 2017.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Other than the one tricky spot at the switchback, it would be nearly impossible to get lost.
Solitude – 2. This trail is well-loved by a lot of locals, but the bulk of area tourists stick to the trails in Shenandoah National Park. You may see a few groups of hikers along the way, but it’s rarely a crowded trail.

All Photos

Directions to trailhead: The parking lot is the Stephens Trailhead on VA675. Coordinates: 38.72795, -78.51536

Duncan Knob Backpacking Loop

June 28, 2021June 28, 20212 Comments

This nine-mile loop is perfect for a long day-hike or a quick overnight backpacking trip. We recommend backpacking, just to take advantage of the beautiful campsites near the summit. The rock scramble atop Duncan Knob is impressive and provides great views.

Full photo album is embedded at the bottom of the post!

Adam Says (Day 1)

When the weather forecast looked like it was setting up to be a great weekend, we decided on short notice to pack our bags and go for an overnight backpacking trip. We had originally planned to do some miles of the Appalachian Trail we still wanted to accomplish, but there was a potential gas shortage coming so we came up with an idea that was closer to us and also wouldn’t require us to drive two cars to shuttle.

Duncan Knob and Strickler Knob are some of the more adventurous hikes in George Washington National Forest, since they both require some rock scrambling to get to the summit views. We opted for this route since we have done both Strickler and Duncan Knob as day hikes and had missed part of the trail system that makes this a doable overnight loop.

We started our hike from the Scothorn Gap parking area, quickly crossing the creek. The trail starts an uphill climb that is a bit steep in parts. We reached the junction with the Strickler Knob trail at the top of Middle Mountain. We ran into a few people that were doing that as a day hike. If you wanted to add Strickler Knob onto this loop of a trail, it would add another 1.4 miles to the trip – if you haven’t done Strickler Knob before, I would highly recommend it. We weren’t sure about camping and how far we wanted to go the first day, so we decided to skip Strickler Knob. The trail crests shortly after the junction with Strickler Knob and then descends. The descent at times was rocky and very muddy. We’ve read about the bugs on this trail and that can be largely from standing water.

PHOTO: A view from the crest of Middle Mountain (near the Strickler Knob Trail Junction)

After descending for 2.2 miles, we came to another four-way junction with a campsite right next to a stream. There were already 4-5 guys there at the one spot that were setting up to camp, so we checked our water supply. Since we felt we had enough water to get us through the end of the hike and to cook with for dinner and breakfast, we decided to press on. The hike up from the creek was a very steep, narrow trail of .8 miles. With a full backpack, it made for slow work.

PHOTO: This was a tough uphill climb to camp!

We decided to camp right at the saddle junction with the Duncan Knob trail. This area is called Peach Orchard Gap, and it has several awesome (but dry) campsites. We built a campfire and just relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Since we only did a bit over 5 miles that first day, it was a shorter trip that gave us a nice, relaxing time to enjoy our time in the woods. We decided to tackle the Duncan Knob peak the following morning where we didn’t have to haul our packs up the rock scramble.

PHOTO: This meal, by the British company Firepot, may have been one of the best freeze-dried meals we’ve ever had!

Turn-by-Turn for Day 1

Cross Passage Creek and hike uphill on the yellow-blazed Scothorn Gap trail for 1.5 miles to a four-way trail intersection.
Stay straight at the intersection, heading uphill for .7 miles on the orange-blazed Massanutten Trail. At the top of Middle Mountain, you will see the pink-blazed Strickler Knob trail on the right.
Pass the Strickler Knob trail, and continue over the crest of Middle Mountain on the orange-blazed Massanutten Trail. Descend for 2.2 miles. Much of this section of the trail is muddy and boggy. Check yourself for ticks!
You will reach another junction near a streamside campground. The campsite will be on the right, turn left, heading very steeply uphill on the blue-blazed Gap Creek Trail. If you plan on camping at the top, this will be your last opportunity to refill your water supply. Campsites on the ridge are dry.
Ascend via the Gap Creek Trail for .8 miles before the trail levels out at Peach Orchard Gap. There are several nice, flat, open campsites along this ridge. This is where we chose to stop for the day.

Christine Says (Day 2)

We got up with the sunrise, and hiked up to Duncan Knob without packs. It’s just a short few tenths of a mile to the rock scramble, so it was nice to leave everything behind and hike up empty-handed. As many of our regular readers know, I have chronic vertigo and don’t do well with rock scrambles. I can do them if I must, but it’s pretty scary and disorienting. I climbed about halfway up Duncan Knob’s scramble and found a nice flat rock that was high enough to provide an open view. Adam continued to the top of the knob on his own.

After enjoying the morning view, we headed back to our campsite at Peach Orchard Gap. We ate breakfast and broke down camp. The hiking on day two was mostly downhill or flat(ish). There were more muddy, swampy spots along the Scothorn Gap trail, but generally it was easy walking. There were plenty of native pink azaleas along the trail, and a few mountain laurels starting to get buds. Wild geraniums and spiderwort were also abundant.

When we reached the last bit of the loop. we retraced our steps from the day before. It was the only time we really saw many people along the trail – mostly day-hikers headed up Strickler Knob. The entire distance for the second day was under 4 miles, so we were back at the car by about 9:30 a.m. We had initially planned on going to Woodstock Brewhouse for lunch and beers after the hike, but it was so early that we just went home.

Turn-by-Turn for Day 2

Start out from camp, following the white-blazed Duncan Knob trail for .3 miles. The trail will become rockier before turning into a boulder jumble. Climb as far up the boulders as you wish. There are one or two small campsites at the very top.
After enjoying Duncan Knob, retrace your steps for .3 miles back to Peach Orchard Gap.
Turn right, heading downhill on the blue-blazed Gap Creek trail. After .3 miles, you will reach an intersection – take a left onto the yellow-blazed Scothorn Gap trail.
Follow the Scothorn Gap trail for 1.4 miles until you come to the four-way junction you passed on Day One
Take a right, and follow the trail 1.5 miles back to your vehicle.

Trail Notes

Distance – 9 miles (5.2 on Day 1, 3.8 on Day 2)
Elevation Change – 1780 ft. (1370′ on Day 1, 410′ on Day 2)
Difficulty – 3. This is an overall moderate hike with a couple steep sections. There is one section right before you reach camp on Day One that requires a steep 700′ climb in less than .75 miles.
Trail Conditions – 3. There are some sections that are very boggy/muddy and some parts with quite a bit of loose rock.
Views – 4. Duncan Knob is a pretty nice vista, but you have to climb all the way to the top of the scramble to get open views. Not all hikers will choose to climb the full scramble.
Streams/Waterfalls – 2. There are lots of small feeder streams along the route (may be dry certain times of the year). The beginning of the hike crosses Passage Creek. Camping near Duncan Knob is DRY. Fill up before climbing, or carry sufficient water if you plan to camp near the top.
Wildlife – 3. We saw several turkeys and saw coyote scat.
Ease to Navigate – 5. The trail is very well marked and easy to follow. When we hiked in 2021, there were fresh and abundant blazes.
Solitude – 4. We hiked on a beautiful Friday-Saturday and only saw a few people until we got close to the car on Day Two. On Day Two, we saw many people ascending the Scothorn Gap trail toward Strickler Knob.

All Photos

Maps

Duncan Knob Backpacking Loop Download

Directions to trailhead: The parking lot is the Scothorn Gap trailhead on Crisman Hollow Rd. GPS coordinates: 38.69143, -78.58004

Our Most Popular Trails – 2021 Edition

May 5, 2021May 5, 2021Leave a comment

These are Virginia Trail Guide’s TOP TEN most searched and most viewed hikes over the past year (as of May 2021)!

1) Cascade Falls

Why it’s so popular: An easy hike to one of Virginia most impressive waterfalls! Read More

2) Great Channels

Why it’s so popular: You descend into a sandstone labyrinth! Read More

3) Rose River Loop

Why it’s so popular: Two significant waterfalls and beautiful stream footage on a moderate loop. Read More

4) Devils Bathtub

Why it’s so popular: The crystal clear blue-green sandstone bathtub. Read More

5) Appalachian Trail – Ashby Gap to Bears Den Rocks (The Roller Coaster)

Why it’s so popular: We’re not sure – but we’re guessing it’s the proximity to large population centers! Read More

6) Mount Rogers

Why it’s so popular: Wild ponies and wide open views as you hike to Virginia’s tallest peak! Read More

7) Sharp Top

Why it’s so popular: Beautiful views from a distinctly shaped summit. There’s a bus that goes almost all the way to the top. Read More

8) Dark Hollow Falls

Why it’s so popular: A short Shenandoah classic located right next to Big Meadows, the park’s biggest lodging/camping complex. Read More

9) Appalachian Trail – Maryland

Why it’s so popular: It’s an entire state’s worth of the Appalachian Trail. Read More

10) Cole/Cold Mountain

Why it’s so popular: Beautiful, open, grassy bald. Read More

Rockytop – Big Run Loop

April 26, 2021May 17, 20211 Comment

View all the photos from this hike

Christine Says (Day 1)

We did this hike mid-week in September to celebrate my birthday! It was our only backpacking trip together in all of 2020. We did get out to car camp once earlier in the year, and I went backpacking in the fall with a girlfriend. But, overall 2020 was definitely the least I’ve hiked and backpacked in many, many years. The pandemic made traveling difficult and honestly… trails were so overcrowded with new hikers that it just wasn’t that enjoyable to hike most of the time.

View from Rockytop -looking toward Lewis Peak and Massanutten. — View from Rockytop – looking toward Lewis Peak and Massanutten.

We picked this area because it’s less visited than most other parts of the park, and we had never done this particular loop before. The trail was relatively easy until we passed the junction with the Lewis Mountain Trail. From there until we reached the Big Run basin, the trail was extremely rocky and overgrown. Parts of the trail are not really even trail – it’s just blazes and talus slopes.

The trail across one of many talus slopes.

The low foot traffic on this trail meant that tree limbs and undergrowth impeded our progress. My clothes kept catching on thorns and branches, and I had to stay on high alert for back-swinging branches that Adam passed first. Despite the challenging and rugged terrain, there were excellent views along the trail. I especially liked the long descent toward Big Run. Forest fires over recent years have left open vistas from the trail. It’s like walking on a balcony affixed to the side of a mountain; with continual views as you go.

The trail was very overgrown. — Overgrown Trail

We were both pretty tired of rocky footing by the time we got to the old road bed of the Big Run Portal. After crossing the metal bridge over Big Run, we explored an unmarked footpath paralleling the stream and found excellent campsites. The sites were clear and flat, and nicely distanced from the stream (backcountry regulations for Shenandoah dictate that you must be 10 yards from a stream.)

We set up camp. Adam got to try his UGQ quilt for the first time, and I got to test my Nemo Tensor pad. We collected water from the stream and found our Sawyer Squeeze completely clogged (probably leftover from silty water sources we used on our trip out west in 2019) We ended up having to treat our water with Aquamira. I always carry it as a backup in case my filter malfunctions. We had freeze-dried meals for dinner – sweet and sour chicken and risotto with chicken. They were both Backpackers Pantry, which I’ve decided is my least favorite brand of backpacking meal. For dessert, I had carefully packed two pieces of leftover birthday cake in a crush-proof container. Yum! We carried our small bear canister on this trip to save the hassle of doing a bear hang.

We played many rounds of Uno until the sun went down and then retired to the tent to read.

A great water source for camping and a nice place to sit after dinner.

Turn-by-Turn for Day 1

Follow the AT north from the parking lot at Browns Gap (around MM 83 of Skyline Drive) for about .6 miles.
Look for the cement post marking the blue-blazed Big Run Trail, turn left.
Follow the Big Run Trail for .65 miles to a four-way intersection
Follow the trail straight onto the blue-blazed Rockytop Trail
Pass the junction of the Austin Mountain Trail in .4 miles (staying on Rockytop)
Pass the junction of the Lewis Mountain Trail in 1.8 miles (staying on Rockytop)
Follow the Rockytop Trail for another 3.5 miles, crossing many talus slopes with westward views showcasing Massanutten Mountain and Lewis Peak. The last two miles is a long (almost 1500′) descent into the Big Run basin.
At the bottom of the descent, turn right onto the yellow-blazed Big Run Portal Trail. It follows an old roadbed for about a half mile until you reach a large, sturdy metal bridge over Big Run.
Look for campsites after the bridge crossing – there are many and they’re all quite nice!

Adam Says (Day 2)

We had a good night of sleep and got up early to get breakfast started and continue our hike for the day. Rejoining the main Big Run Portal trail, we soon passed another large campsite to the right of the trail. The trail started off fairly flat as we were walking along the Big Run area. One difficult aspect about this section of the trail are all the water crossings.

One of many stream crossings you will encounter as the Big Run Portal Trail crosses over Big Run in several spots.

There were several water crossings that made it difficult to follow since it wasn’t very clear where the blazes were on the other side. In fact, on one stream crossing, we missed a blaze on the left on an “island” about halfway across the stream. Our map did not indicate the partial stream crossing. We went past this and fully crossed the stream, only to find no blazes. We bushwhacked and scouted around for about 20 minutes before going back across and then we saw the not-so-obvious blaze that we had missed the first time. This trail is really not a very popular trail, so foot traffic doesn’t create as obvious of a trail as you would see in more popular sections of the park. A few more trail blazes would definitely help navigate this Big Run Portal Trail.

More crossings and Big Run views along this section of the trail.

We continued along and passed the junctions with the Rocky Mountain Run Trail and Patterson Ridge Trail. When we reached the junction of the Big Run Portal and the Big Run Trail, we paused for a bit to gather some energy before the big climb up. This area used to have some established campsites, but these have been removed.

The climb up from here is brutal and relentless. Shortly after we started up this steep section of the Big Run Trail, a bear jumped off the trail and was booking it into the woods. The bear clearly had a lot more energy than we did and I’m sure my heavy-breathing up the trail had startled it. This uphill was quite a challenge for me, where my lack of hiking this year was showing. We paused for a bit at the four way junction.Taking a left here, we still had a little bit of climbing before getting back to the Appalachian Trail.

Once we reached the AT junction, the trail was smooth and relatively flat or downhill until we reached our car. Overall, this backpacking trip was tough for an overnight trip. The terrain the first day was rough and overgrown and the second day was a feeling of worried we were lost, followed by an incredibly tough uphill climb. While we hadn’t done this loop before, I’m not sure if we would do it again due to the toughness. The campsite was the real bonus of the trip and we enjoyed the location and the times near the water. I would camp again at this spot, but I think there are better approach trails that aren’t as challenging.

Adam checks the map to make sure the climbing was finished at the top of the junction.

Turn-by-Turn for Day 2

Start out from camp, following the yellow-blazed Big Run Portal trail upstream. There will be many stream crossings. Pay close attention to blazes, they’re sometimes hard to find and the trail gets hard to follow at stream crossings
Pass a junction to the left with the Rocky Mountain Run Trail (staying on the Big Run Portal)
Soon after, pass the junction with the Patterson Ridge Trail, continue with several more stream crossings (staying on Big Run Portal). All told, you will remain on the Big Run Portal trail for about 4.5 miles.
Reach the junction of the Big Run Portal and Big Run trails. Take a right onto the Big Run Trail and climb steeply uphill for 1.2 miles. At the top of the climb, you will reach the 4-way junction you passed on Day 1.
At the junction, take a left and follow the Big Run trail for .65 miles back to the Appalachian Trail.
At the AT junction, take a right and follow the AT south back to your vehicle.

Trail Notes

Distance – 14.3 miles (7.41 on Day 1, 6.89 on Day 2)
Elevation Change – 2881 ft. (1020′ on Day 1, 1861′ on Day 2)
Difficulty – 5. This is a tough hike with rugged terrain, water crossings, and steep climbs.
Trail Conditions – 2. The trail was extremely overgrown on Day 1 (crossing Rockytop) and water crossings can be challenging on Day 2.
Views – 4.5. Excellent views from Rockytop summit and all along the descent to Big Run.
Streams/Waterfalls – 5. Truly beautiful, rugged Shenandoah stream scenery and some of the nicest campsites near water in the park.
Wildlife – 4. We saw some deer and a yearling bear.
Ease to Navigate – 2. The overgrowth made the trail difficult to follow at times. The water crossings on Day 2 were poorly marked.
Solitude – 4.5. We did this trail midweek during a stretch of perfect September weather. We only saw a couple people on Day 1 and nobody on Day 2.

Maps

Rockytop – Big Run Backpacking Loop Map Download

Directions to trailhead: The parking lot is Brown Gap along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

More Photos

Pete’s Cave

January 19, 2021

View all the photos from this hike

Adam Says… We were so pleased to find this hidden gem of a hike in Virginia! This hike has some jaw-dropping views, an interesting “cave” to explore, and great camping with not a lot of elevation difference.

The parking area has space for about four cars to park. From the parking area, head down about 10 yards further down the road and you will see two trails on the opposite side of the road from where you park on the right. Both of these spur trails connect to each other, so it doesn’t matter which one you pick. Climb up the short spur and the trail goes off to the left. The trail starts off hiking on a ridgeline. From .2 miles to .4 miles, you will notice a few short spur trails to the left. Climbing up these short spur trails leads to some amazing views that shouldn’t be missed. We always enjoy views without many signs of civilization and you get that here as you can soak up views of Big and Little House Mountains. I imagine that a lot of people could come to this trail to get such an amazing view with so little effort – great place for a sunrise view! We soaked in the view for a short time but decided we would get better pictures when we weren’t looking into the sun, so we picked a favorite overlook to return to at the end of the hike to reward ourselves.

Views From Pete's Cave Hike — Taking in view from the first quarter mile of the hike.

Once the section of views is done, the trail moves into a more wooded area. At .5 miles, you see the only trail sign for the hike at a trail intersection with a small fire road (maybe used by bikes or hunters?) through the woods. Continue on the main trail. Pay attention to red blazes marking private property.

The trail from this point is mostly a flat walk through the woods with only some occasional rises or falls in elevation. The trail is not as well-blazed as many others, so we found it a bit difficult at times to make sure you were still on the trail. If you do this during the fall, this could be especially tricky if leaves have covered a lot of the trail. However, you are mostly walking on a ridgeline, so you likely won’t stray too far. There are a few stretches where we found the trail could use some maintenance since there were taller areas of knee-high brush that you were walking through. You do also get a few glimpses of obstructed views to the east.

Ferns Along Pete's Cave Trail — A lot of the trail passed through flat areas with abundant ferns.

At 3.2 miles, you come to a great couple of campsites that have some open views to the east. While there isn’t a nearby water source, this would be a great campsite if you lug your own water in for an overnight trip.

Continue on the trail past the campsite and at 3.4 miles you come to some stone steps that lead to the area known as Pete’s Cave. The rocks in this area remind me of rows of shark teeth that probably need to go to a dentist. This is an interesting area to explore, but please know your limits! This is a dangerous area with cracks and holes you could fall into or get an ankle stuck or hurt. We crawled through one area that had a cave-like feel to it, but there was a skylight that let some light in so you didn’t feel too claustrophobic. At the top of this “cave”, there was one area where I was able to scramble up to the top of a large boulder and got some incredible views to the west, but getting back down was a bit more sketchy. Again, be careful in this area if you choose to explore.

The trail climbs steeply up the other side which also leads to some nice views to the west. Go back the way you came to get back to your car and make sure to reward yourself with more of those views close to the finish line.

The Caves — While Petes Cave is not a true cave, it’s still pretty fun to explore.

Christine Says… I really enjoyed this hike. The views were outstanding, there were very few people on the trail, and the “cave” at the end was fun to explore. There are several paths to the rocky outcroppings above the cave. Don’t miss checking those views out – they’re as nice as the views earlier in the hike. The trail continues beyond the caves, but apparently it’s just a walk in the woods – nothing noteworthy to see. It eventually descends back into the valley.

Trail Notes

Distance – 6.8 miles
Elevation Change – 1000 ft.
Difficulty – 2. There are rolling hills all along this hike, but generally it is easy terrain.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail was overgrown in some parts, but overall easy to follow and walk.
Views – 4.5. Spectacular panoramic views of Big House and Little House Mountains to the east and just past Pete’s Cave, there are views to the west.
Streams/Waterfalls – 0. Non-existent and no water sources.
Wildlife –3. We saw some deer and a few birds from the overlook.
Ease to Navigate – 3. We didn’t have a lot of difficulty, but needed to mark it down some due to the lack of blazing and some of the trail was overgrown which made it a bit more difficult.
Solitude – 4. We did this trail early and didn’t see many people, but I would expect it would be busier on most weekends. The viewpoints generally have a few places to spread out and soak in the scenery.

Maps

Download a PDF Map of the Pete’s Cave Hike Download

Directions to trailhead: The parking lot is a small turnoff on VA 770. GPS coordinates: 37.81906, -79.63468

Ragged Mountain Reservoir

March 10, 2020Leave a comment

The 6-mile loop around Ragged Mountain Reservoir is a pleasant walk over rolling terrain. There are some nice views of the water along the way.
Please note: DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THIS AREA

View the Full Album of Photos From This Hike

Christine Says:

Yes, we have been slacking at Virginia Trail Guide. We’ve been hiking a fair amount, but we’ve either been doing repeat trails that we’ve already posted on the site – or we’re hiking in faraway places (Wyoming, Idaho) that we have mixed feelings about sharing on Virginia Trail Guide. Also, both of our jobs have also been more demanding than usual, and we haven’t had as much time to hike or create new content. We’re really hoping to have a productive spring and have some more regular new content to share.

A couple weeks ago, we had a sunny and unusual warm Sunday, so we decided to head out toward Charlottesville for a field trip. We’ve never visited the Ragged Mountain Reservoir before and thought it would be a fun, easy hike. We started out at the lower parking area. If I were to do this hike again, I would skip this bit and just park at the upper lot. The spur from lower parking just added a pointless climb, with no extra scenery. The upper lot starts right on the reservoir’s edge and makes a true loop.

Wood Sculptures on Ragged Mountain Loop — There are several neat wooden sculptures along the trail. Below: A woodpecker has been working at the bear sculpture; My favorite was the owl sculpture.

The loop itself was pretty and peaceful. There were rolling ups and downs the entire route, so while it was easy hiking, I still felt like I was getting a decent workout. Benches are posted roughly every mile and there are several neat wooden sculptures tucked into the woods. There are lots of unmarked side trails, but eventually they connect back to the main loop around the lake. So, while the trail system is a little bit confusing, it would be hard to get truly lost. You can download a full map of the trail network from the City of Charlottesville’s website.

The only real challenge of this hike was not slipping in the mud. The trail had some very slick and sloppy spots, so we were glad to have trekking poles for extra balance. All things considered, it was a nice walk on a perfect late winter day. We hiked the loop counter clockwise, so we ended the route crossing the dam.

After the hike, we stopped for lunch at Crozet Pizza and then grabbed a beer at Pro Re Nata.

Ragged Mountain Reflections — Reflections on Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Below: The floating bridge; Adam crossing the floating bridge; View across the reservoir from the bridge.

Adam Says:

We have been having some unseasonably warmer winter days in 2020, so it has been a good year to get out and do some hiking in more pleasant and non-snowy conditions. We opted to check out the Ragged Mountain trail system, since it had been on our list of things to do for years. This trail system is very popular with local people from the Charlottesville area. You will likely see families with younger children walking around, trail runners, and maybe even a mountain biker. There are gradual ups and downs on the trail, but it makes for easy walking/running/hiking if you want to cover some miles without a ton of elevation changes. Prior to 2014, there used to be two reservoirs, a pump house, and a slightly different trail system.

As Christine said, we started from the lower parking area and headed to the right (counter-clockwise) from the kiosk to start the trail. We printed out the trail map that we have linked to above, which may be handy to see how all the side loops of the trail connect to make sure you are covering the terrain just the way that you would like. One thing to also note that you will see on the map is there are benches at the numbered locations on the map; on these benches are mile markers showing how far along the loop from the dam you are but we found these mile markings not to be completely accurate with mileage. The trail began to wind uphill rather steeply for the first .25 miles until we reached the top of the trail where it joins up with the dam and road to the upper parking lot. From the viewpoint that we had from the first picture below, we decided to do the Ragged Mountain Loop Trail counter-clockwise, which ended up starting sharply behind us and to the right. At .35 miles, we reached the first junction, which was the Roundtop Mountain Loop. We avoided taking that spur loop since it just looked like an unnecessary uphill climb. Continuing forward, we passed the other end of the Roundtop Mountain Loop and came to the carved Mountain Man marker at .65 miles. These wood-carved statues that are placed in a few places are well done and nice to serve as good markers where other trail junctions also occur. From this marker, we had an option to take a longer loop to the right that led to a water tower or just to push forward. We decided to skip the water tower and headed straight on the trail to reach the Bear marker at the 1 mile mark. From this point there are also other options to take different loops around (we told you the trail map would be handy), so we took the route that looped closest around the reservoir. We were glad we chose this, since we got some nice views of the reservoir and could see some nice reflections as we made our way around.

Ragged Mountain Dam — Ragged Mountain Reservoir dam. Below: The emergency spillway; Plaque dedicating the dam, The trail goes across the top of the dam.

After a bit further, we reached the Eagle marker and passed over a small bridge to continue our loop staying close to the reservoir. This part of the trail wound uphill slightly and we ended up on an elevated part of the trail that paralleled the reservoir. Parts of this section were a bit muddy and slick, so be careful following rainy days. Eventually, we reached the last wood carvings on the trail of owls. From here, there is a short trail down to the water’s edge. The trail takes a sharp right turn away from the reservoir, but does wind back to follow along the reservoir once again. After more walking, we soon came upon views of cars on the highway, but then the trail turned down and led to a floating bridge across the reservoir. On the other side, the trail climbed up steeply and then wound around an emergency spillway. It was only a short distance after we passed the spillway that we ended up reaching the dam. We saw lots of canoes and kayaks parked on the hillside near the dam. We passed over the dam and then crossed the road to join back to the spur trail to the lower parking lot and back to our car.

Overall, the trail system here is a nice place to go out and stretch your legs. It has some interesting features with views of the reservoir and the wood carvings provide a nice touch to the experience. It would be nice to see how this looks in the fall, as I can imagine the trees along the waterside could make for some nice colorful reflections in the water. Expect a lot of people on your walk during a nice day.

Pro Re Nata Brewery. We had a triple IPA called Buddha Kind and a really tasty Red Velvet Ale (on nitro!). Below: Lunch was at Crozet Pizza. Yum!

Trail Notes

Distance – 6.1 miles
Elevation Change – 1,000 ft
Difficulty – 2. There are rolling hills all along this hike, but generally it is easy terrain.
Trail Conditions – 3. The dirt trails were very slippery and muddy when we hiked.
Views – 3. The lake is pretty and blue.
Streams/Waterfalls – 1. There are just a few small feeder streams along the way.
Wildlife – 2. We saw lots of near bird species along the water.
Ease to Navigate – 3. The trail signage is adequate, but there are some unlabeled trails that could lead you temporarily off course.
Solitude – 1. When we arrived at 9 a.m. on a pretty Sunday, we had it all to ourselves, but by the time we finished a couple hours later, it was packed.

Maps

Directions to trailhead: The lower parking lot is located off County Rd 702. GPS coordinates: 38.02692, -78.55583