Tag: views

Appalachian Trail – Skyland to Thornton Gap

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The Appalachian Trail from Skyland to Thornton Gap follows ten miles of trail and includes no fewer than four spectacular panoramic views.

Adam and Jason on Stony Man
Adam and Jason take in the view from Stony Man mountain. To the left of where they are standing, you can see the buildings of Skyland Resort. Below: The view looking northwest from Stony Man; A view from Little Stony Man; A section of trail following below and parallel to Skyline Drive; A view from the Pinnacle looking toward Mary’s Rock; A view looking down into Thornton Gap from Mary’s Rock.

The View from Stony Man The View from Little Stony Man The trail hugs the edge of the mountain The Pinnacle Looking Toward Marys Rock Mary's Rock View

Christine Says…

Monday was a real treat – a day off work, an out-of-town friend and an amazing hike along the Appalachian Trail.  My friend, Jason, came to visit for a day while his wife attended a conference in Washington D.C.  He’s from Seattle and lives surrounded by three of our most spectacular national parks (Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades.)  I was a little worried that Shenandoah would disappoint him.  We don’t have dramatic peaks, towering waterfalls or the quiet, sapphire blue glacial lakes that western parks have.  Our mountains are old and roll gently down into the valley.  The streams and waterfalls are typically small and ponds/lakes are uncommon.  At this time of year, we don’t even have foliage.  The forests in our area are largely deciduous, and are still bare and brown from the winter.  Considering all these factors, I wanted to pick a hike that would still show Jason a nice ‘snapshot’ of what Shenandoah has to offer.

After tossing around a number of ideas, we settled on the ten mile section of the Appalachian Trail between Skyland Resort and Thornton Gap.  The hike includes four great views (Stony Man, Little Stony Man, the Pinnacle and Mary’s Rock) and passes an AT hiker hut (Byrd’s Nest).  I thought Jason would especially enjoy the fact that the hike traverses a (albeit small -.45% to be exact) section of the storied Appalachian Trail.

A Fellow Hiker Takes in the View from Little Stony Man
A hiker enjoys the view from Little Stony Man.  Below: Jason checks out the lichen growing on one of the many giant boulders along the trail; Adam walks along one of the rockier section of trail; Another Little Stony Man view.

Jason checks out the lichen The trail was rocky in many places Another Little Stony Man View

We met at Thornton Gap and shuttled back up to the north entrance of Skyland Resort to begin our hike.  We climbed up along the trail until it joined with the Stony Man spur-loop.  Although Stony Man is not technically on the AT, the view from the summit is well worth adding the extra .3 onto the total mileage. The wind was fierce atop Stony Man – backpacks blew open, hats had to be held and we had to shout to hear one another.  We stopped to take a few photos, but we didn’t stay long. We got a later start than we anticipated, so we had to be  quite business-like about our pace.

We hiked downhill from Stony Man to our next viewpoint from Little Stony Man.  We stopped again to have some water and give Jason a chance to eat some lunch.  Of the two views, I actually think Little Stony Man is a bit nicer.  After a few more photos, we climbed down a few hundred more feet into a saddle between the mountains.  This section of trail is fairly level and follows closely to Skyline Drive.  Without leaves on the trees, we were able to enjoy many open views along the trail. The lack of leaves allowed the sun to beat down strongly on our heads.  It was an unseasonably warm day – a bit humid and around 80 degrees.  Jason and I both struggled a bit with the heat.  I’m definitely not acclimated to warm weather hiking yet!

After the low point of the saddle, we began a slow, long uphill climb to the Pinnacles picnic area.  We rested there and gave everyone a chance to refill their water bottles with cold mountain water.  I had my 3 liter CamelBak so I still had plenty to drink.  I love my CamelBak!  We took a few minutes to chat with a couple section hikers resting at the picnic area.  They mentioned that they were on their way to Pennsylvania and were hoping to get into the town of Luray for a night off the trail.  I hope they made it, because the thunderstorms were crazy later that night!

After the Pinnacles picnic area, the remainder of the hike followed pretty much the same route we use for Mary’s Rock.  The climb up to the Pinnacle gains about 550 feet of elevation.  It wasn’t hard climbing, but we were all pretty tired, so we stopped to eat brownies.

The climb up to the Pinnacle passes lots of huge, lichen-covered boulders.  Eventually, we arrived at the view.  I like the Pinnacle because you can see the entire route all the way over to Mary’s Rock.  While we were enjoying the view, Jason remarked that the end of the hike still looked a good distance off.  It was! We still had about five miles to go at this point, so we had to start keeping an eye on the sun’s level in the sky.  Adam kept checking our distance and walking pace on his GPS to keep us on track to be out of the woods before nightfall.

Photography on the Pinnacle
Jason takes a few minutes to take a few photos from the Pinnacle.  You can see Adam peeking up from another rocky outcropping.

After leaving the Pinnacle, we dipped down into another saddle between mountains.  At the bottom of the saddle lies Byrd’s Nest #3 – one of the long-distance hiker huts along the AT.  I had hoped we would have time to let Jason read some of the hiker log book and poke around the shelter, but we only had a few minutes to stop and chat with a hiker who had settled in for the evening.

Our last uphill climb was relatively easy and led us to our final viewpoint – Mary’s Rock.  The viewpoint lies about .1 mile off the Appalachian Trail, but you don’t want to miss taking this short spur trail!

Once we were at the summit, Jason took some time to scramble around on the giant boulders and take some photos.  I stayed off the boulders because climbing on them always gives me vertigo.  The light wasn’t great, but I’m sure he was still able to get some nice shots of the valley below.  One of the prettiest things I noticed from the view was the evening sun shining on all the little farm ponds down in the valley below.  Each pond glowed golden-orange in the evening light.

By the time we left Mary’s Rock, we had about 25 minutes of light and 1.8 miles to go.  Because it was all downhill, we didn’t have any problem making it back to the parking lot before total darkness.

Adam Says…

There must be something about Mary’s Rock and the threat of darkness for us.  The last time we hiked up Mary’s Rock, we were threatened with the setting sun and this time was no different.  After some discussion on if we thought we could do the ten-mile stretch, we decided it was doable and we drove to the Skyland entrance and the Stony Man parking lot to begin our hike around 2PM.  As many of you know, I do carry a GPS with me, which has the ability to track distance and walking speed.

We were surprised at how hot it was when we were hiking.  A few days ago, the temperature was in the 40s, but today the sun was beating down relentlessly on us.  We kept up a good pace throughout the hike as sweat was dripping from our brows.  For some reason, even though we were walking at a good pace, the mileage seemed like it was going slowly.  Jason and Christine both were asking me how far had we traveled and when I first answered three miles, it felt like we had gone almost twice as far.

The trail starts near the northern Skyland entrance off Skyline Drive.  As soon as you turn into this entrance, the Stony Man parking lot is on the side.  You start on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail.  Keep your eye out for black bears if you try this hike during the late spring or summer as we have often spotted bears near the Skyland entrance.  In about .5 miles, you will come to a blue-blazed junction with the Stony Man trail.  This is a .3 mile loop trail that leads to nice views from Stony Man Mountain.  There is an interpretive brochure you can purchase for $1 from the trail start of this loop if you want to learn more about the features along the trail.   You can read more about our hike up Stony Man and Little Stony Man here.

Once you rejoin the Appalachian Trail, the trail descends 500 feet until you reach the Little Stony Man overlook at 1.3 miles with more gorgeous views (I believe the Little Stony Man views are nicer than the Stony Man views).  At 1.6 miles, you will reach an intersection with the Passamaquoddy Trail, but stay on the white-blazed AT.  The trail continues to descend and at 2.3 miles, you have reached the bottom of the saddle and have arrived at the Stony Man overlook on Skyline Drive.  The trail begins to climb at this point.  At around 4.2 miles you will reach the Pinnacles Picnic area.  There are rest rooms right on the side of the trail and a pump behind the rest rooms that provided a nice cooling refill of our water bottles.  The trail continues to ascend in the last steep uphill stretch.  At 5.5 miles, you will reach the peak of your climb and a nice viewpoint from The Pinnacle.  The trail then descends and winds down through the woods until you reach the Byrds Nest No. 3 shelter at mile 6.8.  This used to be a day-use only shelter, but recently became an overnight shelter.  The trail begins to ascend slightly for the next mile and the footing is a little more rocky as you make your approach to Mary’s Rock.  At mile 7.8, you will reach a junction with a short .1 spur trail to lead you to the summit of Mary’s Rock.  Once you take in the views from the top, meet back with the AT and continue to follow north through steep switchbacks for another two miles.  You will most likely be able to see the Panorama waystation and parking lot when you are almost done.  At 9.9 miles, you will see the post that leads to a short walk to the parking lot for Panorama.

Jason on marys rock
Jason climbed to the top of Mary’s Rock to take in the view.  Below:  Adam was exhausted by the time we got to Mary’s Rock.  He enjoyed resting on a rock; A hazy view from Mary’s Rock; Beyond Adam you can see Rt. 211 entering the park at Thornton Gap; Jason makes his way to the top of Mary’s Rock.

Adam rests on Mary's Rock View from Mary's Rock
Thornton Gap View Climbing up to the viewpoint

We ran into a few long-distance hikers at the Pinnacles picnic area.  When I asked where they were heading, they said they were on their way to Pennsylvania.  I’m guessing they are tackling the Appalachian Trail in sections.  Their goal that night was to make it to the town of Luray.  We told them about the thunderstorms that night, but they were hoping to make it down to a hotel and stop by a liquor store.  We ran into them again at the Byrd’s Nest Shelter No. 3.  My guess is that they stayed their overnight, but I know they were in for a night of torrential thunderstorms, since the lightning and rain woke me up in the middle of the night.

Fading light across the valley
The fading light across the valley was really pretty.  It made all the little ponds glow.  Below: The rolling mountain layers in the fading light.

Rolling Hills Near Sunset

We managed to make it back to our vehicle with about 10 minutes to spare of sunlight.  We did keep a steady pace, which was why my calves were quite sore for the next few days.  This hike is definitely one of the best hikes for views in all of Shenandoah National Park.  I would allow for at least 6.5 hours to do the entire hike, since you will want to take time to enjoy the views.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 10 miles. This includes the shorter spur hikes to Stony Man and Mary’s Rock.
  • Elevation Change – 2000 feet with two climbs up and down two mountains
  • Difficulty –3.5. The distance is the largest reason.  It is definitely best to do this section from south to north.
  • Trail Conditions – 4. It is well-maintained, but the sections near Little Stony Man and Mary’s Rock are very rocky.
  • Views – 4.5. You have lots of views along this hike of the western valley.  On a clear day, you can see all the way to West Virginia.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – 3.5. You will likely see deer and you may even see some black bears during the warmer months.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4. As long as you read the posts at the junctions with other trails, you shouldn’t have any trouble.  Just stick with the white blazes.
  • Solitude – 2. You will likely see people along the trail and at some of the big draws of Stony Man and Mary’s Rock.

Directions to trailhead: We handled this hike as a shuttle, leaving one car at the Panorama parking lot at mile 31.3 on Skyline Drive.  To start the hike, park your other car by turning into the northern Skyland entrance at mile 41.8.  The Stony Man parking lot is immediately to your right.  You will see the trailhead on the eastern side of the parking lot (along with a box to purchase the Stony Man brochure).

Appalachian Trail – Beagle Gap to Rockfish Gap

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The section of the Appalachian Trail from Beagle Gap to Rockfish Gap gives you nice, open views of the mountains and farmland surrounding the city of Waynesboro.

Walking up to Bear's Den Mountain
Adam makes his way along the Appalachian Trail up to the top of Bear’s Den Mountain.  Below: Adam and Wookie pose at the Beagle Gap sign;  This white blaze looked like it was painted on a headstone; Adam passes some giant rocks along the trail.

Beagle Gap Trail Sign White Blaze Large Rocks

Adam Says…

Those that have been following our blog may know that we have been working on hiking the Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah National Park in smaller sections.  On this day, we decided to handle the stretch between Beagle Gap to Rockfish Gap in the south district.  We left one vehicle at the junction of I-64 before the pay station at the park’s south entrance.  We then drove into the park and parked at the Beagle Gap parking area (not the Beagle Gap overlook).

The Appalachian Trail crosses the road at this gravel parking lot.  We crossed the road from the parking lot and headed through the gate.   Take a left as soon as you go through the gate and walk through the field .  The south-bound AT then climbs rather steeply through some open areas and crosses over a fire road early on the trail.  At .5 miles, you reach a communication tower and some old tractor seats.  I’m sure that many AT thru-hikers have enjoyed taking a brief rest on these seats.  At one point, I’m sure these seats provided a nice place to view the western sunset, but now the trees in front have blocked some of the scenery from view.  Continue past this area and keep following the white blazes to stay on the trail.  At the one-mile marker, you will come to another communication tower.  Stay on the white-blazed AT and the trail begins to descend.  At 2.0 miles, the trail reaches McCormick Gap and crosses Skyline Drive.  Cross the road and you will come to a small ladder stile that will lead you on to private land.

This part of the trail is on private land, but hiking on the AT is allowed.  As soon as you cross over the stile, you will see a weathered sign pointing the way to continue on the Appalachian Trail.  This section of the AT is very steep as it winds up Scott Mountain.  At 2.4 miles, the trail levels off and you will begin to enjoy some obstructed views (probably very limited during the spring and summer months) of Waynesboro and the farmlands around the city.  At 3.0 miles, you will begin several miles of very gradual descent (with some uphills thrown in) until you come out onto Skyline Drive.  Continue to follow the road for a brief walk back to your car, crossing a bridge over I-64 before reaching your vehicle.

AT Crossing the Meadow
This is one of the few open, meadow-like sections of the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park. Below: This section of the trail uses an easement on private land; Some colorful dried plants on the mountainside; An open and barren view from Bear’s Den Mountain.

Fence Pretty and Colorful Still barren in early spring

The hike from Beagle Gap to Rockfish Gap was an interesting section of the AT.  The way up to the communication towers included some of the more open areas of the park.  Most hikes in Shenandoah National Park involve hiking through the woods, but this first two-mile section gives you nice views around.  When we got to the communication tower, it was interesting to think of what would have been here before these towers existed.  I can just imagine people in the 1950s hiking up from the road to view the sunset and perhaps having a picnic at the top.  You can also read an interesting history on the area on PATC’s website here which explains the use of Rockfish Gap during the Revolutionary War.   I’m glad we did this hike before Spring hit, since many of the views through the woods would have been obstructed with leaves on the trees.

Christine Says…

Well, winter is over and we didn’t meet our goal of finishing the entire AT through Shenandoah.  In fact, we’re still less than a quarter of the way there.  The road through the park was closed so often this winter, that it was really tough for us to get to the sections we needed to hike.  The section we hiked most recently, Beagle Gap to Rockfish Gap was a shorter segment than we usually like to hike.  Adam’s knee was bothering him, we wanted to take Wookie and we had a limited amount of time, so the 5.7 mile segment ended up being perfect for the day.

Tractor Seats on Bear's Den Mountain
Old tractor seats are planted in the ground next to the radio towers on Bear’s Den Mountain. Below: The radio towers; Wookie enjoys relaxing on a tractor seat.

Radio Towers Wookie on a tractor seat

The day was so pretty and warm!  The skies were crystal clear and blue, but there weren’t really any signs of spring in the mountains yet.  I led Wookie on his leash – which was a little bit tricky to do with my trekking poles.  He kept yanking them slightly forward or to the side, especially on uphills and downhills.  Wookie is actually really well-mannered on a leash – but he likes to walk up and down hill much faster than I do!  I envy his energy.

We took a short break atop Bear’s Den Mountain to enjoy the open views.  The radio towers are a distraction from the natural beauty of the area, but I suppose they’re necessary.  Upon leaving the summit, the trail was actually a little bit confusing.  There were some unmarked side trails that crossed the path.  The fire road that runs alongside the trail was also somewhat misleading.  Luckily, the AT through Shenandoah is generously marked with white blazes and even when we took the wrong path, we were quickly able to notice the lack of blazes and set ourselves right.

Climbing the Stile
Adam climbs the stile heading south out of McCormick Gap. Below: A beat up old AT sign; Wookie and Adam share some trail mix; The PATC does a great job maintaining trails and shelters along the AT in Shenandoah.

Beat up AT sign Wookie Begging for Trail Mix End of the Park

I noticed that this section of Appalachian Trail was a bit more up and down than typical for the park.  The climb down and up through McCormick Gap is actually quite steep – especially the southbound climb up leaving Skyline Drive.  That was really the only tough section of this hike.

Once we were out of McCormick Gap, the remainder of the hike was a gentle series of rolling ups and downs (mostly).  We passed a lot of giant boulders, had a snack, crossed a shallow stream, and enjoyed the views looking down into Waynesboro.  We passed a couple other hikers headed north and saw one southbound backpacker. Soon, Skyline Drive and the distant interstate came into view and we were back at the car.

Wookie Says...Wookie Says…

When I heard Christine and Adam talking about hiking from Beagle Gap, I knew I had to come along.  I was assuming that this was an area that beagles gathered, so I thought it would be great.  But alas, there were no beagles around.  We hiked up to the communication towers and I got to sit on the old tractor seats.  I was a little skeptical at first, but I found a good seat to enjoy the views and relax a little.  I had two big highlights on the hike.  The first was meeting Winnie.  Winnie was another pug that I met on the trail.  Her master was a PATC member that actually maintains this section of the trail.  It was impressive to learn that Winnie’s master also backpacked the entire Shenandoah National Park over ten days for her 70th birthday!  I’m always a little nervous meeting new dogs on the trail, but it’s nice to see some other hiking pugs out there.  My second highlight had to be the snack that I had.  Adam gave me a few bites of Cinnamon Apple Pie trail mix which included some dehydrated apple bits, cinammon-covered yogurt, and pecans.  It was a great boost to give me some energy to finish the hike.  Overall, the trail wasn’t too tough for me.  There are a few steep sections in the beginning and from McCormick Gap up to Scott Mountain, but by the end I was proudly leading the way.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 5.7 miles
  • Elevation Change – 800 feet
  • Difficulty –2.5. There are a few uphill steep sections heading southbound, but the longest stretch of them is .3 miles.
  • Trail Conditions –4. The trail is well-maintained and the footing was great.
  • Views – 3.5. The best views are during the beginning of the trail before you reach the communication towers.  There are obstructed views towards the second half of the trail.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – 1. Other than birds, we didn’t see much wildlife here.
  • Ease to Navigate –3. The only tricky section was around the communication towers.  You just want to be sure you follow the white-blazed trail.  I believe the other trails from the communication towers will still bring you the same way, but I would stick to the white blazes.
  • Solitude– 3. We only ran into a few people on this trail. During the summer, the hike from Beagle Gap to the summit of Bear’s Den Mountain is quite popular, though.

Directions to trailhead: On Skyline Drive, park at mile 99.5 at the Beagle Gap gravel parking lot on the eastern side of the road.  The trail begins across the road on the western side and through the gate.

Appalachian Trail – Big Meadows to Bearfence

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This 8+ mile segment along the Appalachian trail offers a couple nice views, a visit to an old cemetery and the opportunity to cross over one of the park’s most fun rock scrambles.

Snow on Hazeltop
Adam hikes through the snow covering the Hazeltop Mountain summit.

Christine Says…

This winter, we planned to hike the 100+ miles of the Appalachian Trail leading through Shenandoah National  Park.  Sadly, our grand plans have been foiled by frequent closures of Skyline Drive.  As mentioned in our last post, the road through the park closes if there is even a slight threat of a dusting of snow.  So, this is the first section of AT that we’ve hiked since our Skyland to Big Meadows hike last spring.

Big Meadows Buck
This majestic buck watched us as we started our hike.  Below:  He ended up leaping off into the woods with another buck friend; they continued to watch us; we parked near the campground check-in station.

Buck Leap Two Bucks Park Here

We started out at the Big Meadows campground, leaving one car parked there and our other car parked at the southern terminus of our hiking route.  The no-fee weekend made doing this segment hike logistically easier. We’d actually been planning to buy a second park pass to accommodate our need for two cars to do these segment hikes.  The Big Meadows area was covered with a thin dusting of snow.  The whole area was eerily quiet – no campers, no cars, the lodge and restaurants closed for the season.  We saw so many bucks hanging out together in small groups – friends again after the animosity of mating season.  One especially majestic buck greeted us at the trailhead.  He watched us quizzically for a few moments before bounding back into the woods.

The trail was frosted with snow, and our footprints were (in many places) the first human ones set into the path.  We saw lots of animal tracks along the way – deer, coyote, turkey, rabbit and bobcat.  It took about the first half-mile of walking for me to warm up enough to be comfortable.  Within the first mile, we passed two of the three viewpoints on our eight mile route.  Both lookouts are directly behind the Big Meadows lodge area, and look into the western valley.  I’m always struck by how barren winter is in our area when I get a sweeping view on a January hike.  As far as the eye can see, everything is brown and faded – bare trees and a pale winter sky.  Winter in places with lots of evergreens is so much prettier!

Blackrock View
Winters are so bleak and pale in the Shenandoahs. Below: Adam takes in the view; A look at the rocks that make up the Blackrock viewpoint from below; The back of Big Meadows Lodge is visible from the trail.

Adam takes in the view Back View of Blackrock Big Meadows Lodge

After a couple miles of hiking, we reached a cemetery – the largest I’ve seen within park boundaries.  There were lots of people with the last name “Meadows” buried in this one.  One tombstone was engraved with the name “Fairy Meadows” – a woman who lived in the early part of the twentieth century.  What a neat name!

After leaving the cemetery, we made our way toward Milam Gap.  We encountered a hiker dressed all in camouflage.  He had a camera with a long lens and was headed in the direction of the cemetery.  We could see his footprints in the snow.  They were the only human prints in the snow coming from the opposite direction.  The odd thing is… they disappeared abruptly and were replaced by dog tracks.  There was no trail junction or other place he could have come onto the trail where the boot prints changed to dog prints.  So… here’s my theory — werewolf of Shenandoah!  I’m all for starting a new myth or legend.  🙂

Cemetery
This cemetery is the largest weve seen within park boundaries. It sits along a park access road not generally open to the public. Below: The trail was icy between the cemetery and Milam Gap; the old split rail fence borders the parking area at Milam Gap; an interesting headstone in the cemetery.

Icy Trail Milam Gap Fence Horse Headstone

I knew we were getting close to Milam Gap when we started seeing wizened, old apples in the snow.  The area around the gap has many apple trees from an old orchard before the area was incorporated into the park.  At the Milam Gap parking lot, we took a break to drink some water, stretch and look at our map.  After a short rest, we crossed Skyline Drive and began the long climb up Hazeltop Mountain.

Along the way up we passed a few people at a backcountry campsite.  In fact, we saw a couple groups of people on winter backpacking trips.  I guess that camping in the snow could be fun, but I’ll just have to take their word for it. You can’t even have a fire in the backcountry in the park.  It seems awfully bleak to go out and sleep in the snow without a campfire.  I think I’ll stick to fair-weather backpacking.

The snow got sort of deep near the summit of Hazeltop Mountain.  It was hard work climbing uphill in the snow.  This summit has no view or marker.  In fact, the only reason you know you’ve reached it is that the uphill climbing ends.

After the descent from Hazeltop, the hike continues on mostly flat terrain for a while until you get to Bearfence Mountain.  For this stretch of of the hike, you’ll be pretty close to Skyline Drive.  The road is often in view from the trail.  You’ll climb a moderately steep slope until meeting up with the Bearfence Trail junction.  If you have the time and energy, it’s worth taking the Bearfence trail loop across the rock scramble.  You’ll get a third, beautiful, panoramic view from the scramble.  The Bearfence trail crosses the AT again on the opposite side of the scramble, so taking this option doesn’t really add any mileage.  Because of the snow on the ground, we opted to skip the scramble and stick to the AT.  It was probably a good choice, because we found the trail across Bearfence mountain to be very icy.  The ice was concealed by snow and was extremely slippery.  I had a startling moment along this stretch of trail when I encountered a dead skunk wrapped around a tree branch.  At first I thought it was a live skunk and I was about to be sprayed, but I was soon left wondering how on earth a dead skunk ended up there.  Could a hawk have swooped it up and then dropped it?  I really have no idea…

From this point, the trail meanders away from Skyline Drive, making the hike longer than you would expect it to be at this point.  From Bearfence, the trail zig-zags down via a series of switchbacks.  This section of trail is lined by rhododendrons, mountain laurels and hemlocks.  It was really the only greenery we saw along the way.  Eventually, the trail empties out into the parking lot marking the end of this section of Appalachian Trail.

It was a fun day and great to be out hiking again!  The thing that has struck me so far with our two trail segments is how easy to moderate the AT is through Shenandoah.  I’ve always heard thru-hikers remark that Shenandoah is “flat” and “all the mountain summits require more than 200 feet of climbing”.  Those claims are a bit of a stretch, but walking the AT through Shenandoah is definitely much easier than hiking the blue and yellow blazed trails in the park.

Adam Says…

With Shenandoah National Park having a free weekend, we took advantage and drove two cars up so we could do a shuttle hike to cover more ground.  We dropped off our first vehicle at the small parking lot near the Bearfence Mountain Hut at mile 56.8 on the western side.  Keep in mind, this is not the main Bearfence Trail parking, which is around mile marker 56.4.   We then combined into one car and drove to the Big Meadows Campground.  The campground was closed, so we had to walk through the parking lot at the picnic area until we made it to the short spur trail that leads to the Appalachian Trail. We started on the trail heading south to make it back to the car.  The Appalachian Trail is always marked with white blazes.  The trail at this point is relatively flat.  You’ll begin to see the lodge to the left and in about .3 miles, you’ll reach a junction with the Lewis Springs Falls Trail.  Just continue on the AT.  Around .5 miles, you will start seeing some lovely views of the valley below.  There is a short path on the left side of the trail that is marked with a post for a view from Blackrock.  This trail is often closed due to the nesting of peregrine falcons.  If you decide to add this overlook, it is an uphill .2 miles to the view.  The trail shortly begins to descend about 300 feet over the next mile.

At 1.7 miles, you will reach the Tanners Ridge Administrative Road.  You will see to your right a large family cemetery.  It is nice that families that once lived on the mountain are still allowed to be buried here.  I can’t think of a more restful spot than being placed in a national park.  Pick up the AT directly across the road and continue south.  At mile 2.7, you will come to the Milam Gap parking lot.  You will cross Skyline Drive from here to continue on the AT.  The trail begins a gradual climb that will gain about 550 feet of elevation over 2 miles.  At mile 4.7, you will reach the summit of Hazeltop Mountain.  We did not see a marker for the summit, but you will know that you have passed it when you start descending again.  The descent is more severe as you lose about 600 feet of elevation in .6 miles.  At 5.3 miles, you will reach the junction with Bootens Gap (a parking lot and a horse trail).

Tree Near Bearfence Trail
I knew we were close to Bearfence when we saw this tree. Its very distinctive.  Below: We stopped for a snack of Clif Bars along the way; A view of the Bearfence rock scramble from below.

Clif Bar Snack A View of Bearfence Scramble from Below

The trail ascends again and at 6.8 miles, you will reach the junction with the Bearfence Mountain Trail.  Stay on the AT heading south.  After the junction, you reach the steepest and slickest ascent over the rock-covered trail.  Passing the Bearfence rock scramble on your left, you will continue to rise for another . 4 miles.   At mile 7.3, you will begin to descend and it is less than a mile back to the parking lot and your vehicle.

The trail was more difficult than I was expecting.  I had first thought that we should do about 10 miles of the trail, but snow on the trail made for harder work.  The most snow was up on Hazeltop Mountain, which we saw some remains of snowshoe tracks.  While our feet didn’t sink deeply in the snow at any point, it made for tricky footing and sometimes you had to lift your legs up a little higher than normal.  At some point, I slipped through some frosty areas and wrenched my knee slightly.  Hiking up and down Bearfence was quite tough for me, but I’m glad we didn’t do an extra two miles.

Snowy Laurel-Lined Trail
The section of trail descending Bearfence was lined with mountain laurels, rhododendrons and hemlocks.

One aspect of the trail that I thoroughly enjoyed was being able to see coyote tracks on the trail.  We’ve seen a coyote up in this area frequently during the fall.  While some local farmers hate the nearby coyotes for their predatory habits, I enjoy seeing them in the protected park area.   I also enjoyed seeing several bucks along the trail that greeted us at the beginning of our hike and followed nearby for the first mile of the trail.

The one regret I had during our hike was that I forgot to pack my Jetboil stove.  I would have liked to have paused and had some hot chocolate along the way in the snow.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 8.25 miles
  • Elevation Change – about 1000 feet
  • Difficulty – 2.5. There are several climbs of 500-600 feet, but the trail is mostly easy walking.
  • Trail Conditions – 4. Since most is on the AT, the trail is very well-maintained.
  • Views – 2.5 We enjoyed the western views near Big Meadows.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – 3.5. We saw lots of impressive bucks and saw coyote tracks in the snow.
  • Ease to Navigate –5. Just follow the white blazes!
  • Solitude –3.5. You may see some hikers on the AT due to the proximity to Big Meadows. Bearfence is also a popular hike, so you’ll likely see people in that area as well.

Directions to trailhead: We left one vehicle at mile 56.8 in the small parking lot on the western side of Skyline Drive.  We then drove to Big Meadows and followed the signs to the Big Meadows campground.  Normally, you can drive right up to the trailhead.  It is on the westernmost side of the parking lot of the picnic area at the campground.

Duncan Knob

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Duncan Knob is a great 3.4 mile hike in George Washington National Forest, located near Kennedy Peak and Strickler Knob.  Reaching the summit requires negotiating a Class III rock scramble.

Wookie Enjoys the View from Duncan Knob
Wookie Enjoys the View from Duncan Knob.  Below: The foliage along the trail was pretty;  The scramble is a foreboding pile of boulders; Adam and Wookie make their way up the scramble.

Rocky Trail View of the Scramble from the Bottom Scrambling with Wookie

Christine Says…

On Friday, Adam and I both took a vacation day from work to get in some fall hiking. We decided Duncan Knob suited our plans perfectly.  We wanted to avoid hikes in the national park (the crowds are dreadful this time of year) and we didn’t want to drive more than an hour. We did a little online research to look at our route options, and found pretty much everyone did the hike as an 8.7 mile loop.  The common route passes by just one spot with a view and includes significant uphill climbs on both the outgoing and return arms of the loop.

We decided to look at our maps to see if there was a more direct route to Duncan Knob.  I know lots of people primarily hike for the exercise. They love anything that makes the trail longer, steeper and more challenging.  I am not one of those people.  I don’t mind distance or elevation as long as there is a payoff for it.  But if there’s a more direct route to get the same view, I usually opt to take it.  Needless to say, we were pleased to find a 3.4 mile, out-and-back route that involved just 900 feet of elevation gain.

Blue Blazed Trail Gap Creek Trail
The Blue Blazed Trail Gap Creek Trail.  Below: The Gap Creek trail is well-marked;  Near the beginning of the trail you cross a small stream; Wookie enjoyed running back and forth across the bridge.

Gap Creek Sign Trail Sign Small Stream Wookie Running Across Bridge

The hike starts at the Gap Creek trailhead on Crisman Hollow Road.  You’ll walk a short way up a blue-blazed fire road until you see a campsite on the left side of the road.  The road continues uphill from this point, but you’ll want to cut through the campsite and cross the small bridge over the stream.  After crossing the bridge, the trail climbs steadily uphill.  For the first mile, the elevation gain is very gentle and is punctuated by flat stretches.  The trail is extremely rocky the entire way.  At mile 1.2, the blue-blazed Gap Creek trail intersects the yellow-blazed Scothorn Gap trail.  Continue on the blue-blazed trail until you reach a level place near the top of the ridge at 1.5 miles.  There’s a great campsite at this spot.  It has a big stone fire pit ringed by log benches.  There are lots of flat places to pitch tents, too.

Directly across from the campsite, the Duncan Knob spur trail begins.  The trail is blazed white and climbs steeply uphill to the summit.  As you walk along, you’ll notice the rocks on the trail are getting larger and more abundant.  Eventually, you step out of the woods and find yourself facing an enormous pyramid-shaped summit of jumbled rocks and boulders.

More Scrambling
Wookie and Adam scramble upward.  Below: The trail becomes progressively rockier; Adam explore the boulders; Wookie spots Adam climbing back down from the geocache.

Trail gets even rockier Adam scrambles Wookie sees Adam

Climb the rock scramble any number of ways (we followed a rather informal series of cairns along the left side of the rock pile) and you’ll be treated to sweeping views in almost every direction.  The scrambling was fun and not difficult at all.  I found a nice rock “chair” to sit on while Adam found a geocache hidden at the summit.  It was freezing cold and blustery sitting on the rocks, so we didn’t stay too long.

On the way down, we stopped back by the campsite and had some water and a snack.  We even gave our dog, Wookie, some graham crackers and marshmallows from our trail mix.  He did a great job on the rock scramble – especially considering how small he is.  The hike back down was pretty uneventful and just retraced our steps.  What a great hike!  I told Adam it’s been one of my favorite recent hikes.

Adam Says…

Ever since we did the Strickler Knob hike (actually our very first post!), I had been hearing that Duncan Knob also had amazing views.  I believe we put off this hike for a while due to the long 8.7 mile length, combined with lots of elevation gain.  So, I pulled out my map of the area to see if there was a different way.  Sure enough, you can easily get up to Duncan Knob by just sticking to the Gap Creek Trail.  The hike may have a little steeper of an elevation than approaching it from the Scothorn Gap Trail, but the hike up the Gap Creek Trail is much shorter and you aren’t missing much scenery.

The trail does include a few switchbacks once you start the trail over the bridge which takes the pressure of the elevation off your leg muscles.  The hike is almost all uphill, but before you know it you’ve reached the ridge where the campsite is.  We took a break here to see if there was anything else to see along the ridge, before proceeding up the white-blazed trail to the summit of Duncan Knob.  This white-blazed trail is slightly overgrown and some of the white blazes are quite faded, but it wasn’t too hard to navigate.  After only about .2 miles on this trail, we saw the looming rock scramble in front of us.  We decided to approach the rock scramble on the left-hand side.  Once you begin to climb up a few rocks, the views really begin to open up around you.  The rocks weren’t too tough to navigate, but it was harder to help navigate a small dog on a leash.  From the top, you will have great views of Middle Mountain, Waterfall Mountain, Strickler Knob, and Kerns Mountain.  The color was very nice and we took some time to soak in the scenery.

Adam enjoys the view
Adam takes in the view from Duncan Knob.  Below: A nice campsite on the ridge; Adam and Wookie take a break on the climb down;  Wookie did surprisingly well on the scramble, but occasionally he had to be carried.

Nice Campsite View on the Way Down Climbing Down

I left Christine to keep climbing up to the summit of the rock scramble and found the Duncan Knob Geocache.  A few people before me were not able to find it before me, so the owner had taken the posting offline until he had time to investigate.  I’m glad I was able to save the owner a hike back.  This was my 499th find, so I need to do something special for my 500th geocache.

If you haven’t done any hiking off Crisman Hollow Road, I would highly recommend making this a stop in the near future.  With the Massanutten Story Book Trail, Strickler Knob, and Duncan Knob hikes all off this road, I feel this road leads to some amazing hiking gems that are unknown to many.

Wookie Says...Wookie Says…

I’m so glad that I finally got invited to go hiking again!  I really enjoyed most of this trail because there wasn’t any water for me to cross.  When we first started the trail, I did a few runs across the wooden bridge with my masters on both sides.  I was feeling frisky and I was ready to get moving.  We made our way up the trail and I felt it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.  When we got to the final rock scramble, I was a little worried.  I really enjoy climbing up on rocks, but I wouldn’t recommend it to my less-agile canine friends.  There were a couple of moments where I had to perform an iron cross and pull myself up some rocks, but Adam helped navigate me the right way through the maze of boulders.

Begging for Treats
Wookie enjoys trailmix!

The way down was a little more challenging, so Adam tucked me under his arm for most of the way down to make sure I didn’t get hurt.  I really enjoyed the views from the top of Duncan Knob and I enjoyed sniffing the air around me.  After our hike back down, my masters even let me sample a few pieces of trail mix.  I really liked the marshmallows best!  One time I dropped a marshmallow and when I picked it up again the dirt from the ground made it look like cookies and cream.  I look forward to my next time hiking and I’ll be sure to put on my pitiful, pleading face the next time Adam and Christine get ready to head out for a hike.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 3.4 miles
    (Check out the stats from Map My Hike)*
  • Elevation Change –  900 feet
  • Difficulty – 2.5. The hike is squarely moderate – even with the rock scramble.
  • Trail Conditions –3. The trail is in good shape.  The rock scramble is not formally marked and there are some unbalanced rocks.
  • Views – 5. Beautiful views of the Massanutten Mountain area. The view looking toward Strickler Knob is awesome!
  • Waterfalls/streams –2. The stream is seasonal and may be dry part of the year.  When the stream is running, the area is popular with fishers.
  • Wildlife – 1.5. The area is popular with hunters, so animals tend to be reclusive.  We’ve heard of people spotting bears and deer in the general area, but we’ve never seen larger animals.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.5. Trails are clearly blazed, but turns are not labeled and signed like they are in the national park.  It’s a good idea to have a map for this hike.
  • Solitude – 4.5. On a beautiful fall day, we saw just one other couple of hikers.

Download a trail map (PDF)

Directions to trailhead: From New Market, take 211 east.  In about 3 miles, take a left on Crisman Hollow Road. The road starts off paved, but turns to gravel.  At about 4.5 miles, park on the right at the Gap Creek trail.  Follow the fire road until you reach the first campsite on the left.  The trail starts behind the campsite at a wooden bridge.

Sharp Top

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This 3.4-mile hike leads to gorgeous views from the summit of Sharp Top.  You will be treated with gorgeous views of the area around you.

View of Abbot Lake from Sharp Top Summit
The view from the Sharp Top Summit is gorgeous!  Below:  Adam walks by some of the huge boulders along the Sharp Top trail; The trail is very rocky; A set of stone steps leads you to the summit; Looking back on Sharp Top mountain from Buzzard’s Roost.

Adam Walking by Giant Boulders The trail is rocky Arriving at the summit Looking back on Sharp Top from Buzzards Roost

Adam Says…

Sharp Top has such a special place in my heart.  I grew up in nearby Lynchburg and I couldn’t even tell you the number of times I have hiked this trail.  I went with family, friends, church groups, and scouts.  My family used to regularly have picnic lunches at Peaks of Otter, so this is a place I’ve been visiting all of my life.  On one hike with a friend I had growing up, we spotted some trail runners.  Trail runners are common on Sharp Top most mornings.  My friend had said he wanted to try and be in that good of shape, so we took weekly hikes up during one summer.  We never made it up to the intensity of running the mountain, but it was some good exercise.  Lately, Christine and I have made this hike a nearly annual fall tradition.  I’ve brought my older brother a few times over the last few years.  Each year, he seems proud to know that he can still “climb up that hill.”  He was working the day we hiked it this year, so he didn’t get to make the trip.  I’ll try to get him to haul his cookies up the mountain again next year.

Peaks of Otter Nature Center
The Peaks of Otter Nature Center is the start point for this hike.  Below: The trailhead sign; The Sharp Top bus takes riders close to the summit and is a great option for those not physically able to do the full hike; The trail starts off smooth and gentle – things soon change!

Trailhead Sign The Sharp Top Bus Lower Trail

You start up the trail near the nature center.  There is a plaque there that mentions that Sharp Top was once believed to be the tallest mountain in Virginia and that a stone from this mountain was used to build the Washington Monument.  On the stone in the monument, it is inscribed “From Otter’s Summit, Virginia’s Loftiest Peak, To Crown a Monument to Virginia’s Noblest Son.”  It is hard to believe that this was thought to be the highest summit.  According to official elevations, this Sharp Top doesn’t even make the top 50 list. (another mountain, also named Sharp Top, is #42)

For those that don’t feel the need to hike all the way to the summit, you can take a bus ride that brings you closer to the summit.  More information is available on the Peaks website (http://www.peaksofotter.com/Sharp-Top-Shuttle.aspx)

This is an extremely popular hike for families and larger groups, but it definitely has some steep sections.  However, most people should be able to accomplish this hike since it is only a three-mile round trip (the side trip to Buzzards Roost adds .4 miles).  The trail starts off with a slow but steady climb and then crosses the bus summit road at .25 miles.  Continue to climb up the trail which includes some sections of stairs.  At 1.2 miles, you reach a junction.  Continue left on the trail to the summit.  The remaining .3 miles to the summit starts off relatively flat, but there are more sections of rock stairs along the way.  You will see a day-use only cabin at the summit and stairs to different platforms to soak in the views.  You will see the Peaks of Otter Lodge and Abbott Lake to the North.  To the South, you will see Turtle Rock (which some of the adventurous will find a way to climb up it) near the roof of the cabin.  Go back the way you came.  When you reach the junction .3 miles from the summit, I would highly recommend adding .2 miles (.4 miles round trip) to check out Buzzard’s Roost.  The trail is relatively flat with minimal elevation difference.  You will get more great views from here and can actually get some nice views of the summit of Sharp Top.  Buzzards Roost does require some rock scrambling and carefully navigating around large rocks, so it isn’t for the faint of heart.  Once you leave the Roost, go back to the junction and take a left down the trail to make your way back to the car.

There are lots of places to perch on Sharp Top
There are lots of places to perch on Sharp Top.  Below: Adam makes his way up the trail; The trail has many stairs built into the rock; Adam on Turtle Rock.

Adam making his way up the trail The trail has quite a few stairs Adam on Turtle Rock

As I mentioned above, there are a lot of great places nearby for a picnic or you can dine at the Peaks of Otter Lodge.  There is also a gift shop that sells sweatshirts inside that say “I Survived Sharp Top”.  While I personally don’t think it is that difficult, I can understand some people feeling that way.  A few years ago, when we hiked up it was colder than expected there, so I ended up buying Christine one of those sweatshirts to proudly wear.

Christine Says…

I’m so glad Adam introduced me to this hike.  It’s a tough little climb, but the summit is spectacular.  It’s covered with boulders the size of houses and has a view that rivals any Virginia hike.  The one downside to Sharp Top is the crowd of people you’ll be almost guaranteed to see.  It is indeed a popular place!

View of Sharp Top from Abbot Lake
A view of the mountain from the lodge at the bottom. Below: A sign lets you know you’ve arrived at the summit; At this point you can turn and go to Buzzard’s Roost or continue to the Sharp Top Summit; Another beautiful summit view.

Arriving at the Summit Trail Junction Another Summit View

I always thought Peaks of Otter was an odd name for a place, so I did a little research and found some information about the origin of the name on the nearby lodge’s website:

“There are three opinions on how the Peaks of Otter got their name. The name may come from the Cherokee Indian word, “ottari,” which means “high places.” The Peaks may have been named after the Otter River, which has its headwaters in the area. Finally, Scottish settlers may have named the Peaks after Ben Otter, a mountain in their homeland that resembles Sharp Top.“

We got a really early start on our morning, and were headed up the trail by 9:30 or so.  It was cool and brilliantly sunny.  Even though it was the second weekend of October, the leaves were still mostly green.  That was a little disappointing – I had hoped to hike Sharp Top at the peak of fall color.  We’ve done that in past years, and the foliage makes the view even nicer!  As we hiked up the trail, we passed several downhill hikers on their way back from watching sunrise atop the summit.  Other than that, we had the trail mostly to ourselves.

The uphill grade starts of gently, on a mostly smooth and wide trail.  For some reason, this is always the only part of the Sharp Top trail I remember.  I don’t know why, but I always seem to block the steep and rocky parts out of my mind.  After you cross the bus road, the path gets a lot tougher.  It’s fairly relentless uphill for a while.  Periodically, there are reprieves where the grade moderates and you get a chance to catch your breath.  But after each little flat spot, you’re guaranteed to have more climbing.  As the summit draws near, you’ll find yourself hiking between and around gigantic boulders.  The rock formations on this mountain are impressive!  Near the end of the trail, there are quite a few stone stairs to climb.  Almost immediately upon reaching the summit, you’ll pass the cabin.  The inside is an empty room – concrete floor, fireplace and small windows that look out to the view beyond.  It apparently used to be a concession stand.  I’m glad someone thought better of the idea and closed the place down – do we really need hot dogs and ice cream for sale on mountain summits?

Adam looking out the building window
The empty building on the Sharp Top summit. Below: Inside the summit house; A boulder jumble at the summit; View of mountains in the distance.

Inside the Building Boulder jumble Another Summit View

After passing the building, the path winds between the stones up to the highest spot.  All over the summit, there are small alcoves and large rocks to perch upon to take in the view.  Unless you started very early, the mountain will be crawling with people who took the bus ride to the top.  You can usually spot the bus crowd easily – they’re never sweaty and are often wearing dressier clothing and insensible shoes.  🙂 Hikers seem to enjoy quietly referring to the bus riders as “cheaters”.  I think it’s great that a bus ride is available for people who aren’t physically able to hike up, but I see lots of young families that I wish would give hiking a chance.

On the way down, Adam and I took the side trail to visit the Buzzard’s Roost.  For some reason, this was the first time I’ve taken the option.  The roost had amazing views, but I did not enjoy climbing up the rock.  I had an inner ear virus a few years ago, and have suffered serious bouts of vertigo ever since.  Anytime I climb places with uneven footing and precipitous, open drops I get an awful spinning sensation. It’s like the feel of my feet doesn’t match what my eyes are seeing.  It’s a very strange sensation.  Sometimes I start to panic, but I’ve found that if I stay low to the ground and go very slow, I can always manage to get where I want to go.  But needless to say… you’ll never find me doing any serious rock climbing!

Adam on Buzzard's Roost
Adam takes in the view from Buzzard’s Roost. Below: Another view from Buzzard’s Roost.

Another view from Buzzard's Roost

After the stop at Buzzard’s Roost, we started our final climb down.  I was so glad to have my trekking poles on the steep, uneven ground.  So many upwards hikers commented on them!  Everything from “We thought you were skiing down!” to “Why do you have two hiking sticks?” to “Darn… I wish I remembered to bring my trekking poles!”.  I was surprised so many people had never seen trekking poles before, but I suppose Sharp Top has a very high percentage of people who aren’t regular hikers.  Personally, after using trekking poles for a while now, I don’t know how I ever hiked without them!

The hike down was over pretty quickly and we were off to lunch!  Typically, we pack a picnic – but this time we decided to try the restaurant at the Peaks of Otter Lodge.  They had a buffet option, but it was really expensive and there was no way I could have eaten my money’s worth.  But I have to admit… that mountain of fried chicken on the buffet table looked very compelling! We settled for sandwiches instead.

After lunch, we walked along the water and did a bit of people watching.  I even saw (allegedly) an otter swimming across the lake.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 3.4 miles.  You can make it just 3.0 miles if you don’t do the Buzzards Roost side hike.
  • Elevation Change –  1340 feet
  • Difficulty – 3. The hike is fairly steep most of the way, with a number of stairs to climb towards the middle and end of the trail.  The hike to Buzzards Roast does not have much elevation change.
  • Trail Conditions –3. The trail is well-maintained, but there are a number of sharp rocks that can make footing tricky.
  • Views – 5. Amazing 360 degree views from the summit give you some of the best views in Virginia.  Go up on a clear day and you will see for miles.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife –1.5. Due to the popularity, you will likely only see birds.  You may spot soaring hawks at the top.
  • Ease to Navigate – 5. Trails are well-labeled, so you shouldn’t have much difficulty navigating the area.
  • Solitude – 0. This is one of the most popular hikes in Virginia.  To escape the crowds, go up early in the morning.

Directions to trailhead: The trail begins near mile marker 86 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The trailhead is to the left of the nature center, which is directly across from the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center.

Thomas Reserve – Cowpasture – Cranberry Glades Loop (WV)

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This nine-mile loop offers glimpses of area history, great views of the tundra and peeks at distant mountains.

Meadow on the Cowpasture Trail
The trail offered many beautiful meadow views.  Below: Adam checks out the sign at the entry to the Cranberry Glades boardwalk; The old Mill Point Federal Prison used to sit along the present-day Cowpasture Trail; The Thomas Reserve Trail is lined with ferns; A view of the Glades boardwalk.

Entry to the Cranberry Glades Boardwalk
Thomas Reserve Trail The Glades Boardwalk

Christine Says…

The morning did not start well.  We drove into Marlinton, WV before our hike to make some reservations for a bike shuttle.  Once we were in town, we learned that Verizon wireless was not available anywhere in the area (and I really needed to check in on a family emergency).  We couldn’t find anyone that sold pre-paid phone cards in all of Marlinton.  When we did find a phone card, we couldn’t find a pay phone that worked. Apparently, the only pay phone that works in all of Pocahontas County is at the hospital.  After filling up at a BP station, the “service engine” light came on in our car and the gas gauge stopped working.  (Can I blame BP for that?)  Finally, to top everything off, we couldn’t find the trailhead for this hike.  In the end, it all turned out OK, as it usually does.  We ended up hiking a couple extra miles, but on a beautiful, cool, blue-sky day… that’s not a bad thing!

Our original plan was to hike the 7.1 mile Cowpasture Loop which encircles the entire Cranberry Glades Botanical Area and crosses into the beautiful, wild Cranberry Wilderness.  But, the trailhead was not marked and the map we had did have enough detail to indicate the exact location.  We ended up parking at the Thomas Reserve trailhead, instead.  We knew this trail would intersect the Cowpasture Loop after about a mile or so.

This rock ledge along the Thomas Reserve Trail is probably a pretty waterfall when the stream isn’t dry. Below: The trailhead for the Thomas Reserve trail; Trails were adequately marked.

Thomas Reserve Trail Trail Sign

I’m really glad we went this way, because the Thomas Reserve Trail took us past some beautiful and interesting scenery.  There were ruins that looked like some kind of old pool or water treatment facility.  The concrete basin and pillars were still intact, along with several large pipes with wheels attached.  I did a quick Google search to try and figure out exactly what the ruins are, but I didn’t have much luck.  From that point, the trail passes through beautiful fern-carpeted forest and past a dry stream.  The stream has an interesting rock ledge/cave that I think probably makes a lovely, small waterfall when water is actually running.  Eventually, the path intersects an old road that is part of the Cowpasture Loop.

After a short walk along the old road, the trail opens up into a gorgeous open meadow with views of the mountains in the distance.  This is the site of the old Mill Point Federal Prison.  Even though the buildings were all torn down in the late 1950s and early 1960s, you can still see some leftover signs of the site – there are bits of road left, abandoned stairs to nowhere, an old well.   There is also a series of informational signs that include old photos and talk about life at the prison.  Apparently, it was a prison without walls or gates.  Prisoners were treated to weekly movies and could spend their afternoons hiking in the area.  I guess you could say it was very low security! We stayed at the prison site long enough to read the signs and enjoy the meadow view.

After the meadow, the trail climbed back into the forest, following rolling ups and downs for a couple miles.  We saw lots of bear scat and several deer leaping across the trail.  We crossed a small dry stream shortly before passing out into another wide open area.  The meadows along this trail were really overgrown.  The ragweed and other plants were shoulder-height and constantly batted me in the face as I walked the trail.  Even so, the meadow areas of this hike were spectacular!  This section in particular offered beautiful views of Kennison Mountain.

Beaver Dam on the Cranberry River
We got a nice view of a beaver dam on the Cranberry River. Below; The bridge over the Cranberry River.

Bridge over the Cranberry River

The trail dips down to the South Fork of the Cranberry River.  This crossing had a pretty arched bridge and a great look at an active beaver dam.  There were crabapple trees everywhere – so I was really wondering if we’d eventually see a bear.  We never did – just the deer and a very angry red squirrel.

From the river, the trail ascends to a ridge and follows a series of gentle ups and downs.  We passed several beaver ponds and got nice looks at the bogs and glades the area is known for.  One pond even has an elevated wooden platform to view the area.  Because of the dry months we’ve had lately, the ground was much dryer than it should be.  The ponds were so low, I wondered if the resident beavers were able to swim at all.  While we were passing one of the ponds, we heard a huge tree come crashing to the ground someplace nearby.  It must have been a monster tree – it sounded like gunshots as it splintered and fell to the ground with a huge KABOOM.

Just before coming out on FS Road 102, the trail passes over another pretty arched bridge.  The walk along 102 is completely level and pretty uneventful.  You’ll pass a gate and the board marking the entry to Cranberry Wilderness.  The area looks fantastic for backpacking – lots of loops and shelter options.  We’re already talking about making a three day trip sometime in the spring.

After crossing the chain gate, the walk is along the developed portion of 102.  Cars passed by and the walking was really boring.  When we got to the Cranberry Glades Boardwalk, we decided to add the .6 mile loop onto our larger loop.  The boardwalks pass through a beautiful open bog area.  If you visit the right time of year, you can even see carnivorous pitcher plants.

After the quick turn along the boardwalk, we walked the last mile along the paved road back to our car. By the time we got back, I was pretty tired and hungry and was looking forward to making homemade pizza for dinner back at our Watoga State Park cabin.  Although the day got off to an inauspicious start, it really turned out to be perfect.

Adam says…

Christine had suggested this hike to me when we were planning our trip to Watoga State Park and I’m so glad that she suggested it.  This hike is one of my favorites that we’ve done this year.  It has some interesting history and the open views of tundra are nothing short of beautiful.

Ruins on the Thomas Reserve Trail
We saw these mysterious ruins along the Thomas Reserve Trail.  Below: The Thomas Reserve trail begins; An old well at the prison ruins site.

Thomas Reserve trailsign Old well at the prison ruins

We had trouble finding the start of the hike, since the trailhead for the start of the Cowpasture Loop was not marked.  We saw a sign for the Thomas Reserve trail and I could tell from our map that it hooked up with the Cowpasture Loop.  The Thomas Reserve Trail starts bisecting a field, but quickly moves into woods.  At about .6 miles, we saw the pillars of the old “pool” that Christine mentioned off to the right of the trail.  The trail continues for another .4 miles through the woods until it comes to a sign.

Take a right here to get on to the Cowpasture Loop.  The trail is quite level at this point as you move through a field with great views of the tundra around you.  Here, and in some places throughout the entire loop, there may be tall plants that you have to push aside, but you shouldn’t need to bushwhack.  As you’re passing through the tundra area, you may notice several bluebird boxes.  The trail begins to turn towards the left and then opens up to more of a clearing.  You will see posts that give information about the Mill Point Federal Prison camp and life for the inmates.  You will then come to a sign around mile 1.5.  Take a left here to stay on the Cowpasture Loop.  This will loop back around the tundra, paralleling Charlies Creek, and then goes back into the woods.    You will start to reach some footbridges around the two mile mark that take you above some marshy areas.

A view of the Glades Boardwalk
The glades boardwalk is a pleasant .6 mile walk around the bog. Below: The walk along the forest road wasn’t that exciting; Once we got back to the paved portion of 102, there were some pretty scenes along the road.

Forest Service Road 102 The walk back to the car

After this point, you will begin to climb slightly up.  At the height of this gradual hill, you will begin to see views of Kennison Mountain.  At mile 3.5, the trail then takes a sharp left (marked by an arrow on a sign) and descends again.  This area was quite overgrown, but the trail was still clearly visible.  The trail tends to alternate at this point from going through areas of marshy glades to trails through the woods with slight ups and downs in elevation.  At mile 5.7, you will see a destroyed sign where there is a side path of about 100 yards to an observation deck.  This would be an excellent spot for birding.  At mile 6.4, the trail connects again to FS 102.  Take a left on the fire road until you reach the gate at mile 6.6.  At mile 7.3, you will reach the parking lot for the Cranberry Glades Boardwalk loop.  This loop is only about .5 miles and I would highly recommend it.  There are interpretive signs along the boardwalk and it does give some more wonderful views throughout the loop.  Once you complete the loop, just walk back up FS 102 to reach your car.

There are also a few geocaches along this loop:

Trail Notes

  • Distance –9 mile loop
  • Elevation Change – 200 feet
  • Difficulty – 3. This is really an easy hike, but we’ll give it a 3 due to the longer length.
  • Trail Conditions – 2.5. The trail was largely passable, but very overgrown.  Several bridges over streams were broken and rotted through.
  • Views –3. You get some nice views of the mountains and great views of the glades/tundra.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 3. In times with normal to higher precipitation, this trail has great views of streams, ponds and the Cranberry River.
  • Wildlife – 4.  We saw deer, signs of bears, active beaver dams, red squirrels and many kinds of birds.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.  Once you find the trailhead, the trail is relatively easy to follow.
  • Solitude – 4.  Outside the popular boardwalk area, you probably won’t see a soul!

Directions to trailhead: From Mill Point, WV head west of WV 39/55.  After about 7 miles, you will find a sign for the Cranberry Glades area on your right (FS 102).  Head down this road for one mile until you reach the trailhead for the Thomas Reserve trailhead.

Massanutten Story Book Trail

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The view from the Massanutten Story Book Trail involves a short quarter-mile walk down a paved pathway.

Story Book View
The view from the Story Book trail overlooks 211 and the Page Valley. Below: The trailhead is marked by a large sign; Along the path, there is a series of interpretive signs that describe the geology and flora of the area.

Story Book Trailhead Interpretive Sign

Christine Says…

The Massanutten Story Book Trail is one of those ridiculously short path-walks that we personally wouldn’t consider a hike.  Nonetheless, it goes to one of the nicer viewpoints in the Shenandoah Valley. Sure… you can see the Battle Creek Landfill and a distant Walmart, but you can also see the mountains that make up Shenandoah National Park and pretty much all of the Page Valley.  It’s a beautiful spot.

To get to the view, just stroll down the level pathway for a quarter mile.  At the end of the paved trail, you’ll come to an observation platform.  It’s railed in and has several benches to rest upon.  But, for an even better view, don’t miss following a rocky footpath to the right of the platform.  It leads to a rock shelf overlooking the valley.  The rocks that make up the ledge have the most fascinating texture.

Curvy Walkway
One of the beautiful curved, wooden walkways.  Below:  At the end of the paved pathway, there is a platform from which to take in the view; Christine’s Mom and Dad take in the view (You can see our shadows, too!).

Observation Platform Taking in the View

It looks like a lot of work/money has gone into cleaning up the Story Book Trail recently.  The interpretive signs that had faded or been covered with graffiti have been replaced (although new graffiti is already showing up – seriously people, stop crapping up the outdoors… it’s disrespectful and stupid).  The path looked like it had been repaved not too long ago.  But, best of all, someone cleaned all the paint off the rock ledges that lie off the trail.

Adam Says…

Christine’s parents came down on a Sunday to meet up with us.  We decided to take them on a couple of short hikes with great views.  The first we did was Woodstock Tower and we finished it off with the Massanutten Story Book Trail.  This trail is one of the easiest you will find, since the path is paved most of the way, with some beautiful wooden walkways in a few parts.  Since it is also wheelchair accessible, just about anyone should be able to enjoy the views you will find here.

Adam on the Ledge
Adam enjoys the view from the ledge.  Below:  The path is paved; Some sections are traversed by beautiful curved bridges.

Paved Pathway Curved Pathways

The trail also works as an interpretive trail, with many plaques to read along the way that give a great description of the geologic forces that have created the mountains in this area.  There are two geocaches along this trail and one of these requires answers from the signs along the way.

Christine and I often say that some of the areas of George Washington National Forest lead to better views than you get through hikes in Shenandoah National Park and this trail is great evidence of this statement.  If you haven’t done this one before and enjoy great views with little effort, this is a trail for you.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – .5 miles out and back
  • Elevation Change – negligible
  • Difficulty – 1.  This trail is for everyone – paved for strollers and handicap accessible.
  • Trail Conditions – 5. The official trail is paved.  You can leave the trail and scramble on the rocks for another view.
  • Views –5. Amazing views!
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. No streams/waterfalls.
  • Wildlife – 0.  The trail is too populous to really attract wildlife.
  • Ease to Navigate – 5.  Just straight down a paved path and back.
  • Solitude – 0.  You’ll see many people along this trail.

Directions to trailhead:
Reach the trailhead by turning on to Crisman Hollow Road (FD 274) off of 211 near Luray. Continue on this road for about a mile and park in a small lot off to the right.  A wooden footbridge and trail marker will signify the start of the trail.

Woodstock Tower

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The Woodstock Tower hike is a fairly easy hike in the Lee Ranger District of George Washington National Forest that leads to a fire tower with 360-degree views of the surrounding area.

View from Woodstock Tower
The view from the Woodstock Tower is panoramic - offering views of the valley, river and distant mountains. Below: A wider view includes the mountains; It really wasn't the best time of day to photograph the actual tower -- I had to shoot right into the sun; The inside of the tower is covered with graffiti.

A wider view Tower Sunburst Inside the Tower

Adam Says…

After parking in the Little Fort Campground area, we headed up for our hike to Woodstock Tower.  The white-blazed Wagon Road/Nature Trail starts off as a rough fire road and after .1 mile, intersects with Peters Mill Run.  Peters Mill Run is an ATV/OHV trail, so look both ways before crossing this popular trail for ATVs and motorcycles.  Continue straight across Peters Mill Run to connect to the trail again.  The trail does go steadily up with a few switchbacks, but the switchbacks really make the trail easier of a climb.  The first switchback comes in around .25 miles and the second switchback comes around .5 miles.  After the second switchback, the trail does become steeper, but it ends after just a couple tenths of a mile.  At .7 miles, take a left on the pink-blazed Tower Trail.  It is only about .2 miles to reach the tower on a fairly level trail.

The Woodstock Tower
The Woodstock Tower. Below: A little bit of fall color was already showing; We took a break for water where the short trail meets up with the longer trail; Looking up through the Woodstock Tower.

A little fall foliage Water Stop Looking up through the tower

When we reached the tower, we climbed up the metal stairs to reach the top.  I’m not a big fan of heights, but I’m especially nervous when it involves man-made things.  The tower did seem quite sturdy, but it makes some noises when railings move slightly, so I was more eager to get down from the tower than the rest of Christine’s family.  The views are nice, but the area is quite crowded.  Unless you went up early in the morning, I fear that it would be hard to have a moment’s peace at the top.  There aren’t any signs posted for maximum number of people on the tower and you may have to hug the side of a platform as people pass in opposite directions.

There are a few geocaches in the nearby area:

Christine Says…

This was the second time I’ve been to the Woodstock Tower.  Last time I was there was several years ago in mid-October.  I remember the fall foliage being amazing from atop the tower. This time, the foliage had just the slightest hint of change, but the day was crystal clear and sunny – not a bit of haze – so the view was extra nice.

There are shorter ways to get to the view.  In fact, you can practically drive right up to it.  However, we chose to hike up from the Little Fort campground instead.   The slightly longer route gave my mom a chance to try out her new hiking boots.

Off Highway Vehicle
The area has lots of ATV and dirt bike trails. Below: All the roads and trails in this area are well-marked.

Wagon Road Campground Sign

Because the day was so beautiful, we had to share the tower with crowds of people.  At times, there was actually a line of people waiting to get to the top.  We even saw a person trying to coax their pit bull up the open, metal stairs.  That didn’t go so well, and they had to turn back about halfway to the top.  The inside of the tower is covered with graffiti and the area is littered with broken beer bottles and empty soda cans – a very unfortunate side effect of its popularity.

Despite the tower’s less-than-pristine nature, it still offers one of the best views of the mountains in the area.  It’s well worth the short walk.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 2 miles
  • Elevation Change – about 500 feet
  • Difficulty –2. While you would think that going up 500 feet in one mile would be steep, the trail up seems to take off a lot of the steep terrain.
  • Trail Conditions – 3. The trail had some loose ground in a few areas (especially in the first .1 mile), but overall was well-maintained.
  • Views – 4.5. It does have 360-degree views, but we always enjoy views from natural surroundings like rock outcrops over man-made towers.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – 2. Too many people to see anything other than people.  May be good for hawk spotting or some other woodland birds.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4.  Not too many turns on this one and trails are well-labeled.
  • Solitude – 1. You will see lots of people on this trail during a nice day.

Directions to trailhead:
We approached this from I-81.  There are other ways to the east to approach this, but here is the most common way for anyone traveling via interstate.  Take exit 283 on I-81, heading east on 42.  Stay on 42 until it intersects with US 11.  Take a left on US 11, heading north through the town of Woodstock.  As soon as you pass the Woodstock Shopping Center, take a right on S.R. 665/Mill Road.  Take this until it ends at S.R. 758/Woodstock Tower Road.  Take a left here and continue to follow S.R. 758 up and down the mountain (this area can be scary when passing other vehicles – there are no guardrails in most spots).  Be sure to stay on S.R. 758 until you reach Little Fort Campground.  Turn into the campground area.  There are campsites and parking spots along the road here.  The trailhead is located on the right-hand side of the road near a campsite right before you reach the outdoor restrooms.

Powell Gap

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Powell Gap is a fantastic short hike to a beautiful view of the eastern valley.  Even if you’re not a regular hiker, this walk can be done by nearly anyone. The rock ledge on the ridge provides better views than many of the scenic pull-outs along Skyline Drive.

Adam Enjoys the View of Powell Gap
Adam Enjoys the View of Powell Gap.  Below: Parking for this hike is right along the road.  There is not a lot or pull-off.

Parking

Christine Says…

For the final leg in our mini-hike trio, we chose the short walk up to a rocky ledge overlooking Powell Gap.  The hike follows the Appalachian Trail the entire way – which is only a brief half mile.  The trail goes rather steeply uphill the entire way.  And although it’s short, our Falcon Guide still rates this trail as “moderately strenuous”.  I would agree with that assessment if this hike was longer, but due to the shortness, I think this trail would be quite easy for anyone to do.

The overlook along the ridge-line comes atop a beautiful, little rocky ledge.  Views face eastward, and include a wonderful look at the rolling mountains and the valley below.  If you look to the north, you can even see a little snip of Skyline Drive winding its way through the forest below.

Appalachian Trail to Powell Gap
The viewpoint is accessed via the Appalachian Trail.

We spent a good twenty minutes on the rock ledge.  Adam covered his face with his cap and took a brief nap.  He exclaimed “That was the most comfortable rock I’ve ever laid on!” when he woke up.  Apparently, it was smooth and the shape cradled his back perfectly.  While he dozed, I enjoyed the nice summer breeze and watched butterflies fluttering about in the trees right below the overlook.

I could have happily stayed longer, but we were both hungry and wanted to squeeze in a picnic lunch on the beautiful summer day.  We ended up having our picnic back in Harrisonburg – at Lake Shenandoah.  Even at high noon, it never got hotter than 81.  It was such a perfect day!

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 1 mile out and back
  • Elevation Change – 300 feet
  • Difficulty – 2. Although the trail is a bit steep, the route is so short that the hike qualifies as easy.
  • Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is typical of this section of the AT – well graded, but some rocks and uneven footing.
  • Views – 3.5. A very nice view of the mountains and the eastern valley.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. None.
  • Wildlife – 2. We didn’t see anything, but in the park it is always possible to see deer, bears and other wildlife.
  • Ease to Navigate – 5. There is only one trail in the area, so it’s nearly impossible to get lost as long as you head south on the Appalachian Trail
  • Solitude – 4. This section of the AT is not heavily traveled.  We did come across two section hikers.

Directions to trailhead:
At Mile 69.9 on Skyline Drive.  Park on the eastern side of the road along the meadow.  The trail begins just near the Powell Gap sign on the eastern side of Skyline Drive.

West and East Rattlesnake (NH)

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Special: New Hampshire Edition

Introductory Guide to Visiting the White Mountains

This fun, four-mile loop hike offers gorgeous scenery and amazing views with not much work.  The trail takes you across the summits of two small mountains – known as East and West Rattlesnake – overlooking the Squam Lakes.

Adam and the Rain Storm
Adam watches a rain storm pass over the Squam Lakes.  Below: The trail has many steps built into it.

Old Bridle Path

Adam Says…

Since we had already done a bunch of hikes to waterfalls over the last few days, we decided it was time to do a hike with some views.  We waited around in the morning due to rain and an overcast sky, but we caught a break shortly after lunch and decided to head out to the Rattlesnakes.  As Mark Twain said, “If you don’t like the weather in New England, wait a minute.”

We started the trail up the Old Bridle Path, which takes off from the marked parking lot for West Rattlesnake Mountain.  This area includes a lot of crossing trails that are all yellow-blazed, so you will need to pay attention to signs to be sure you are going the way you want.  The hike was a continual uphill with lots of steps built into the trail.  We found this part of the trail to be very well maintained and you will see lots of people on this section of your trip.  At .75 miles, you will come to a fork.  The right goes out to a nice overlook, but the left is where you will continue the trail.  At .9 miles, you will reach the summit of West Rattlesnake Mountain.  Look on the ground to find  a USGS marker to mark the elevation.

From the summit, we then took the Ridge Trail which leads to East Rattlesnake Mountain (one option is to take the Pasture Trail to the East Rattlesnake Trail, but that has a lot of elevation loss and gain.)  The Ridge Trail descends about 300 feet of elevation into a thick quiet wood.  Here is where the mosquitoes were unleashed on us since the breeze was non-existent to blow them away.  At 1.3 miles, you will reach a junction with the Col Trail, but continue on the Ridge Trail until 1.7 miles when you reach the East Rattlesnake Mountain summit.

First Viewpoint
The first viewpoint from high up comes along a small spur trail. Below: The Armstrong Natural Area sign provides some historical information about the area; Several trails intersect in this area; Watching the rain storm pass over the Squam Lakes.

Armstrong Natural Area SLA Sign West Rattlesnake

We headed back from the summit and at 2.1 miles, we took a right on the Col Trail.  The Col Trail descends a few hundred feet and was very overgrown and poorly maintained in several areas.  At 2.8 miles, it leads to a fire road.  Take a right on the fire road.  At 3.0 miles, you will reach Route 113.  Taking a left on the road, you will head back to your car to make this a four-mile loop.

Looking back, we might have decided to do this as an out-and-back hike and not ventured onto the Col Trail.  Walking on roads is never as fun as trails and it seems that the road goes on forever.

Both summits give you expansive views of the Squam Lakes and you can likely see several mountains surrounding you.  I was amazed at how many people were on West Rattlesnake Mountain and we only saw one other person at East Rattlesnake Mountain.  So, you can easily escape the crowds if you want with just a little longer hike.

There are a number of geocaches in the area for anyone interested:

Christine Says…

On this trip to New Hampshire, we spent far more time hiking to waterfalls and ponds than we did hiking to mountaintops.  We decided to save our summit hikes for days that offered clear views of the valleys below.  Unfortunately, we had a lot of hot, humid days that put the high peaks of the White Mountains into the clouds.  I know some people just like the workout and the act of hiking, regardless of whether or not there is a view.  I do too, but only to an extent. I can’t help but feel a little let down when a great view is covered in clouds and fog.

The morning we planned to hike the Rattlesnakes had been forecast to be sunny and pleasant.  However, in keeping with the theme for New Hampshire’s changeable weather, we woke to soggy clouds and pop-up showers.  The radar map indicated clearing as the day went on, so we sat and waited at the house.  When the sun finally broke through the clouds, we hopped in the car and raced off the trailhead.

The hike was easy and pleasant to the top of West Rattlesnake, and the views couldn’t have been nicer.  They reminded me a lot of the views we had from the Mt. Morgan – Mt. Percival hike.  (You can actually see the Rattlesnakes from above on that hike.) Both hikes overlook the Squam Lakes, but Mt. Morgan – Mt. Percival goes to higher mountains and offers a loftier view. If I were pressed to choose, I would say the Rattlesnakes view is nicer, but only because it’s a little closer to the lake.  The Squam Lakes Association does a fantastic job managing and maintaining the trails in this area.

East Rattlesnake
The view from East Rattlesnake is pretty and offers quite a bit more solitude. Below: The trails are nicely marked and expertly maintained by the Squam Lakes Association; Adam walks along the fireroad that joins the Col Trail to Route 113.

Col Trail Fire Road

Atop West Rattlesnake, we were able to sit on a sunny rock ledge and watch a leftover rain squall pass at a distance across Squam Lake.  The clouds were so dramatic and it was interesting to see the gray sheet of rain pass over the water.

We decided to continue along the trail and visit East Rattlesnake as well.  Although it’s less popular and has a smaller rock ledge, the other Rattlesnake offers views just as nice as its “sister”.  We had a couple options for hiking over to East Rattlesnake.  At first, we considered hiking the Pasture Trail so we could check out Five Finger Point.  A friend of mine from Flickr mentioned one of his favorite swimming spots was on the point, so I thought it might be fun to go check out the spot.  But, in the end, we decided to take the shorter route across the Ridge Trail.  The bugs ate me alive!  This trail was the one place in New Hampshire that my liberal application of DEET didn’t seem to deter the mosquitoes.  Two weeks after the hike, I still have a few marks leftover from bites I got on that hike.

On the return from East Rattlesnake, we wanted to get out of the woods and away from the bugs as quickly as possible.  Instead of doing the hike as an out-and-back, we followed the Col Trail back to the road and finished a loop with a mile of walking along Route 113.  The road walking wasn’t particularly fun or scenic, but at least I was away from most of the bugs.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 4 mile, loop
  • Elevation Change – About 800 ft.
  • Difficulty –2.5. The walk up to West Rattlesnake is very easy.  The hike up East Rattlesnake is a little tougher.
  • Trail Conditions –3.5. The trail is very nicely maintained.
  • Views – 5. Stunning views of the Squam Lakes.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. None to mention.
  • Wildlife –0. Unless you count mosquitoes and biting flies.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4. Although several trails cross in the area, everything is clearly marked.
  • Solitude – 1. On West Rattlesnake, you won’t get any solitude.  East Rattlesnake is quieter.  We saw only one other person there, while we saw close to 20 people atop West Rattlesnake.

Directions to trailhead:

From I-93, take Rt. 3 east to Holderness. From Holderness, follow Rt. 113 (a slow, curvy road) northeast for about 5.5 miles. Just past Pinehurst Road, park in the small lot on the right side of the road. The Old Bridle Path starts at the far end of the parking lot.