We’ve taken a detour from our normal coverage of Virginia hiking and biking! For the next five posts, we’ll be doing a special edition covering the trails of Acadia National Park in Maine.
The Bubbles hike consists of two small mountains that overlook Jordan Pond. One of the key features on this hike is a large glacial erratic hanging on the edge of the south Bubble.
Adam pretends to support the giant glacial erratic known as Bubble Rock. Below: The first viewpoint along the trail up the South Bubble; A view of Jordan Pond from the South Bubble; You can see how precariously the erratic hangs on the side of the mountain; When you visit the Jordan Pond House you get a great look at the Bubbles from a distance. The two small mountains have such a distinct shape (photo from another trip).
Adam Says…
We had an extraordinarily tough drive up to Maine this year. We left on a Friday with plans to stay in Sturbridge, MA for one night and then finish the trip to Maine the following day. We were counting on a lot of weekend and rush hour traffic around Boston, so we thought breaking this into a two-day drive was a good idea. Well, the drive on the first day should have taken us around 8 hours and ended up taking us over 12 hours. We ran into an over two-hour delay near Allentown, PA and Connecticut traffic is always ridiculous. On Saturday, we had a better day of driving to get to Mount Desert Island We were very eager to stretch our legs when we got there. When we vacation, we are not ones to idly relax; we like to pack in as much as possible.
We have hiked up the Bubbles a couple of times in the past, and have always enjoyed it. Since this is a short hike, you should be able to fit it in a narrow time period. From the Bubble Rock parking lot, start off on the Bubble Rock trail. At .1 miles, you will reach a junction with the Jordan Pond Carry Trail. We went past this and just continued straight on the trail. In about .3 miles, you reach a junction where the North and South Bubble trail split. Take a left at this junction and continue the path up to reach the top of the South Bubble. Take in the views and then go back the way you came. At the previous junction, then follow the path to the North Bubble summit. You can this take this path back to the junction and then just take a left to head back to your vehicle.
Another view from the South Bubble. Below: Trails are very well-marked throughout Acadia; Adam scrambles to the top of the boulder pile to reach the summit marker on the South Bubble; The sun came out a bit more by the time we climbed the North Bubble.
When you reach the summit of the South Bubble, take in the views of Jordan Pond and also take some time to find Bubble Rock (not to be confused with Balance Rock, which is located along the Shore Path in downtown Bar Harbor). It was amazing to see all the people that try to push on the rock in hopes that they can personally move a multi-ton granite boulder. There was one family that we enjoyed watching that had a couple of younger boys with them. One of them held a stick like a spear and seemed to have a little violent streak running through him. He kept wanting to throw his stick at things. We overheard him telling his family, “When I see things, I want to chuck my spear at it SOOOOO BAAAAAD!” I’m curious to see how his deviant behavior develops over the years. From the Bubble Rock, you can also get some views of the Park Loop Road below. This hike pays off with stunning views despite little effort.
We also enjoyed talking with a couple at the North Bubble. They were taking part of a quest to visit all of the U.S. National Parks. They had been to lots of places over the last few weeks and had come from Canada a few days before Acadia. They took some pictures of the two of us and we returned the favor. They said they were sending their pictures to their friends that were cursing them at all of the things they have been able to do. I guess once you make your friends envious, you have to keep it up. I will say that the North Bubble is a little steeper to climb up, but the views from both of the Bubbles are great.
We hope that you enjoy our reviews of Acadia National Park hikes. We have been going there for years and I think you will see that over the next few blog entries that this is a place that you should put on your “must visit” list! There is a reason that nearby Bar Harbor, ME was once called “Eden”. This area really feels like a paradise to both of us.
Christine Says…
We rolled onto Mount Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park, in the early afternoon after an easy six hour drive from Massachusetts. It was a beautiful afternoon with a cold front pushing out the last of the dark, gray storm clouds and humidity from the day before. We were really eager to start enjoying the park, so instead of going to our hotel, we immediately headed to the Acadia Visitor Center. We changed into hiking clothes, bought our park pass and set out to do the short hike across the north and south Bubbles, overlooking Jordan Pond.
The hike is short and easy/moderate, so it’s very popular with families and novice hikers. Even so, most of the traffic had cleared out earlier in the day, so we were able to find a parking spot right at the trailhead. Anyone who visits Acadia knows how rare that is! Acadia is one of the smallest and most congested national parks, so we always try to plan our activities at non-peak times to avoid crowds.
The trail climbs from the parking lot. It starts off smoothly, but soon you’re scrambling over roots and up granite ‘stairs’. It was a little wet from storms the night before, so we had to be careful of our footing. There aren’t many footing surfaces more slippery than wet granite!
The first viewpoint we came too came atop a rocky shelf, mostly overlooking the mountains, but with a little snip of water visible. After snapping a few quick photos, we made our way to the summit of the South Bubble.
The View from the North Bubble. Below: Christine and Adam enjoy views along the hike.
Of the two Bubbles, the south peak is quite a bit more popular due to the presence of ‘Bubble Rock’ – a glacial erratic that sits precariously on the side of the mountain. It looks like it could go rolling down the mountainside at any moment. It’s always fun to sit and listen to people plotting to push the boulder off its perch. Some people think it would take a group pushing effort; others contemplate the lift power of a lever. Personally, I think when the boulder falls; it will be solely Mother Nature who moves it. I hope it doesn’t happen in my lifetime, because I like the boulder right where it is! Another fun tradition is to take photos of your hiking buddies pretending to hold the boulder up.
If you hike past Bubble Rock, the trail leads over to an open view of Jordan Pond below. It’s a lovely spot!
To get to the North Bubble, you simply retrace your steps back to a trail junction marking the path north. The trail up the North Bubble might be slightly steeper, but it’s still a short and easy hike. We spent a bit of time atop the peak, enjoying the view and luxuriating in the cool, breezy Maine air. Being in Maine always makes me feel so happy.
We hiked back down the way we came and were back at our car quickly. Even though the hike was nothing long or challenging, it was still a perfect way to kick off our week in Acadia!
Trail Notes
Distance – 1.7 miles
Elevation Change – approximately 1050 feet. You first go up about 500 feet up to the South Bubble, go back down 200 feet and then up another 550 feet to the North Bubble
Difficulty – 2.5. These trails are very short, so most people should be able to do them. The South Bubble is fairly easy with the short distance and I would give about a 2 in difficulty. The North Bubble is definitely more of a steep trail and is closer to a 3-3.5 in difficulty.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is very well-maintained and traveled. However, some of the footing can be slick in the rain on the granite. The North Bubble does have some steeper sections which make the footing a little more treacherous.
Views– 4. Great views from both Bubbles.
Wildlife – 0. We didn’t really see anything, but you may be able to see birds soaring above or relaxing on the lakes below.
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. This path we took was more like a T, since you split off in different directions. Almost all of the trails in Acadia lead to other options to combine into loops with other trails.
Solitude – 1. Due to the distance, this is an incredibly popular hike. You will very likely have several hikers to share in the views if you go over the summer.
Directions to trailhead: On the Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park, keep following the road until you reach the Bubble Rock parking lot. This is just south of the Bubble Pond parking lot, so don’t be confused by the name. The trailhead starts from about the middle of the parking lot.
This 8.35 mile hike (with an optional .4 mile detour to the Pass Mountain Hut) follows the Appalachian Trail through beautiful forest and past one decent view.
Path to Pass Mountain Hut. Below: Adam walks along the Appalachian Trail descending Pass Mountain; Rocks along the trail descending Neighbor Mountain; We crossed Skyline Drive at Beahm's Gap.
Christine Says…
Last weekend was one of my only free weekends between July and August (lots of art shows and an upcoming trip to Maine!), so we decided to go for a hike. I wasn’t in the mood to go anywhere that required a long drive, so we settled on doing another section of the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. We’ve completed the central district and a couple segments in the south district, but we had yet to hike any of the AT in the park’s northern section. To make the drive time the shortest possible, we chose to hike from Elkwallow to Thornton Gap (Rt. 211).
We started out at the Elkwallow Picnic Area, the same exact spot we began our backpacking loop down to Jeremy’s Run last year. After a short downhill to meet the AT, we began a gradual, steady climb up the trail – the first of three significant climbs on this section of trail. We passed lots of thickets of ripening blackberries along the trail. We also saw a lot of eastern red columbine still in bloom.
Blackberries along the trail. Below: Red eastern columbine; a couple unidentified wildflowers; Indian Pipes
After the first climb, the trail is really gentle and level until you reach the next climb, headed up Neighbor Mountain. The Neighbor Mountain trail, which branches off the AT, is another option for making a loop with Jeremy’s Run. It’s a little longer than the Knob Mountain Loop we chose, but the steepness of the climbs are a little more gradual. At the junction of the AT and the Neighbor Mountain trail, we ran into two gentlemen that turned out to be doing the same exact segment hike we were working on. They offered us a share of their fresh picked peaches and plums from a local orchard!
Near the trail junction, you have the option to take a side loop past Byrd’s Nest #4, but we decided to stay on the AT. Descending Neighbor Mountain is a little steep and rocky. On the steepest part of the descent, we passed three section hikers slogging uphill. Near the bottom of the descent, we stopped for a snack and were eventually passed by the two guys we met at the Neighbor Mountain junction. We continued to play ‘leap frog’ with them for the remainder of the day.
Adam takes in the view from Pass Mountain. Below: Blueberries ripening; Adam picks berries.
A bit later, we crossed Skyline Drive near the Beahm’s Gap overlook and began the final big climb of our hike – over Pass Mountain. I didn’t really expect any views on this hike, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a very nice overlook just north of the Pass Mountain Summit. It was a little hazy, so the view wasn’t as pretty as it could have been. Even if the views were slightly lacking, the abundant wild blueberries more than made up for it! It was one of the thickest, densest accumulations of ripe berries I’ve ever seen! (and this is coming from someone who has spent many, many summers in Maine).
The park has a policy allowing limited gathering of berries, nuts and seeds for personal consumption, so we ended up picking about a quart of berries. I made vanilla-blueberry pancakes with them. YUM!
After we picked berries, we had a short distance more to climb over the summit. After crossing the high point, the remainder of the hike was an easy downhill grade for a couple miles. With about 1.5 miles left, we passed the spur trail to the Pass Mountain Shelter. I ditched my backpack and hiked the extra .2 miles down to the shelter. It was set in a pretty opening under the trees. I took a peek at the journal and noticed one of the recent entries mentioned a bear visiting the shelter!
After the shelter, we continued downhill back to the car. When we crossed 211 to get back to where we parked, we noticed that there were police cars and park rangers all over the road. It turns out that 211 was closed due to a fatal motorcycle accident – very sad. Since we had to wait for the road to open, we headed back into the park to get some lunch at Elkwallow Wayside. It was a tasty, indulgent treat after our hike.
Adam Says…
Well, we’ve reached about the halfway point in covering the Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah National Park. With the Central District done, we have been starting to work on some other sections in the North and South districts. This was our first section through the North District.
We parked one car on 211 near the sign for where the Appalachian Trail crosses and outside the park boundary. We drove the other car to the Elkwallow Picnic Ground. The trail starts right near the privy and heads down into the woods. Continue on this spur trail for a short distance until you reach the junction with the Appalachian Trail. Take a left heading south on the white-blazed trail. In about a quarter of a mile, you reach a junction with the Jeremy’s Run trail but stay on the Appalachian Trail. The trail begins to ascend fairly steeply and you will gain about 500 feet of elevation over the next mile. The trail levels off at this point and even starts to descend for the next two miles. At 3.2 miles, you will start another ascent of 400 feet. You will then pass a junction with the Neighbor Mountain and Byrds Nest 4 trail. We stayed on the AT, but you can take the trail to the Byrds Nest shelter and it will rejoin the AT after the shelter. The trail descends again over the next mile and you reach Skyline Drive at the Beahms Gap parking area at mile 5.2. Cross Skyline Drive and begin the ascent up Pass Mountain as you gain 600 feet of elevation over the next mile. Once you reach the unmarked summit of Pass Mountain, the hard part is over and it is two miles back to your vehicle on 211.
Pass Mountain Hut. Below: The shelter has a picnic table and a firepit; A peek inside the shelter journal; A curious doe along the trail.
The best part of the hike was definitely getting to the summit of Pass Mountain. We were hiking near the summit and we saw a rock outcropping to the west of the trail about 100 feet. Christine was doubtful that there would be any opening for views, but I said that I thought there would be. When I went to investigate I saw there was a decent view, but I was quite pleased to see all the wild blueberries. As Christine mentioned, we have often seen blueberries when we go hiking in Acadia National Park in Maine, but these patches seemed untouched. We spended about 30 minutes picking blueberries and taking in the view. We also thought of our friend, Suzanne, that accompanied us on the backpacking trip in Dolly Sods the previous week. She went crazy for wild blueberries, and we pictured her screaming in glee over these patches. There were still lots of blueberries that weren’t ripe enough to pick, so if you are interested in doing this hike for some blueberries, I would hit this trail in mid to late July. I’m guessing that this trail could also be frequented by bears since they tend to go where the food sources are.
The Appalachian Trail is like a green tunnel through the woods. Below: Christine crossing 211 at the end of the hike; Blueberries at home!
Christine was impressed when I spotted the indian pipes on the trail. Of course, I wasn’t sure what they were called. I just said, “Isn’t this something you’re interested in?” She has quickly become great at identifying wild flowers. Maybe one day I will get there also, but I can at least point some things out for now.
Most of this hike is more or less a walk through the woods. The terrain wasn’t too tough, and this is not a section of the AT that is riddled with views and interesting things along the way. Unless you’re tackling a section of the AT, I would say that most people that you would run into on this section are hiking up Pass Mountain.
Trail Notes
Distance – 8.35 miles (8.75 if you do the optional side trail to the Pass Mountain Hut)
Elevation Change – 1600 feet
Difficulty – 3. This hike is a moderate mix of climbs, descents and flats.
Trail Conditions –4. The trail is in great shape, but a little overgrown due to the wet summer.
Views–2.5 The view from Pass Mountain is nice.
Wildlife – 1. We saw a deer but nothing else.
Ease to Navigate – 4.5. The trail is unmistakably easy to follow.
Solitude –2.5. You probably won’t see many hikers after the peak of thru-hiking season. We saw only a handful of people over the miles.
Directions to trailhead: From Skyline Drive around mile marker 24.3, follow the signs to the Elkwallow Picnic area (not Elkwallow Gap parking lot). Park near the privy. The trail starts next to the privy.
The Fisher Springs Run – Rohrbaugh Plains hike is a five mile out-and-back that leads to spectacular wilderness views from a cliffside.
Rohrbaugh Cliffs at Sunset. Below: Gearing up at the car before starting the hike; Making the short walk down Forest Road 75; Adam points out our route on the trail sign.
Christine and Adam Say…
For this particular post, we decided to team up and write one massive post, instead of the normal ‘He Says, She Says’ versions. Enjoy!)
Last year, we participated in a Potomac Appalachian Trail Club workshop called Backpacking 101 (read part one, part two, and part three). Initially, we were scheduled to do an overnight trip to the Dolly Sods Wilderness as a ‘graduation’ from our class. Sadly, we ended up missing that trip because Christine’s ankle sprain still hadn’t healed enough for the rigors of backpacking. While the make-up trip we eventually did to Hazel Mountain in Shenandoah National Park was great, we still wanted to do an overnight trip in Dolly Sods.
Dolly Sods is such a unique area for the mid-Atlantic region. It’s the only area close to us with a sub-Arctic tundra climate – loaded with heath barrens, blueberry bushes, acidic bogs and coniferous forest. You feel like you’re somewhere far north of West Virginia when you visit this wilderness area.
The route we chose through Dolly Sods was of a length and difficulty we would typically choose for an easy day hike. (5 miles with 900 feet of elevation change) But we decided it would be fun to do an easy hike and enjoy camping at one of the most beautiful sites in the entire Monongahela National Forest’s wilderness area.
We also were lucky to have some awesome company for this trip. In Backpacking 101, we met a nice couple – Suzanne and Anthony. We enjoyed hanging out with them on our class trip to Hazel Mountain and had stayed in touch with them ever since. We tried planning trips together a couple times, but until this trip our schedules just hadn’t matched up. We were thrilled when plans finally came together for this Fourth of July weekend trip.
Day One:
Suzanne and Anthony drove down to our house on Friday night so we would have time to go through all our gear before getting an early(ish) start on Saturday morning. We spent most of the evening fiddling with our packs, splitting up shared gear and contemplating how many Clif bars we truly needed to survive our expedition. That evening, it looked like an REI store exploded in our basement. We laughed about how much stuff we had to pack for just one night of camping. We ran through our checklist to make sure we had everything – stove, tent, sleeping bag, clothes, food, emergency kit, etc.
On Saturday, we had a big breakfast and were out the door a little after 9:30. We didn’t make it to the trailhead until after 1:00. We made a stop at Seneca Rocks Visitor’s Center and ended up buying another trail guide and a new map for West Virginia hiking. (Not for use on this trip, but just to have for the future.) We also stopped at the Subway in Franklin, WV to grab sandwiches to have for lunch on the trail.
When we got to the Fisher Springs Run trailhead, the parking lot was overflowing with cars. A couple people had decided to park sideways in the lot instead of straight-on, so they took up space that could have accommodated five or six more cars. It was a little annoying and worrisome – would we get out to Rohrbaugh Cliffs and find all the prime campsites already occupied? We ended up parking a short distance down Forest Road 75, in a patch of dirt just wide enough to get our car off the road.
The forest floor was a sea of ferns. Below: Adam hikes along the Fisher Springs Run Trail; The trail junction of Fisher Springs and Rohrbaugh Plains; Subway for lunch; Our huge pile of packs; Adam traverses a rocky section of trail, Suzanne crosses a small stream.
We found space to shove the sandwiches into Suzanne’s pack, slathered ourselves with sunscreen and bug spray, and got to the business of walking. Almost immediately after stepping off the dusty, gravel forest road onto the trail, we found ourselves ensconced in a cool, lush, green forest. Ferns spread across the ground for as far as the eye could see. The trail descended gradually, occasionally crossing small, mostly dry streams. The trail got rockier as we followed it for a little over a mile to its junction with the Rohrbaugh Plains trail. We stopped at the trail junction and ate our lunch. We chatted with a passing backpacker who was doing a 19-mile loop through Dolly Sods. She was on a solo trip and told us she was headed down into the Red Creek basin. We asked her if she had noticed many camps set up near the cliffs. She said she hadn’t seen anyone, so we took that as a hopeful sign.
After lunch, we took a left onto the Rohrbaugh Plains trail. The trail at this point was all rocks. They almost looked fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle. Almost immediately after the rocky patch, we dipped deeply into a ravine with a pretty flowing stream. It was a perfect water source for backpacking. We figured that in the worst case scenario, we could hike back to this point to fetch water for cooking and cleaning at camp.
The last 1.2 miles to our campsite ascended ever so slightly, winding past giant mossy boulders and through dense thickets of rhododendron. With about a half mile to go, we passed another trail junction with the Wildlife Trail. Taking the Wildlife Trail to the Rohrbaugh Plains trail is probably the most popular route for day hikers to reach Rohrbaugh Cliffs. After this trail junction, we crossed a swampy, muddy area and walked across a grassy meadow. A couple tenths of a mile past the meadow, we came to a beautiful clearing where we ended up making camp.
Crossing the meadow. Below: Christine and Adam’s camp; Adam collects water for cooking and cleaning; Anthony and Suzanne’s camp.
There were so many soft, flat spots that were perfect for our tents! We chose a couple spots located out of sight of the trail. We had a fire pit, a nice place for cooking, a view and shady trees. It was nothing short of perfect.
It felt great to shed our packs and get to work setting up camp. Our Mountain Hardwear tent (the Drifter 3) is super-simple and was pitched in just a few moments. While Adam worked on staking the tent, Christine inflated our Big Agnes pads. We put them in the tent along with our sleeping bags, so they’d have some time to re-fluff after being compressed in stuff sacks all day.
On this backpacking trip, we had a few new and exciting ‘creature comforts’. Since our last backpacking trip, we acquired Alite camp chairs. They’re so comfortable and lightweight! We also both got the large Thermarest pillows. They’re really bulky and take up a ton of pack space, but they’re very lightweight and make a world’s difference for getting comfortable at night. Christine also brought a fitted sheet for her sleeping pad. Even though the sheet is made by Thermarest, it fits the Big Agnes pad perfectly. A sheet is not a necessity, but it definitely improves the texture and breathability of your sleeping pad. Christine especially hates feeling clammy or slippery when she’s trying to sleep, so having the sheet made a huge difference. Neither of us actually sleep inside our sleeping bag unless it’s freezing cold. We prefer to open our bags up and use them like quilts.
After we finished setting up our tent, we carried our cooking stuff down to our kitchen area. We also pulled out all our ‘smellables’ and set them aside so they could easily be stowed away in our hanging bear bag. Christine found a couple branch stubs to hang our trekking poles and our packs. We both covered our packs with garbage bags in case it rained overnight.
Anthony and Suzanne were still working on getting there camp set up, so we decided to go on a water run. We hadn’t passed a better water source after the stream near the trail junction, so we took our collapsible bucket and headed back down the trail. Filling up was easy, but getting two gallons of water in a soft-sided bucket back to camp without spilling anything over a 1.2 mile distance was substantially trickier! We were very thankful we went as a pair to get water, because it was nice to trade off carrying the bucket. We joked that it was like being in a challenge on some adventure reality show. We made it back without much spillage at all! (Note: We hiked this trail as a dayhike in 2014 and found a closer water source just a few hundred yards past where we stopped to camp… so you don’t have to hike back like we did!)
When we got back, Anthony and Suzanne were all set up, so we decided to walk a few hundred feet further down the trail to explore the cliffs. Rohrbaugh Cliffs were spectacular. The view into the valley below was all wilderness – not a single road or farm or house – just mountains and streams for as far as the eye could see.
Adam on Rohrbaugh Cliffs. Below: Wild, ripe blueberries; A cute frog that visited our camp; Rosebay Rhododendron were in bloom; Our group on Rohrbaugh Cliffs; A couple more views of the cliffside.
We visited the area at a truly beautiful time of year. The Rosebay Rhododendrons were just starting to bloom. The mountain laurel was a bit past peak, but there were still plenty of flowers to enjoy. And best of all WILD BLUEBERRIES were everywhere along the cliffs! Suzanne and Christine were significantly more excited about the berries than the guys and spent a lot of time searching for ripe berries tucked into the bushes.
Most of the late afternoon was spent relaxing near camp and getting dinner ready. Around 5:30, Adam got out the JetBoil and boiled water for all of our dinners. We had wanted to come up with some homemade backpacking recipes, but never got our act together. Adam and Christine ended up eating Backpacker’s Pantry Chicken Risotto with Mocha Mousse Pie for dessert. It was satisfying and very filling! Anthony and Suzanne had macaroni and cheese and blueberry cobbler from some backpacking meal company (AlpineAire) none of us had heard of before. They were pretty happy with their dinner, too.
Chef Adam filters and boils water for dinner. Below: Chicken Risotto for dinner; Anthony and Suzanne relax after dinner; Playing Monopoly on the cliffs; Hanging our bear bag.
We cleaned up our dishes, brushed our teeth (We love Colgate Wisps for backpacking) and hoisted our bear bag into the highest, safest tree we could find. We decided to play cards and watch sunset from the cliffs. We found a big flat rock near the edge and played the card version of Monopoly. The game took a long time, and Adam eventually won. The sky turned to hues of pink and soft purple and the sun dipped down behind the mountains. It was so beautiful!
Shortly before full dark, a couple more groups of backpackers showed up – maybe five people and two dogs. They set up their camps down the trail from us. So even though we weren’t the only people up there, we still felt like we had a good measure of solitude. It definitely was not the situation we feared when we saw the packed parking lot at the trailhead. We’re guessing most of the other backpackers ended up along Red Creek.
Once the sun was down, we all retreated to our tents. Christine listened to a book on her iPod for a while. By the light of his headlamp, Adam enjoyed reading some of his book by John Muir. He’s been reading this book exclusively on backpacking trips. It’s a nice tribute to read something by the ultimate outdoorsman while having our own experience with nature.
Christine started getting really sleepy, so she stowed her iPod away and dozed off, only to be woken almost immediately by the sound of fireworks in the valley below. We think we heard fireworks shows from three different locations, because there were definitely three distinct grand finales. The booming sounds and bursts of light in the sky came from different directions, too. We contemplated leaving our tent and going back out to the cliffs to see if we could see the fireworks from above, but we ended up staying put. Christine didn’t feel like getting dressed again. When all was said and done, we kind of regretted not going back out to see the fireworks.
Eventually the fireworks drew to a close, and Christine drifted back to sleep. Unfortunately, Adam did not sleep that well on this trip. He was physically comfortable, but he just wasn’t tired enough to sleep soundly. Going to bed shortly after sunset just isn’t what his body is used to, so he did a lot of tossing and turning during the night.
Our sunset card game. Below: Layers of mountains frame the Red Creek Valley; We had a pretty sunset; Suzanne takes a few final photos of the evening sky.
Around 2:30 a.m., Adam shook Christine awake to close the rainfly on the tent – a storm was approaching. Christine stumbled and grumbled and totally failed at closing the fly. Adam had to crawl over her to get both sides of the tent closed. Christine completely lacks dexterity when she’s half asleep. The storm never really materialized beyond some lightning and wind. We both fell back to sleep and didn’t wake up again until about 6:15. Christine said it was the best night of sleep she’s ever had in a tent.
Day Two
Shortly after sunrise, we got out of the tent and took a walk over to the cliffs. Christine thought there might be some pretty morning light, but it was completely cloudy. Back at camp, we started breaking down our tent, deflating our sleeping pads and re-stuffing our sleeping bags. We got the bear bag down and got everything ready to cook breakfast.
Christine tried Starbuck’s instant coffee, Via, for the first time. It was surprisingly delicious. Once she added sweetener and powdered Coffeemate, it tasted almost identical to a cup of brewed coffee. In addition to coffee, we had boxes of apple-grape juice and instant maple-brown sugar oatmeal. We figured that would be plenty of food to give us energy for the short hike out.
After everyone was done with breakfast, we finished packing up and cleaning up our camp area. We were back on the trail by 8:45. Our exit route simply retraced the trail we had hiked in. We were back at the car by 10:15.
Breaking camp in the morning. Below: Fat Boy’s Pork Palace for lunch!
On the way home, we stopped at Fat Boy’s Pork Palace (now permanently closed) for lunch. With a name like that, you know it’s going to have perfect options for a post-backpacking calorie splurge! We enjoyed BBQ sandwiches with coleslaw and French fries. Suzanne got breakfast and Anthony got a burger. It was all delicious!
Once we were back at our house, we split up our group gear and saw Anthony and Suzanne on their way. Christine said her post-backpacking shower might have been one of the best showers of her entire life. It always feels awesome to wash away DEET, sunscreen and sweat!
We all had a great time on the trip. We’re already trying to plan our next backpacking adventure for some time in September! Although, it’s going to be hard to top the scenery at Dolly Sods!
Trail Notes
Distance – 5.2 miles total
Elevation Change – 900 feet. The Fisher Springs Run trail descends about 500 feet and the Rohraugh Plains ascends about 400 feet.
Difficulty – 2. The hike was not that difficult, even with 35 pounds on my back.
Trail Conditions –2.5. The Fisher Spring Run trail was well-maintained, but there are lots of rocky spots on the Rohrbaugh trail where you could turn your ankle.
Views–5. The views from Rohrbaugh cliffs were quite spectacular and it was nice to see the sun disappear over the mountains.
Wildlife – 1. We were expecting to see some wildlife up here, but we didn’t see anything other than squirrels, frogs and some birds. We did wake up to the sounds of dark-eyed juncos in the morning.
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. There are not any blazes on trails at Dolly Sods, but the trails are very well-defined and signs are in place to mark junctions. Stay on the trail as much as possible and you won’t have any trouble. I can imagine that when leaves fall and cover the trail in the fall, it would be more challenging to find the trail.
Solitude –4. On a nice day, you may see some people at the overlook.
Directions to trailhead: From Seneca Rocks, go North on WV 28 for 12 miles. Take a left on Jordan Run Road. Go one mile up Jordan Run Road and take a left on to Forest Road 19. In 6 miles, Forest Road 19 comes to a T on to Forest Road 75. Take a right, heading north on Forest Road 75. Drive for three miles until reaching the small parking lot and the trailhead for Fisher Springs Run.
Flat Top is one of the two ‘Peaks of Otter’. While not as popular as the other peak (Sharp Top), this 5.4 mile hike to Flat Top’s summit offers some nice views of the area.
A view of Sharp Top from just below the Flat Top summit. Below: Starting out on the Flat Top trail; The trailhead was decorated with lilies; The junction of the trail down to Cross Rock is right at the Pinnacle.
Christine Says…
Last week, we were home on a week long ‘staycation’. Most of the week, we relaxed at home, sleeping in and watching movies. When Wednesday turned out to be cool and breezy with low humidity, we decided to get up early and go for a day hike in the Peaks of Otter area of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We’ve hiked Sharp Top many times, but I had never really considered hiking the companion peak. Adam had always described the hike up Flat Top as steep and lacking any spectacular views. But, we’d read a few more positive descriptions of the views, so we decided to give the trail a shot.
When we got to the trailhead, it was almost chilly. Personally, I think chilly weather is always welcome in the middle of summer! The hike was all uphill, passing hillsides of ferns, giant boulders and patches of red columbine. The first point of interest we came to was the Pinnacle. It offered panoramic views of the valley. We could even see the Blue Ridge Parkway snaking through the mountains across the valley.
A view from the Pinnacle. Below: The trail was often lined with ferns; There were many giant boulders along the trail; Cross Rock was underwhelming.
At the Pinnacle, there is sign marking a side trail down to Cross Rock. We assumed Cross Rock would be another outcropping with nice views. We were quite wrong. Instead, it was a brutally steep descent to a rock formation in the shape of a cross. Others might find Cross Rock to be fascinating, but I think I would have passed on the side trail if I had known I was just going to look at some rocks.
From the Cross Rock junction, the trail became steeper and rockier. We continued climbing for the last half mile to the summit of Flat Top. At first, we were a little confused because the summit marker was buried in the trees. Our hiking book had described the views from the top as panoramic and majestic. We eventually found a little path through the brush leading to a rocky outcropping with views. It was a little below the actual summit. The views from that point were nice, but I wouldn’t describe them as generously as our hiking guide did. If you climbed out to the edge, stood and peered beyond the trees, you could see Sharp Top. Overall, I think the view from the Pinnacle was much nicer than the view from the summit.
We relaxed on the rocks for a while, then made our way down the trail. The trail going down was really slick from the thunderstorms the night before. On one steep section, I slipped and fell hard on my left knee. At first, I was really worried I may have banged it up badly enough to jeopardize our planned backpacking trip. Fortunately, I was able to walk it off and only suffered a bruise.
The downhill hike seemed endless at times after I hurt my knee, but we got back to the car in less than an hour. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Peakview Dining Room in the Peaks of Otter lodge.
Adam Says…
The Peaks of Otter place has a special place in my heart, since this was where my family would often visit for a picnic. I have hiked up the sister peak, Sharp Top, countless times, but I have only been up Flat Top a few times. The times that I had approached the peak of Flat Top, we had started out from the trailhead from the Peaks of Otter picnic area. I remember that path being very steep and forested, with views that were mostly through the trees. After consulting our Falcon Guide of Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway, it mentioned great views and starting from the actual Blue Ridge Parkway to shave off some of the elevation gain. We decided to check out this path instead of the way I had experienced.
View just below the Flat Top summit. Below: The actual summit of Flat Top is in the trees; Adam took a photo of Christine with the camera’s manual settings customized for a sunny landscape shot – oops!; Inside the Peaks of Otter lodge.
The start of this trail begins around mile marker 83.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, north of the Peaks of Otter Lodge. There is a parking lot on the eastern side and you will see a brown sign denoting the beginning of the Flat Top trail. The trail starts off by slowly elevating through the forest in more of a gradual ascent. Around .6 miles, the trail turns sharply to the left and you begin a series of switchbacks that last until you reach the junction with the Cross Rock trail at 2.1 miles. At this junction you reach what is termed the pinnacle. If you crawl out on the outcropping of rocks near you, you are at the Pinnacle, which provides the best views on this hike. You have the option of climbing down to Cross Rock, but this is not a great viewpoint, just an interesting rock formation. Follow the signs up the last .5 miles to reach the Flat Top summit at 4,001 feet. You will see the summit marker in the middle of the woods. Continue past the summit marker slightly for a short sidepath onto a rock outcropping that will give you some nice views. Continue back the way you came.
This path up Flat Top was better than my memories of hiking up from the picnic area. The views from the Pinnacle are gorgeous and you would miss out on this if you did the hike from the picnic area. The hike back down from the summit felt steeper than going up and there were loose rocks that required you to keep an eye on your footing. Take trekking poles to help secure your footing. There is one geocache on the hike, but I forgot to plug in the coordinates before we left:
The one thing that Flat Top has over the Sharp Top hike is more solitude. Sometimes it seems that Sharp Top is crawling with large groups of hikers, but you will likely only see a few people on the Flat Top hike. Sharp Top does have better viewpoints, but this is a nice hike to do if you have more time to spend in the area. If you are interested and not too exhausted, you can also cross the road from the parking lot for a short 1.6 mile hike to Fallingwater Cascades.
Trail Notes
Distance – 5.4 miles (including the optional .2 mile side trail to Cross Rock)
Elevation Change – 1391 feet
Difficulty – 3. The hike is steady uphill climbing and get rockier the higher you climb.
Trail Conditions –2. The trail is very rocky and is rather overgrown in places.
Views–3.5 The view from the Pinnacle is beautiful, but views from the summit are somewhat obstructed.
Wildlife – 0. We didn’t see anything.
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. The trail itself is easy to follow, but at the summit there is no clear pointer to the best overlook. The technical summit is buried in the woods, but by following community trails you can climb onto rocky outcroppings to gain a view.
Solitude –2.5. Compared to Sharp Top, this trail is lightly traveled. But due to the popularity of the Peaks of Otter area, you will likely see other hikers.
Directions to trailhead: At mile marker 83.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, north of the Peaks of Otter Lodge. Park in the lot on the eastern side and a brown sign denotes the beginning of the Flat Top trail.
This section of the Appalachian Trail gives you stunning views from the summit of Hightop Mountain.
Adam and Wookie enjoy the summit of Hightop Mountain.
Adam Says…
We started off our hike by parking one car at the Swift Run Gap entrance and one car near the Powell Gap trailhead around mile marker 70 on Skyline Drive. The trail immediately starts with going uphill. Get used to it, because 3.6 miles of this hike is uphill. You gain 1250 feet of elevation during this stretch. For 1.7 miles, the hike from Powell Gap until you cross Skyline Drive again at Smith Roach Gap was overgrown in many parts. I can imagine that maintaining this section of trail was more challenging this year with all the rain, but we wish we had a weed-whacker with us to keep the grass and weeds from brushing up against our legs. The mountain laurel during this section was so abundant. It gave good cause to pause from huffing and puffing up the trail. After crossing Skyline Drive and continuing the white-blazed Appalachian Trail, you will continue your ascent. The trail was not as overgrown in this section. At mile 2.7, you will reach a blue-blazed spur trail that leads to the Hightop Hut, adding .2 mile to your hike. At mile 3.6, you will reach the summit of Hightop Mountain which has an overlook with valley views. The trail begins to descend at this point, through some slightly-rocky terrain. At 5.1 miles, you will cross Skyline Drive again. Continue to follow the trail until you reach Swift Run Gap at 6.4 miles.
Wookie on the Appalachian Trail. Below: The mountain laurel were gorgeous along the trail.
I really think Wookie enjoyed himself on this trip. It was his longest hike ever, but he pushed on through. We are always amazed at how we think he would be exhausted for the rest of the day, but he runs around the house as soon as he gets home like a puppy on crack. I think it is his way of boasting to our other dogs that he got to do something fun.
The views are always nice at the top of Hightop Mountain. This trail does get some decent traffic (especially in the area between Swift Run Gap and the summit), since it is really the first hike you could possibly do in the southern section of the park if you are driving from the north. We had met the thru-hiker “Shenanigans” at Hightop Hut, who talked to us for a while. He had heard of the Bearfence Mountain hut being closed. Rangers had put up a sign letting people know that the hut was closed, which helps the thru-hikers plan on where they were staying next. His goal was to make it up to Big Meadows, which would have given him a hike of close to 30 miles for the day. We went to check out the Trail Days festivities at Big Meadows Lodge and talked to one of the ridgerunners. These ridgerunners are hired by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club to basically hike the maintained trails through the area, talking to hikers, and checking in on the huts/cabins along the way. He told us that the Bearfence hut was going to be re-opened, so hopefully Shenanigans had a closer place to stay if he wasn’t feeling like doing a ton of miles that day.
Christine Says…
A couple days after we returned from our Virginia Highlands trip, we decided we were ready to go for another hike. After all, June 4th was National Trails Day, and we couldn’t let the day go by without hiking somewhere. We didn’t want to go anyplace that required a lot of driving. We also wanted to do something shorter, so we could bring Wookie along. Pugs are not the best hiking dogs, but Wookie always enjoy accompanying us on less strenuous hikes on cooler days. In the end, we settled on another Appalachian Trail section. Swift Run Gap is only a 10-15 minute drive from our house, so we decided to do the 6.4 mile section between Powell Gap and Swift Run Gap.
We stopped at Hightop Hut and chatted with the thru-hiker ‘Shenanigans’. Below: One of the Skyline Drive crossings; Columbine in bloom.
This section of trail is about 65% uphill. It’s never unbearably steep uphill, but for almost the first four miles, you are almost always climbing. The trail goes by one nice view, from the summit of Hightop Mountain. It also takes you by Hightop Hut, which is another overnight stop for multi-night backpackers and thru-hikers.
On the particular day we hiked, much of the trail was lined with mountain laurel at their peak bloom. 2011 has been a fantastic year for mountain laurel. Spectacular, abundant, lush blooms have been everywhere across the mountains.
At the summit of Hightop Mountain, we encountered two hikers and their dog. Their dog clearly wanted to eat Wookie for breakfast, so we were extra glad she was leashed! We enjoyed the views and the breezes. Hightop has a great view of Massanutten Mountain – one of the most distinct and impressive mountains on our local skyline.
After Hightop, the last couple miles of the hike were pretty easy – lots of downhills and flat. We were back at the car by lunchtime, so we decided to drive up to the Big Meadows area to have lunch and check out the PATC display for Trails Day.
We were able to say hello to one of our instructors from Backpacking 101. We also chatted with trail maintenance crews and participated in a demo of their big two-man saw. We happened to catch one of the ridgerunners at a ranger display and were able to chat with him about a bear incident we heard about near Bearfence Mountain Shelter. Apparently, a bear was getting too bold for his own good near the shelter. He had even started exploring tents in search of food. The last straw was when the bear destroyed an unoccupied tent belonging to a thru-hiker. The bear was trapped and transported to a less populated area of the park. While rangers worked on trapping the bear, the shelter was closed, forcing hikers to push on another 10-12 miles to the next shelter.
We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch at Big Meadows – burgers, fries and blackberry milkshakes (YUM!).
Wookie Says…
This is the first time in quite a while that I’ve been invited out on a hike! It was a nice cool morning, so Christine and Adam decided to bring me along on a 6.4 mile hike along the Appalachian Trail. It’s the longest hike I’ve ever been on!
I had a lot of fun trotting along the trail. I like walking second in line, because I feel safer between my two humans.
When we got to Hightop Hut, I considered stealing some trailmix from the thru-hiker, but Christine wouldn’t let me. Instead, I got to drink a bowl of water from my collapsible dog dish. On the summit of Hightop Mountain, I met a big, black and white spotted dog. She was really loud and scary. I think she would have attacked me if she had free run. Being so small, I always appreciate dog owners that follow the rules and keep their canine hiking companions on six foot leashes.
On the last mile of the hike, I started getting really tired. I could barely hold the curl in my tail, I was so exhausted. When we got back to the car, I stretched out on the floor between Christine’s feet and took a nap until we got to Big Meadows.
At lunch, I even got some well-earned treats – a few fries and some of Christine’s burger patty. I would have liked to taste a blackberry milkshake, but I don’t think anyone was willing to share. Lots of people wanted to pet me and say hello at National Trails Day. I guess hiking pugs are sort of unusual!
Trail Notes
Distance – 6.4 miles one-way with a shuttle required.
Elevation Change – 1250 feet
Difficulty – 2.5 The trail is over halfway uphill, with a few steeper sections.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail between Powell Gap to Smith Roach Gap was overgrown. Otherwise the trail is fairly well-maintained, but there are a few loose rock sections going downhill.
Views– 4. Great views.
Wildlife – 2. We saw a few deer and a scarlet tanager on the trail.
Ease to Navigate – 4.5. Just stay on the Appalachian Trail.
Solitude –2.5 The promixity to the beginning of the south district of Shenandoah National Park make this popular for the last three miles of the trail.
Directions to trailhead: On Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, go to mile 70 in the South District of the Park. Park on the side of the road, near the sign for Powell Gap. You will see the beginning of the trail on the eastern side of the road. Follow the white blazes.
The Twin Pinnacles trail is a gentle trail that takes you to the highest point in Grayson Highlands State Park. The views from each of the Pinnacles are nothing short of spectacular.
The view from Little Pinnacle. Below: Although this blog post primarily covers the Twin Pinnacles trail, don’t miss hiking up through Massie Gap to where it meets the Appalachian Trail. You’ll see ponies and spectacular scenery.
Christine Says…
When visiting the southwest region of Virginia, a visit to Grayson Highlands State Park is practically mandatory. That park and the high country around Mount Rogers might be my favorite spot in the entire state of Virginia for many reasons. The lovely boreal forest seen in much of that area is uncommon elsewhere in our state. The bald, open high country is stunningly beautiful. And, the kicker… there are WILD PONIES. Honestly, if there was nothing besides the wild ponies to set Grayson Highlands apart, I would still love it best. I grew up a horse crazy girl and that sentiment has never really abated in my adulthood.
Last time we visited Grayson Highlands, we hiked up Mount Rogers. This time we wanted to try something new, so we decided to hike the Twin Pinnacles trail, which lies completely within the state park’s boundaries. But before we set off on our new hike, I insisted that we hike far enough up the Appalachian Trail that I could see and photograph some of the ponies and their spring foals. The wild ponies of Grayson Highlands are not everywhere in the park. The best chances to see them are hiking through Massie Gap and then south along the Appalachian Trail.
As it turned out, the ponies were all tucked into the shade and relaxing at the higher elevations. We ended up hiking a little over halfway up Mount Rogers before we found the herd. We enjoyed watching a small family group of ponies – two mares, two foals and a stallion for about an hour before we headed back down to do our ‘real’ hike.
This foal looked so beautiful with the mountainous background. Below: Adam walking along the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail; A couple shots of the Catawba Rhododendron in bloom.
We also spent a little time headed slightly north on the Appalachian Trail so Adam could look for a geocache. While he did that, I enjoyed the spectacular blooms of the Catawba Rhododendron. They’re so colorful, and really set the mountainside awash in brilliant purple.
By the time we got to the trailhead for Twin Pinnacles, which is located behind the park’s Visitor Center, I was already sunburned, tired and hungry. Thankfully, Twin Pinnacles is a very, very short hike. At 1.6 miles, it barely makes my personal cut-off of one-mile for actually being considered a ‘hike’. Anything shorter than a mile is just a walk in my book!
For such a short hike, Twin Pinnacles packs in a ton of majestic scenery! The trail climbs very gradually to the highest point in the park – Little Pinnacle – at 5084 feet. You would think Big Pinnacle would be the taller, but the name is a slight misrepresentation.
From the top of Little Pinnacle, we had views in every direction. We could see Christmas Tree farms down in the valley. We could see Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain off in the distance. All through the forest, bands of red spruce were visible. They really stand out among other conifers due to their richer, russet colors.
The trail leaving Little Pinnacle.
Walking across the rocky, bare top of the mountain was reminiscent of hiking in New England. We quickly dipped back into the trees and walked through a small saddle over the Big Pinnacle. After a short, very steep climb, we stepped out onto bare rock overlooking a gorgeous vista. Of the two Pinnacles, I think Big Pinnacle has slightly nicer views of the park – especially looking down into Massie Gap. We enjoyed the breeze atop the Pinnacle, and I spent some time daydreaming more about the ponies and what they might be up to. (yes… really – I love those ponies!)
After leaving the second Pinnacle, we had a short walk back to the Visitor Center and a long ride back home. I wish we had more time to spend in the area – I love Grayson Highlands!
Adam Says…
The last time we had visited Grayson Highlands, we spent most of the day at Mount Rogers and had little time or energy left for anything else. I thought it would be nice to see some other features of this wonderful state park. Since the weather and views were lovely, we tried out the Twin Pinnacles Trail.
The 1.6 mile loop trail has several storm shelters built by a local boy scout troop. Below: The trail starts behind the visitors center.
During our morning in Grayson Highlands, Christine was determined to see wild ponies. She stated that she didn’t want to leave until she saw ponies and hopefully foals. In my best Mr. T impression, I said “I pity the foals” and we started our search. We ran into an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. I wish we had stopped to get his trail name, because he was such a happy guy. He was from Florida and just said that he is just amazed every day at what he is doing. He said that he often goes blue-blazing (since all of the AT is white-blazed, trails off the AT are typically blue-blazed) to see other things that people recommend. He wasn’t out to set any records for speed, he was just enjoying every moment. I hope he makes the trip the whole way. I kept thinking that he is adding on a lot of extra miles that I know many other hikers wouldn’t want to do. I was asking if he had seen any ponies and he said he walked through about four herds getting to this spot today, so I knew we were on the right path. Shortly after we parted ways, we ran into our first two ponies. They were a little stand-offish, but they didn’t run away from us. These ponies looked a little rough, like they needed some time with a grooming brush. Christine wanted to continue to try and find some more groups of ponies. Shortly after we continued to climb up the AT, I looked back to enjoy the view (and catch my breath) and I saw some ponies not far from where we were hiking. We decided to climb back down and check them out and Christine saw there were two foals with them. We spent about 45 minutes just watching their behavior from a safe distance before I nudged Christine away to continue on with our day. I’m sure she could have stayed all day looking at this set of ponies.
There are two different options for this trail. You can start from the parking lot at Massie Gap and hike steeply uphill via the Big Pinnacle Trail. We decided to go the easier way, since we had already spent a good time hiking before this.
Big Pinnacle overlooking Massie Gap.
To get to the trailhead, just continue on the park road, Grayson Highland Lane, until you reach the parking lot to the Visitor’s Center. Once you park the car, you will have to climb up several stairs until you reach the Visitor’s Center. As you are looking directly at the Visitor’s Center, the red-blazed trail begins behind and to the left of the Center. After a short distance, you will reach a larger bulletin board with a map of the trail where the trail forks. Take the left fork. You will soon come across the first of four storm shelters along the trail that were created as an Eagle Scout project. You will reach the first rocky outcrop, Little Pinnacle around .7 miles. The Little Pinnacle is actually higher than the Big Pinnacle in elevation. The trail continues on for a few tenths of a mile until you reach the sign for the Big Pinnacle overlook. The trail up to the Big Pinnacle consists of steep stairs leading to the top, but it isn’t too far of a climb to the top. Once there, you should be able to see the Massie Gap parking lot below. Go back to the sign and continue to follow the signs leading back to the Visitor’s Center. You should finish your trip at 1.6 miles.
I did do a little geocaching on the trail while I was there. In one of the geocaches, I found a toy Pinnochio from the Shrek movies. I decided to grab it (in geocaching, you typically take something and leave something in the container). As we continued to hike, I kept thinking that I heard something barking or voices that were in the distance. I asked Christine a couple of times if she heard anything and she said she didn’t. After thinking that I was going crazy, I finally realized that this Pinnochio was making noises. He makes some grunts and occasionally says, “I’ll never become a real boy”. We had a good laugh at my expense over that. If you would like to find the geocaches on the trail, they are:
For a hiker in Virginia, it really doesn’t get any better than a visit to Grayson Highlands State Park. This is truly a magical place!
Trail Notes
Distance – 1.6 miles
Elevation Change – 250 feet
Difficulty – 2. The trail is mostly flat and easy with the exception of one short, steep climb up Little Pinnacle.
Trail Conditions –4. The trail is heavily-traveled and in great shape.
Views– 5. Spectacular views from one of Virginia’s highest spots.
Wildlife – 1. We saw some birds. There might be bears and deer in the area, but we didn’t see anything.
Ease to Navigate – 4.5. There are a couple turns, but if you follow the signs you’ll easily be able to stay on the loop.
Solitude –2. The short length and excellent views make this trail very popular.
Directions to trailhead: From Abingdon, take 58 East until you reach Grayson Highlands State Park on the left through SR 362. Continue on Grayson Highland Lane until you reach the parking lot for the Visitor’s Center. The trailhead is behind and to the left of the Visitor’s Center.
The New River Trail is a 57-mile rails-to-trails bike path. It starts in Galax or Fries and runs to Pulaski, following the New River closely for most of the way. We biked a 20+ mile section from Fries to Foster Falls.
The trail was shady and lush! Below: One of the many bridges along the trail – this one crossed the New River; A view of the New River at Foster Falls; Adam looks at some small rapids.
Adam Says…
When we were originally planning our trip down near the Grayson Highlands area, we were planning to incorporate a bike ride on the Virginia Creeper Trail. We had previously done the Virginia Creeper Trail from Whitetop to Damascas, but we wanted to do the entire trail. After doing some research, we found out that due to recent tornado activity, only 8 miles of trail is still available to bike south of Damascas. There are plans to restore it soon, but it kept us from going with our original plan.
We were disappointed, but I had remembered hearing good things about the New River Trail. After discovering that we could still stay near Grayson Highlands and do this trail, we had a solution. The next challenge was trying to find a shuttle service to bike. After doing some internet research, I found a place called New River Trail Outfitters that offers the service. However, when I tried to call the numbers were disconnected. I’m not sure if they are out of business, but I couldn’t find any current information for them.
The livery at Foster Falls rents bikes, canoes, kayaks and tubes. They also handle the bike shuttle service. Below: The stable at Foster Falls, A caboose on display; Foster Falls has an old depot building now used as a shop.
I then called the New River Trail State Park and found out that they offer a shuttle service. The park headquarters is located in Foster Falls. The cost per person to shuttle from Foster Falls to Fries or Galax is $25/person. When I called in for information, I found out they opened at 9AM. When I asked if we needed to make a reservation, I was told “No. You can just show up.” It’s definitely much more laid back than making shuttle reservations for the Virginia Creeper. Along the Creeper, shuttles fill up days in advance, so you usually have to make a reservation with a credit card well ahead of your trip.
We decided to get there right at 9AM. The day was calling for temperatures in the high 90s, so we wanted to get most of the bike ride over before the hottest part of the day. We had to wait for a little while for a second employee to show up, but we were able to get our bikes loaded and we were off by about 9:20. It took about 35 minutes to get to Fries. We were thinking that it was going to be a very long bike ride, but the bike path is actually quite a bit shorter than the distance by car.
The New River Trail State Park is the longest state park, measuring a total of 57 miles, but only averages about 80 feet wide. This is a state park with the purpose of biking, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, or tubing. The guys operating the shuttle service says that most people choose to rent kayaks and float the river along the trail.
Biking Across the Fries Junction Bridge. Below: A variety of scenery along the trail.
I would recommend getting a copy of the bike map to take along with you. This path that we chose mostly takes place in the south section, but you will be 1.2 miles in the north section.
We decided to go for the section from Fries to Foster Falls because we thought it would be a little more manageable in the heat than the Galax to Foster Falls section. The Galax to Fries Junction section would have meant another 8 miles of biking and doesn’t parallel the New River until it reaches Fries Junction.
The bike path at Fries immediately starts by the New River. Right from the parking lot, we were able to see gorgeous views of the river. The trail takes about 5.5 miles to reach Fries Junction (which intersects with the trail from Galax). At Fries Junction, we did run into about 10 camp counselors that were biking the trail and talking about which colleges they were admitted to. I tried to keep quiet for a while, since I work in the JMU Admissions Office, but I did talk to one girl that was going to JMU next year as a freshman. We pressed on after a short break, following the signs to Pulaski (the terminus of the trail). We passed by Byllesby Dam (at mile 8.0) and Buck Dam (at mile 10.6). We stopped to eat a snack at Ivanhoe (at mile 13.7). Shortly after Austinville (at mile 16.5), we went through a short tunnel. This tunnel wasn’t that dark, so you most likely would not need a headlamp to go through. At mile 20.1, we reached Shot Tower. We parked our bikes and hiked up the steep stairs (which is tough after biking a while) to explore the tower. After we were done, we finished our ride back at the Foster Falls state park headquarters where we had started our trip.
There are a few geocaches to find along the way for this bike ride.
I definitely would like to come back and do some other sections of the trail. The section from Galax to Foster Falls is about 28 miles and the section from Foster Falls to Pulaski is about 22 miles. When we were reflecting back on the rails-to-trails bike rides we have done, we would put this only second to the Virginia Creeper trail.
Christine Says…
The New River Trail wasn’t our first choice for this mini vacation. Initially, we had planned to head down to Abingdon and make a second attempt to bike the entire Virginia Creeper. Let’s just say we don’t have good luck when it comes to the Creeper. In 2009, it rained on us for 17 miles before we bailed out and caught a van ride back to Abingdon from Damascus, in 2010 I got bronchitis and was too sick to go when we planned, and in 2011 the section of the trail between Damascus and Abingdon was closed due to tornado damage. Apparently, some mythical force is keeping us from finishing that trail!
This was the only tunnel we passed through on the section we biked. Below: Geese and goslings; Pretty wildflowers along the trail; Rocks and rapids in the new river.
Luckily, Adam was able to do some last minute research and plan an alternate getaway for us that included biking along the New River Trail. The trail is 57 miles long and passes through Grayson, Carroll, Wythe, and Pulaski Counties, linking the towns of Pulaski and Galax with a side spur of the trail linking to Fries. It hasn’t been around as long as the Virginia Creeper, so it’s not as well-known and the area doesn’t have quite as many bike-friendly amenities (shuttle services, bike shops, trailside cafes). But what it lacks in amenities, it makes up for with its beauty and solitude. We saw fewer than two dozen people along the New River Trail over a 20+ mile span and greatly enjoyed the pristine river scenery.
The trail was in great shape – smooth and flat, covered with fine crushed stone. There were lots of pretty wildflowers along the path – snapdragons, mountain laurel and others I didn’t know. Every now and then, I’d catch a deer watching us quietly from the woods. We saw a pair of geese and their goslings hanging out at one of the primitive trailside campsites. The river was fed by many small streams cascading down the hillside above the trail. There were even a few small waterfalls flowing. The New River was spectacular! All the spring rain had water levels higher than average, so there were many rapids and cascades that probably aren’t there when the water is lower. The driver of our shuttle even mentioned that they had to cancel canoe/kayak/tube trips due to high water on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.
It was close to 100 degrees outside on the day we biked, so that made it a bit uncomfortable. Although, once we got going, the breeze from pedaling along made the heat bearable. Thankfully, much of the trail passes through a shady tunnel of woods, so we were able to stay out of the direct sunlight most of the way.
Nonetheless, I drank almost three liters of water and a 20-ounce bottle of lemonade over the course of the ride. I also ended up with a huge, salty sweat ring on the front of my shirt (GROSS!) and my legs were crusted with sweat mixed with gravel and grit (DIRTY!). I was not a pretty site at the end of the trail, but I had such a good time I didn’t care!
The Shot Tower.
Two things I liked best along this bike path were the Fries Junction Bridge and the Shot Tower. The bridge was neat just because it was so long and curvy. Shot Tower was interesting for its history. The tower itself sits above the trail. So you have to take a short, steep climb up a hill and several flights of steps to visit the tower – but it’s definitely worth the effort. Another little tidbit of history from the area is that Stephen F. Austin, ‘The Father of Texas’, was actually born in Wythe County, in a small town that now bears his name (Austinville). The trail passes right through that area.
Park employees enjoy a shady spot on horseback.
I would definitely make a return trip to bike more of the New River Trail! The state park shuttle service makes it so convenient. I also might want to go back and ride horses along the trail. Seeing all the horses at the Foster Falls stable really made me miss having a horse and going for long rides.
After finishing up with our bike ride, we got cleaned up and headed into Galax for a movie and pizza. I was shocked that movies in Galax were only $4.00 for a matinee (as of 2011)! After the movie, pizza at RJ’s Pizza and Subs was delicious! They had really good and inexpensive food.
Trail Notes
Distance – 21.3 miles
Elevation Change – negligible
Difficulty – 1.5 The terrain is extremely flat, so if you can do the mileage, you shouldn’t have a problem.
Trail Conditions –4.5. The trail is either very small gravel or dirt. It doesn’t get better unless you find paved trails.
Views – 1.5 You don’t get views from high points, but there are a few nice unobstructed views of the river and some of the mountains around you.
Waterfalls/Streams – 5. Most of the trail, you are biking along the New River.
Wildlife – 2. We saw a couple of deer and a black snake on our ride.
Ease to Navigate –4.5. The trail is very easy to follow and well-marked.
Solitude – 2.5. This trail does get busy on nice weekend days, but it is not as popular as the Virginia Creeper trail.
Directions to trailhead: For the headquarters of New River Trail State Park for the shuttle service, take exit 24 (69 East) off of Interstate 77. Take a left on to US-52 North. Go 1.5 miles and take a right on to Foster Falls Road/State Route 608. There should be signs directing you to the New River Trail State Park. There is a fee of $2 to visit the park.
For the trailhead in Fries, VA, Fries is located off of highway 94. From Main Street in Fries, turn on Firehouse Drive. You should see the small parking lot and bulletin board shelter for the start of the trail at the curve on Firehouse Drive.
This short ‘lollipop loop’ hike takes you across high cow pastures offering great views of the valley below. Eventually you climb to the summit of Rocky Knob and enjoy visiting a former Appalachian Trail hut. The views from the hut and the rocky outcropping on the summit are excellent!
The trail climbs up across open meadow. Below: We sampled fourteen different wines at Chateau Morrisette; Hiking in open pasture; The hike takes you across the Saddle Overlook.
Christine Says…
A couple years ago we visited the Virginia Highlands area and did some hiking at Hungry Mother, biked the Virginia Creeper and climbed Mount Rogers. We had such a great time, that we decided a return trip was in order. We stayed in the small town of Hillsville – right off I-77. It was the perfect spot to use as a base for a number of activities in the area.
The first thing we decided to do was head up to the Meadows of Dan to explore that area of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We settled on a visit to Chateau Morrisette to sample wine, a short hike in the Rocky Knob area and a photo shoot at Mabry Mill.
Normally, I wouldn’t drink a bunch of wine before hiking in 95 degree weather, but it was the only way the schedule would allow us to fit everything into one evening. So… off I went to drink fourteen different kinds of vino! Chateau Morisette was such a great place! Their winery is right off the Blue Ridge Parkway, nestled into the rolling Virginia countryside. They have a large tasting room with a friendly staff. A variety of adorable and friendly dogs hang out and roam freely around the winery. Outside, there are pavilions and gazebos where people can lounge and enjoy their wine. I enjoyed every single wine I tasted – especially their Chambourcin. I also like that they donate part of the profit from their Liberty wine to support the training and placement of service dogs. We spent about an hour at the winery, purchased some bottles of the wines I liked best and headed on our way to the Rocky Knob area – just a few miles north on the Parkway.
We parked at the Rocky Knob campground and crossed the road to find the trailhead. To access the trail, you can either go through the gate or squeeze through the zig-zag. The first part of the trail climbs across open meadow, The views were amazing… rolling mountains in every direction. The sun was really beating down on us. I was so hot and thirsty (probably from the wine!) that I drank nearly two liters of water in the first half hour of hiking.
The view from Rocky Knob. Below: The shelter sits on a hillside above a rocky outcropping; A better view of the shelter, outside and inside.
At the crest of the hill, we passed through another zig-zag fence opening and entered the woods. The forest was full of wildflowers, azaleas and mountain laurel. Some of the flowers were different than anything we have in the Shenandoah, and the azaleas were predominantly orange (instead of the pink ones we have near us). In the shade, it was much cooler and more comfortable for hiking.
We passed out of the woods briefly to cross the parking lot at the Saddle Overlook. At the south end of the overlook, we entered the woods again and began an uphill climb. At the trail junction, we followed the right arm of the loop and ascended to the Rocky Knob Shelter. The shelter used to sit along the Appalachian Trail and served as an overnight stop for thru-hikers. The AT was re-routed much further west a long time ago, but the shelter was left intact. In front of the building, a small descent takes you down to a rocky ledge with a spectacular view (the view is almost as good from the shelter itself.) The hillside was covered with mountain laurel – so gorgeous.
We hiked a little bit past the shelter. There was one more nice view, but after that the trail started to descend toward the picnic area, so we turned around. The return trip follows the steeper arm of the loop downhill. As we walked back, the views from the trail were even prettier. The sun was dropping in the sky, making the light softer and warmer.
When we got back to the pasture area, the cattle had come out from the shady areas they had been hiding. They looked at us curiously and trotted off when we got too close. We made it back to the car a good while before sunset, but early enough that I had enough time to shoot Mabry Mill.
It was a great, short hike! I wish it hadn’t been so hot, but it was otherwise a perfect evening.
Adam Says…
We got checked in around 2:00PM and decided that we should try and make the best of the afternoon. Christine has been wanting to photograph Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a while, so we thought it would be best to hit that closer to sunset. We decided to try and squeeze in a hike beforehand. We debated about going to Fairy Stone State Park, but opted for this short hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of Mabry Mill. We drove past Mabry Mill and saw the signs for Chateau Morrisette winery. After Christine went through a quick wine-tasting, we made our way up to the Rocky Knob trail.
The mountain laurel was spectacular! Below: More wildflowers, azaleas and mountain laurel.
There are many ways to approach this hike. We consulted our Falcon Guide, which just got us confused on which was the best way to go. They list about three different hikes for this one, but don’t really provide appropriate directions for all three.
We started the trail, by parking our vehicle right outside the Rocky Knob campground. Directly across the parkway road from the campground entrance, there is a fat-man squeeze leading in to a field. This is to keep the cows that occupy this field , so don’t try to open any gates. After crossing through, head right following the blazed posts through the grassy fields. You will slowly ascend this hillside. At .6 miles, the trail leads to another fat-man squeeze that leads into the woods. At .75 miles, you will come out of the woods and reach the Saddle Overlook area. Keep going straight and go back into the woods. At .83 miles, you will reach a junction. This is the beginning of the lollipop loop section of the trail. Take the right branch. Just about another 150 feet, you will reach another junction. Take the left to start the red-blazed trail. This trail leads uphill fairly steeply with a switchback. At 1.0 miles, you will reach the end of this trail, which leads to the Rocky Knob shelter and joins back with the blue-blazed Rock Castle Gorge Trail. Head up the trail (north) just about 150 feet up the trail and you will come to the Rocky Knob overlook. Backtrack and go back to the cabin to enjoy the views and explore the cabin. Head down the Rock Castle Gorge Trail (south), passing by the Saddle Overlook and making your way back to your vehicle.
Adam takes in the view from the second view, past the shelter. Below: Cows were grazing in the pasture on our return hike; A last view across the open meadows.
The temperature for the day was over 90 degrees and the sun was beating down on us relentlessly, but the views that you get from the field, the Saddle Overlook, and the shelter were truly breathtaking. It was a clear day, with no threat of rain, and even in the haze we felt like we could see for fifty miles around us. The shelter was impressive too. The Appalachian Trail used to run through this area and this was once used by thru-hikers. I can just imagine how wonderful of a shelter this would be – the sunrise from this spot must have been amazing.
Christine and I were both impressed with the landscape along the way. There is a longer 10.6 mile hike through the Rock Castle Gorge that will be something to add to our “must hike” list on a day when we have more time.
Trail Notes
Distance – 2.3 miles
Elevation Change – 480 feet
Difficulty – 2. The uphill is nice and gradual.
Trail Conditions –4. The trail is nicely maintained with a few rocky spots.
Views– 4.5. The views from the meadow and the Rocky Knob summit were beautiful!
Waterfalls/Streams – 0. None
Wildlife – 1. Maybe the cows count?
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. Some of the maps and descriptions are a little confusing.
Solitude –3. It’s hard to judge this. We visited on a weekday evening. I assume this area is heavily trafficked on weekends.
Directions to trailhead: The Rocky Knob campground is located around mile 168 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Park your car just outside the campground, cross the parkway, and begin the hike by going through the fat-man squeeze and going right up the meadow.
Compton Peak is a short hike in the northern district of Shenandoah National Park. It has great views and requires just a little effort.
Adam takes in the view from the western side of Compton Peak. Below: A trail marker points the way to both the eastern and western views; This area was burned in a large forest fire in the winter of 2011. A resident on the park perimeter started the fire by dumping hot ashes from his wood stove. The fire ended up burning over 2000 acres and closed many trails (including the one to Compton Peak); The eastern view is somewhat obstructed.
Adam Says…
There has been so much rain this spring, that it seems next to impossible to find a pretty day to enjoy a hike. Last weekend, after checking out the weather forecast, we decided to take a quick trip up to Shenandoah National Park to squeeze in a hike before the clouds and rain came (again).
The directions for the hike are rather simple. From the parking lot, just cross Skyline Drive and start up the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. The trail ascends steadily. At .2 miles you will come across a large boulder to the left of the trail. At .7 miles, the trail tends to level off to a slight incline. At .8 miles, you will reach the post that marks the spur trails to the east and west for views for peaks. Both of these spur trails are .2 miles in length. The west trail to the right ascends slightly, but the views are quite impressive. The east trail to the left descends most of the way and eventually leads to a large boulder to ascend for the obstructed views.
Adam makes his way south along the Appalachian Trail. Below: We saw this buck with new antlers near the trailhead; Scaling a huge boulder along the trail; Native azaleas in bloom.
We spent a good while taking in the beautiful views on the west trail. We watched several vultures and a hawk float on the wind drafts. After we headed back from the trail, we saw the clouds starting to move in. We were thrilled we were able to get in a short hike before things clouded up.
Since we’ve recently been doing some longer hikes, this felt a little like cheating. But I tried to think that it isn’t about how many miles you try to pile up, but the enjoyment you get from the scenery around you.
Christine Says…
Compton Peak was not our original plan. We hoped to drive down to Peaks of Otter and hike Flat Top, the companion hike to Sharp Top. But like so many other weekends this spring, our plans have been foiled by impending rain. To put things in perspective, by mid-May, our area should receive a little over 12 inches of rain. In spring 2011, we’re already pushing 22 inches of rain. It’s definitely made everything lush and green. Waterfalls are flowing abundantly. But, it’s always slick and muddy, views are cloudy, thunder is always rumbling and lightning flashes almost nightly – and let’s face it – it’s no fun to walk in a downpour.
Christine relaxes on the rocks. Below: We enjoyed the clear views and beautiful sky; The climb to the eastern overlook was really rocky.
We knew we had about a four hour window of sunshine before clouds and rain moved in, so we chose a short hike in Shenandoah. Compton Peak fit the bill nicely.
As we were getting situated, we saw a thru-hiker descending the trail. I’m always struck by how fast they hike; so business-like. We also passed a couple other backpackers and hikers coming off the trail. We chatted with one older couple. When we asked them “How was the view?”, they responded that they hadn’t made it that far. Compton Peak is a really short hike, so I was really surprised they turned around before getting to the overlook.
The ascent was fairly gradual, but for some reason I was feeling completely drained on this particular morning. My boots felt lead-lined and I didn’t have any energy. It made me a little glad that we chose a short hike for a change!
I loved the western summit of Compton Peak! The rock was nice and flat. It gave me a perfect place to lie flat on my back and feel the breeze blow over my face. The sky was absolutely gorgeous – deep blue and full of a variety of cloud formations. The viewpoint had a lot of native azaleas in full bloom surrounding the rocky overlook. It was really pretty.
A thru-hiker heads north along the Appalachian Trail.
The eastern summit was underwhelming. In fact, I didn’t bother to walk all the way out to the rock after Adam told me the view was obstructed. The hike back was all downhill and took only 15-20 minutes. It was a little odd being on such a short hike after doing so many longer hikes lately. If I hadn’t been so tired, I probably would have felt like such a short hike was ‘incomplete’.
Trail Notes
Distance – 2.4 miles out and back. This includes the two spur hikes to the Peak views
Elevation Change – 835 feet.
Difficulty –2. This is a pleasant and easy section to hike.
Trail Conditions –3. Very nicely maintained and easy to walk. There are a few rocky sections. The East trail at the top had water running on the trail and was quite slick on the descent.
Views – 3.5 The best views are from the West trail
Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
Wildlife – 1.5. We didn’t see anything along the way, but the peaks should be a good spot to check out some birds of prey.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Follow the white blazes until you reach the top post. There is a junction here that leads to blue-blazed trails to the east and west.
Solitude – 2. You will likely see people along the trail, due to the ease of hike. The overlooks don’t have room for a lot of people, so you could be sharing the views with others.
Directions to trailhead: Park at mile 10.3 on Skyline Drive at the Compton Gap parking area. The trail begins across the road from the parking lot.
This 5.5 mile loop through Sky Meadows State Park offers spectacular valley views and the opportunity to hike in high, open meadows.
Adam takes in the view from the Piedmont Overlook. Below: Mt. Bleak House was built in 1843 and is open for tours; An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker makes his way down the trail (he is in the far left of the photo, beyond the dogwood trees); A cute village in the valley below.
Adam Says…
This hike was amazing! I can’t believe that we had never been to Sky Meadows State Park until now. Each year, Christine and I pull a list of hikes together that we want to try and cover. When I was looking through the Falcon Guide Hiking Virginia book, they mentioned under “other hikes” to try the Sky Meadows State Park. I am shocked that the authors didn’t feature a trail through this area rather than leaving it as a footnote. I think this is one of the best hikes in Virginia for views. I would liken the scenery and open views to those you would find at Cole Mountain or Grayson Highlands/Mount Rogers. Put this on your list of “must hikes” – you won’t regret it!
Across from the Visitor Center, you will see the Park Office on the hillside. Walk past the large board showing the map of hiking trails and walk up the gravel path that leads into the woods. Once you reach the fork, take a left and continue down the gravel Boston Mill road. Continue on this road, passing by the junction with the Gap Run trail, until you come to the junction with the South Ridge trail at .45 miles.
The Snowden House ruins. Below: We crossed this small stream early in the hike. It’s probably dry most of the year; Adam makes his way up the South Ridge Trail; Adam reads information about Snowden; Dogwoods were at their peak.
Take a right on to the yellow-blazed South Ridge Trail. The trail begins to quickly climb up the steep hillside. At .5 miles, there is a short spur trail to a nice view. At .58 miles, you will come to the Snowden Ruins. You’ll see the foundation of the old homestead along with what is left of a stone chimney. Further up the trail, you will come to the South Ridge overlook which sits under a dogwood tree. Continue along the trail which tends to ascend most of the way. At 2.2 miles, you will reach a junction with the North Ridge trail. Take a left up the blue-blazed North Ridge Trail. At 2.6 miles, you will reach a junction with the white-blazed Appalachian trail. Take a right, heading north on the Appalachian Trail. At 3.5 miles, you will come to a fork.
Take a right at the fork to go on to the light blue-blazed Ambassador Whitehouse trail. At 3.9 miles, you will come to the Paris overlook viewpoint, which also provides gorgeous panoramic views. After this viewpoint, the trail descends back through the woods. At 4.53 take a left back on to the North Ridge trail, but in just a few feet you will take a left up the red Piedmont Overlook trail.
Adam under the Dogwoods. Below: Hepatica; Tiger Swallowtail; Mayapple Flower
The trail ascends through a steep section here, but you will climb up a few stairs and then reach a wider trail that leads to a few benches and the Upper Piedmont Overlook. Enjoy the views here and as you climb down to the Lower Piedmont Overlook. After passing by an old farm building, you will climb over a few stairs and then down until you come back to the Boston Mill Road at mile 5.1. Take a left on the road and you should be making your way back to your vehicle and the Visitor Center.
The land that became Sky Meadows State Park was donated by Paul Mellon (son of Andrew Mellon – U.S. Secretary of State from 1921-1932), a famous philanthropist, art collector, and Kentucky Derby-winning horse owner. He donated 1132 acres of the land in 1975 and later more donations (including the land for the Appalachian Trail) have taken it up to the current 1862 acres. The history of the land also dates back to Lord Fairfax and previous owners had ties to Belle Grove.
This really was a perfect day to do this hike! We started off the day with a trip through Shenandoah National Park to view some early morning wildlife and to take in some breakfast at Skyland. We then made our way to Front Royal and headed to Sky Meadows State Park. The weather was perfect for hiking with highs in the 70s and a breeze throughout. The sky was very clear with a few clouds, but no threat of rain. The views were extraordinary and I can’t wait to come back some time.
Adam find the Hiking Upward Cache. Below: Lunch on the trail; Turning onto the AT; Making our way across the high meadows.
If you are interested in geocaching, there are several geocaches to find on this loop:
Last Saturday was a perfect spring day. We got up before sunrise and drove through the central and north districts of Shenandoah National park en route to Sky Meadows State Park for a day of hiking. (Passing through Shenandoah, we saw a bear and had a good breakfast at Skyland!)
Sky Meadows was established in the early 1980s and is home to a beautiful restored Civil-war era farm and twelve miles of hiking trails – including a little snip of the Appalachian Trail. Sky Meadows is unique in that its campground has no car access. Anyone wishing to stay overnight has to hike in to their campsite.
We parked at Mt. Bleak House. From there, we hiked down a gravel path leading to the park’s network of trails. Finding the trail we wanted to start on was a little tricky, because park maps were not to scale. After a little fumbling around, we were on our way up the South Ridge Trail. The trail climbed slowly and steadily uphill, past the ruins of Snowden – another old farm within the park’s boundary. All that’s left standing of Snowden is a crumbling chimney and a number of foundations from outbuildings. The site has a plaque describing the house and the people that lived there many years ago.
From Snowden, the path ascended continually passing through open meadows and pretty forest. The dogwoods and redbuds were all near their peak of spring glory. The flowers on the trees were truly spectacular against the perfect blue sky. The breeze kept bugs (and sweating) at bay! It really was ideal weather to be outdoors.
A Beautiful Redbud along the trail. Below: A view into the valley from the Piedmont Overlook; More Views; A spectacular dogwood.
For a while, the trail was pretty level as it passed through thicker woods. We startled a turkey and watched it fly off, chortling and gobbling in dismay at being disturbed. I must say… turkeys look really funny in flight. The trail in this area was lined with lots of tiny wildflowers – mostly violets and hepatica.
Eventually, we started climbing again and came to the junction of the North Ridge and South Ridge trails. We contemplated stopping for lunch at this point, but decided to press on, following the North Ridge trail to where it meets Appalachian Trail. Another nice thing about Sky Meadows… there are benches at most trail junctions and overlooks. It’s nice to have a comfortable place to sit and eat lunch – away from ticks, poison ivy and other crawly things. We ended up using the bench along the Appalachian Trail for our picnic spot.
For lunch, we feasted on sandwiches, brownies, grapes and cheese. Adam was eating his cheese and looking especially contemplative, when he turned and asked me “What kind of cheese is this?” I responded “It’s mozzarella and cheddar twisted together. You don’t like it?” He said “No, it’s really GOOD… it sort of tastes like lobster dipped in melted butter!” It’s weird, but he was actually kind of right – something about the texture of warmish mozzarella blended with the flavor of sharper cheddar ended up tasting remarkably like lobster. We’ve taken to calling this particular cheese snack ‘Lobster Cheese’.
While we ate lunch, we watched several other groups of hikers pass by. No one really seemed to know where they were going. Someone asked us if Harper’s Ferry was where the Appalachian Trail began. Someone asked if they were already in Shenandoah National Park. Two guys with cigarettes, sodas and no hiking gear contemplated aloud to one another “Should we go to Shenandoah or Harper’s Ferry?” (they were 20+ miles from either destination.)
After lunch, we headed north along the Appalachian Trail for a short while. Along the ridge, the forest completely opened up to high meadows with amazing views into the valley below. We were walking along the trail, chatting, when a fast hiker snuck up and passed us from behind. He turned out to be the first AT thru-hiker we’ve seen in Virginia this year. He’s definitely ahead of the pack!
We passed this old farm building on the hike down the Piedmont Overlook Trail. Below: A pretty lone tree; Adam stands in the middle of a huge four-trunked tree.
We really enjoyed walking across the open meadow terrain. Most hikes we do are through thick forest, so this was a welcome change of pace.
At the junction of the Ambassador House Trail, the Appalachian Trail continued north and we turned right to make our way across more meadows and downhill to the Piedmont Overlook Trail. We dipped back into forested area and passed a really cool four-trunked tree. It was big enough for Adam to stand inside between all the trunks.
We took the optional arm of the trail uphill to get to the actual Piedmont Overlook, which was beautiful! I loved seeing all the little houses and farms below in the valley. From the overlook, the remainder of the hike was steeply downhill across open meadow.
Mt. Bleak House Grounds. Below: A couple other shots from the Mt. Bleak grounds.
We arrived back on the gravel road and made our way back to the Mt. Bleak House area. We stopped in the gift shop and chatted with the ranger. We overheard her asking everyone walking in “Did you hike today?” and pretty much everyone answered “No – we’re just here to picnic!” So, I made a point to tell her that we had hiked, had a great time and thought the park’s trail system was fantastic and very nicely maintained. Adam got his passport book stamped and got credit for finding the state park’s official geocache. We took a few minutes to poke around the farm and talk to two historical interpreters – one of them in a wonderful Zouave uniform.
We enjoyed our day in Sky Meadows very much. It’s definitely a park we’ll visit again.
On our way home, we stopped briefly in Linden, Va to buy apple butter-cinnamon donuts from the Apple House. If you’re in the area – you should do the same – they’re delicious!
Trail Notes
Distance – 5.5 miles.
Elevation Change – 1100 feet with one large climb in the beginning of the hike. It’s mostly downhill or flat afterwards.
Difficulty –2.5. The beginning section is the toughest and is not for every person, but if you take it slow most people will be fine.
Trail Conditions –4. It is very well-maintained. The only rocky section was the .3 mile section on the North Ridge Trail. The trail is wide in most places for two people to walk side-by-side. Some sections you are even walking on soft grass.
Views – 5. You have lots of views along this hike of the valley and farm below. On a clear day, you can see for miles!
Waterfalls/streams – 1. You cross one small stream in the beginning. It’s probably dry most of the year.
Wildlife – 2. We only saw one wild turkey and some other birds (there are bluebird boxes along the road). They have spotted golden eagles in the area recently.
Ease to Navigate – 3. There are many options and junctions with other trails and the trails are not that well marked along the way. While I don’t think a lot of people get lost up here, I do think some people take wrong turns before deciding they may have not gone the best way.
Solitude – 2. You will likely see people along the trail. However, I think most of these people will be within a mile of the visitor’s center. While we did see several people, you should be able to find your peace along the trail to soak in the views.
Directions to trailhead: From Route 17, turn on to Edmonds Lane as you see the sign for Sky Meadows State Park. Follow this road until you reach the parking lot in front of Mt. Bleak House. Park your car here and then walk past the large billboard with hiking trails on the small gravel path near the Park Office House. All of the hiking trails start once you reach the junction on the edge of the woods. Take a left to start your hike.
Wookie Says…
Virginia Trail Guide 
