Tag: views

Mount Pleasant

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

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

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

Trailhead Sign

Christine Says…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adam Says…

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

View of Cole Mountain The East Summit

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trail Notes

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

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

Virginia Creeper – Whitetop to Damascus

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

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

Adam Says…

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

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

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

signs green cove station green cove station_1

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

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

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

  • Mile 34 – The Whitetop Station to park your car.  Bathrooms are available. Highest point on the trail at 3576 ft.
  • Mile 30.5 – Green Cove Station sells a lot of essentials and souvenirs.  Bathrooms are also available.
  • Mile 27 – Creek Junction – Parking and Bathrooms are available.  563 foot trestle.
  • Mile 23 – Taylor’s Valley – Parking available. Daniel Boone campsite.
  • Mile 20.7 – Straight Branch – Parking and Bathrooms are available.
  • Mile 20 – Whitetop Laurel Falls – when you see a large overhanging rock, the falls are down a small path on the right side of the trail.
  • Mile 16 – Arrive at the town of Damascus.  Railroad exhibit is available.
There are so many beautiful farm and stream scenes along the trail.
There are so many beautiful farm and stream scenes along the trail.  The huge Christmas Tree farms along the way are lovely. Pictured Below:  The trail follows a rushing stream with many small waterfalls; The fall color was spectacular in Mid-October.

waterfall barn_2

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

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

Christine Says…

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

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

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

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

curved-trestle horses

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

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

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

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

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

lunch damascus station

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

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

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

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

Trail Notes

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

Directions to trailhead:

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

Mount Rogers

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

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

Christine Says…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grayson Highlands Pony in the Mist. This Mt. Rogers pony was especially friendly
Grayson Highlands Pony in the Fog. Mt. Rogers ponies have long beautiful manes
Adam laughs at the misspelled sign in Grayson Highlands State Park The sign at Grayson Highlands State Park misspelled the word Alcoholic

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

The Wilburn Rock scramble was slippery, but fun.
The Wilburn Rock scramble was slippery, but fun.

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

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

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

The clouds and fog begin to lift off Mt. Rogers The ferns on Mt. Rogers turn gold in the fall Pony Stallion on Mt. Rogers

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

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

Ponies at rest on Mt. Rogers Beautiful spotted pony on Mt. Rogers Adam watches the red pony on the Mt. Rogers hike

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

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

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

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

A wild Mt. Rogers foal stays close to his mother We had awesome views on the hike back.

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

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

Adam Says…

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

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

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

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

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

Pair of palomino ponies on Mt. Rogers Rocky views and blue skies on the hike down Mt. Rogers

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

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

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

The Thomas Knob Applachian Trail Hut Adam claims a geocache on the summit of Mount Rogers.

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

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

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

Trail Notes

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

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

Molly’s Knob

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

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

Adam Says

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

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

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

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

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

geocache foliage and pdp

Christine Says…

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

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

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

lake view

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

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

Trail Notes

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

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

Seneca Rocks (WV)

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The formation of Seneca Rocks is an exciting landmark for all to see. The trail is a pleasant three-mile hike along gentle uphill grades and switchbacks.  The summit has a viewing platform suitable for all hikers and the opportunity for more adventurous folks to scramble out onto the exposed rock face for a more dramatic view.

The trail starts off over an arched bridge.
The trail starts off over an arched bridge.

Adam Says…

When people first see the sheer rock face of Seneca, most probably assume they’re in for a really tough hike.  However, I was surprised to find that this hike is not as difficult at all.  This was my second time hiking up Seneca Rocks.

Seneca Rocks is probably most known among rock-climbers.  You may see several dots scaling the face from the parking lot. There are multiple paths up the sections of rocks, but it is not for amateurs. Seneca Rocks is made of Tuscarora quartzite.

The trail starts off from the parking lot opposite of the Sites Homestead.  You will see a sign marking the beginning of the trail, mentioning that it is 1.5 miles to the top along with 1000 feet of elevation gain.  You will quickly come to a bridge across the North Fork River.  The trail continues on the opposite side.  There are interpretive signs along the trail that will give you a lot of information about the trees and geology of the area.   You will slowly rise through the forests to meet a row of stairs which starts a steeper, uphill climb.  You will have several switchbacks along the trail, but they help take the pain away you would feel for a steeper hike.  Once you reach the top, there is an observation platform that allows for some gorgeous views to the west.

The view from the Seneca Rocks viewing platform.
The view from the Seneca Rocks viewing platform. Below: Adam at the warning sign; More views

sign seneca rocks_1

For those that are more adventurous, you will find a sign slightly above the observation point pictured above.  You can continue past this point, but it is not for the faint of heart or the feeble-footed.  This path will take you to actually hike the skinny area of the top of Seneca Rocks.  At some points of this climb at the very top, you will be standing on rock about the width of your body with several hundred feet of drop-off on both sides of you.  The views do allow you to see to the east and west from the top, but most people should stay at the observation point.  Fearful of heights, the first time I did not venture much further past the warning sign.  This time, I felt a little more confident and did explore things a little further.  Several people have died on this portion, so do not attempt anything that is uncomfortable.

If you are interested in geocaching, there are several to find around the Seneca Rocks area.  There are more than these listed, but these are the easiest to do while on this hike.  Here are the ones I found in the area:

I would highly recommend anyone interested in taking a trip to West Virginia to take some time to visit Seneca Rocks.  These formations are really an amazing site and the hike up is paid off by gorgeous views that will make you truly appreciate the breath-taking scenery of West Virginia.

Christine Says…

Seneca Rocks was the last stop of our whirlwind day in West Virginia.  We’ve hiked this trail a few times, and wanted to take the time to share it on our website.

The hike is understandably the most heavily trafficked trail in all of Monongahela National Forest.  Seneca Rocks has so much to see beyond its namesake attraction.  The visitors center, located at the base of the rocks,  is beautifully designed and is full of interesting exhibits, a theater and a small gift shop.  The original visitors center burned to the ground in 1992, but the new one is even nicer than the original.  The area also offers fishing, picnicking, nearby camping and even a restored homestead from the 1830’s.  The Sites Homestead has lovely gardens and a spectacular view of the rock “spine” on the mountain above.

The Sites Homestead
The Sites Homestead. Below: Horseback Riders; A peek between the rocks.

seneca rocks horses seneca rocks_3

Since Adam has already described the hike itself so thoroughly, I wanted to share one of my memories from a childhood visit to Seneca Rocks.   My family spent a lot of time camping and hiking in the area when I was a kid.  On one trip to Seneca Rocks, I kept telling my parents that the “rock was shaped different”.  My mom said that I probably didn’t remember what the rock looked like exactly.  But, I insisted that a big part of the rock face had fallen right off the mountain.  My parents just laughed at me.  But, it turned out I was RIGHT.   Two days before that visit, a large freestanding tower of rock (called the Gendarme) in the center notch of the rocks had toppled over and crumbled down the mountainside.  You can see the Gendarme in this old historical engraving.

The hike to the top of Seneca is really pretty easy.  You used to be able to take a guided horseback ride to the top, but Yokum’s Stables stopped operating in September of 2015.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 3 miles out and back
  • Elevation Change –1000 feet
  • Difficulty – 2. The entire outbound hike is uphill along gradual grades and switchbacks.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.5 The trail is well-maintained.
  • Views –4. The view the platform is pretty to the west, but for a better view, climb beyond the platform onto the rocks for stunning east and west views.
  • Waterfalls/streams –3. The beginning of the hike takes you over an arched bridge and across a beautiful, wide section of the North Fork River.  Several smaller streams converge near the trailhead.
  • Wildlife – 1. We saw lots of chipmunks and a gigantic black snake.
  • Ease to Navigate – 5. There is only one trail.  It would be nearly impossible to get lost.
  • Solitude – 0. This is the most popular trail in all of Monongahela National Forest.  Everybody hikes this trail, so expect lots of company along the way.

Directions to trailhead:
Seneca Rocks sits right at the junction of Rt. 33 and Rt. 55 in West Virginia.  You can’t miss it.  The hike starts out across the parking lot from the historic Sites Homestead.

Short and Scenic West Virginia Walks

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Last Saturday, we made a quick trip over the mountains into West Virginia.  The foliage in the Canaan Valley (Tucker County) area is always way ahead of the color change in Virginia.  We set out from home at 5:00 a.m. and made stops at Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley State Park, Douglas Falls and Dolly Sods Wilderness.  Our whirlwind trip got us thinking about how many short walks in that area have major scenic payoffs.

Let’s start off with a few beautiful spots in Blackwater Falls State Park.  All of the spots listed below are clearly marked on the park’s trail map. Pick up a copy at the lodge.

Lindy Point

The view from Lindy Point looks down into the Blackwater Canyon.
The view from Lindy Point looks down into the Blackwater Canyon.

The walk out to Lindy Point is no more than a third of a mile along a relatively level path.  The trail passes through dense rhododendron and can be quite muddy if there has been rain.  At the end of the trail, you’ll come out to a platform built onto the side of the rocky cliff.   The point offers a spectacular view of the Blackwater Canyon.   If you sit quietly, chances are good that you’ll hear the river rushing through the chasm below.  The view is made even more unique due to the enormous free-standing rock “chimneys” that surround the platform.  There are several places that you can crawl through the rhododendron to stand directly on the rocks for a better view.  Despite the spot’s beauty, Christine has not had great luck photographing this spot, but it’s all been a matter of timing.  We’ve just never been lucky enough to hit the point on a day with nice “photo skies.”   The photo included really doesn’t do the place justice.

Elakala Falls

There are several "falls of Elakala" along Shays Run.
There are several “falls of Elakala” along Shays Run.

frozenelakala

This pretty waterfall is accessed by a short trail starting out from the park’s main lodge.  The falls are less than a quarter mile down the trail.   You’ll know you have reached the waterfall when you come to a wooden footbridge over Shays Run.  The falls cascade directly under your feet at this point.  The trail really doesn’t give you a good look at the waterfall, so take the time to follow the “unofficial” foot path down the ravine to the base of the falls.  Elakala is prettiest in times of heavy waterflow.  The stream leaving the base of the falls takes  a beautiful swirling path across the moss-greened rocks.  Don’t miss climbing a little farther down the ravine to see a couple other pretty waterfalls on Shays Run.  The stream actually cascades all the way down to the bottom of the Blackwater Canyon, but it’s not really safe to go much beyond the second or third cascade.  Last winter we were lucky enough to see Elakala falls completely frozen over.   The sound of the water running under the ice was magical that day.

Blackwater Falls

The main attraction in Blackwater Falls State Park
The main attraction in Blackwater Falls State Park

This 62 foot cascade is park’s namesake and #1 attraction.  You’ll have a couple options for accessing the waterfall.  The park road that heads toward the main lodge has a paved, wheelchair-accessible path to a viewing platform far above the waterfall.  The road that heads toward the picnic ground has a longer “staircase-path” that leads to several wooden viewing platforms.  This path puts you a lot closer to the waterfall and offers a much prettier view.   We’ve always liked visiting Blackwater Falls as soon as the sun comes up.  At dawn, the path is deserted and the falls are often shrouded in a thin veil of fog.  During more normal times, the area is extremely crowded with tourists.

And now a couple favorites outside the park.

Douglas Falls – Thomas, WV

The colors of Douglas Falls are amazing!
The colors of Douglas Falls are amazing!

Blackwater Falls might be the area’s best-known waterfall, but we think Douglas Falls is the most beautiful.   The rocks are brilliant red and the water is vivid green, making for a wonderfully photogenic color contrast.  The color of the rocks is sadly unnatural, created by acid drainage from the mines and coke ovens in the area.  It’s amazing that pollution could create something so pretty.  The ride out to the falls is extremely rugged and potholed.  You should plan on walking a mile or two if you don’t have a 4WD vehicle.   The footpath down to the falls is very short, but very steep. Once you get down to the base of the falls, there is a path that follows the stream for a couple hundred yards.  The whole area is worth exploring, but take extreme caution on the slippery rocks.  The rocks around the stream are coated with slick, clear algae.  We always move “crab-style” along the rocks to keep from falling.

Bear Rocks – Dolly Sods Wilderness

The landscape of Dolly Sods reminds us of Maine.
The landscape of Dolly Sods reminds us of Maine.

bear rocks

Another place to visit in the area is Bear Rocks in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area.  The overlook is surrounded by a vast plain of huckleberry and blueberry bushes that turn blaze red in the autumn.  It’s a great place to spot migrating hawks.  The rocky cliff is endlessly fun to scramble around on and provides beautiful views of the valley below.  The plains framing the cliff are patterned with pathways through the berry bushes and punctuated with monolithic white rocks that have been sculpted by time and the elements.  Whenever we visit Dolly Sods, we feel like we’re someplace far north of the Mid-Atlantic region.  It feels more like Maine or Canada. There are several routes into Dolly Sods.  We recommend the route from WV32 onto Laneville Road as the most passable and scenic.  You might even see a black bear along the road if you’re lucky.

Millers Head

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Millers Head is a beautiful little hike that starts out from the amphitheater at Skyland Resort.  There are three nice overlook spots along the way.

The view from a small rock outcropping before the observatory was prettier than the actual Millers Head
The view from a small rock outcropping before the observatory was prettier than the actual Millers Head

Christine Says…

Millers Head is a perfect leg-stretcher with wonderful scenic payoffs.  It’s also a bit of an oddity for Shenandoah hiking.   One unusual thing about this hike is that the trail is mostly downhill as you walk out to the observatory.  In Shenandoah,  it’s very uncommon to have a steady descent on hikes that offer panoramic vistas.   In fact, I can’t think of a single other “view hike” that goes downhill quite as much as Millers Head.  Another interesting fact about this trail; it’s one of only three places in the park that are authorized launch points for hang gliders.  If you’re lucky, you might get to see some gliders taking off and sailing over the valley.

The first of the viewpoints comes atop Brushytop Mountain, just .2 miles into the hike.  There is a lovely shady spot with large boulders to sit and take in the view.   Near Brushytop, you’ll also get a nice look at Skyland Resort built into the mountainside to the east.  In the afternoon, the sun hits the lodge beautifully and Stony Man looms impressively over the resort area.

Brushytop offers a nice view of the valley.
Brushytop offers a nice view of the valley. Below: the signpost at the trailhead, view of Skyland Resort looking back from the trail

signpost skyland

I wasn’t so lucky with the lighting conditions for photography on the day we hiked.  The clouds were dark and moving quickly across the sky.  Whenever the sun came out, it was fleeting.  I missed the afternoon light on Skyland by mere moments.

In my opinion, there are two viewpoints even nicer than Brushytop on this hike.   One is an unnamed rock ledge close to the Millers Head observatory.  It’s not marked, but you can’t miss the well worn footpath up to the rocks.  It looks back to the east.  The other is right at the end of the trail and includes a stone observatory deck built by the CCC.    The observatory is starting to crumble and the handrail is loose and rusty.  Nonetheless, the views are wonderful from this spot.    If you’re into photography, I’d recommend (unlike us) doing this hike in the morning.  I had to shoot right into the sun on this particular day, and didn’t really get any nice photos at Millers Head.

On the hike back, I was really cold!  I can’t remember ever being cold on a September hike before.  We’re having such odd weather this fall, but odd in a good way.  I love the crisp snap in the air after the heat of summer.  Without a doubt, this is my favorite time of year to hike.

Adam Says

This was a great hike that we combined with the Traces Trail in the North District to get a couple of short hikes in one afternoon.  For the shortness of the hike, you really do get some nice views.

The fall leaves provided a gorgeous blanket of color on the trail.  Fall hiking is some of the prettiest hiking when you have a nice clear day for views.  However, leaves can also cover trails easily, so you have to be aware of where you are.  I don’t think anyone could get lost on this particular trail, but it is something to keep in mind while hiking.

The trail was covered with fall leaves.
The trail was covered with fall leaves. Below: A couple views from the Millers Head Observatory. The clouds were changing so quickly.

observatory view_1 observatory view_4

Once you start the hike, you will go up a short distance until you reach a building that I think was either a radio tower or weather station.  Shortly after that at .2 miles, you will come to a cement post.  Heading straight ahead for a few feet will lead you to the Brushytop overlook.  From here, you will get nice views of farmlands and small communities in the Shenandoah Valley.  Backtrack to the post and head down.  You will pass by a few boulder falls along the side.  There are a few views off to both sides of the trail along the way before you reach the observation outpost at .8 miles.  We had some overhanging clouds from the storm front that was slowly moving through, but we still were able to get gorgeous 180 degree views to the east.  We were also fortunate enough to see a peregrine falcon swoop by, reminding us of our  Hawksbill Summit Loop hike.

This is another good hike for families or with pets.  While the trip back from the observation outpost was more uphill, it was easier to do than we thought it would be.  I would recommend this hike to anyone looking for a short hike with a decent payoff for views.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 1.6 miles out and back
  • Elevation Change –475 feet
  • Difficulty – 1.5.  There are some rolling ups and downs on this trail, but overall it’s an easy walk.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.  The trail is well-maintained, but rocky.  When we hiked the trail, it was covered by a lot of wet, slippery leaves.
  • Views –3.5 The view from Millers Head is beautiful.  You also get a pretty view of the valley and Skyland Resort from atop Bushytop Mountain, located .2 miles into the hike.
  • Waterfalls/streams –0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – 0 We didn’t see anything.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4.  Just stay straight on the trail.
  • Solitude – 2. This trail’s short length and proximity to Skyland Resort make it quite popular.

Directions to trailhead:
Follow Skyline Drive to the Skyland Resort area, between mile markers 42 and 43.  Pass the Skyland stables and continue up the road until you reach the amphitheater.  You’ll see a sign for the Millers Head Observatory next to the theater.

Big Schloss

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Big Schloss is a moderate 4 mile hike with gorgeous views at the top. Located in George Washington National Forest’s Lee Ranger District, this trail is one of our favorite re-hikes due to great views and beauty of the trail.

Christine's dad and Adam at the Big Schloss overlook.
Christine’s dad and Adam at the Big Schloss overlook.

Adam says…

Since Christine’s birthday is this week, her parents wanted to do something to celebrate.  So, we decided to take them on a hike to Big Schloss and have a picnic.   We’ve done this hike on numerous occasions, but this was the first time for her parents.

German settlers to this area named this rock outcropping “Big Schloss” due to its resemblance to a castle.  “Schloss” means “castle” in German.

We parked at the Wolf Gap Campground.  There are outhouses near the parking lot in case you need to make a pit stop before the hike.   The Mill Mountain trailhead starts out from campsite #9.  You’ll see the trail marker indicating a distance of two miles to Big Schloss.

Christine's mom climbs the Mill Mountain Trail
Christine’s mom climbs the Mill Mountain Trail.  Below:   We saw lots of red and yellow in the trees already, the first panoramic view after the initial ascent, Christine’s Mom and Dad check out the small cave

red foliage_1 first look cave

The hike starts off with a fairly steep and steady uphill.  However, you are getting this portion of the hike done with first, which is a nice bonus.  After .66 miles, your climb ends. When you reach the ridge, the trail takes a sharp turn to the left.   For most of the remainder of this hike, you will be walking on the top of the ridge, with occasional views through the trees to your left of the Long Mountain ridge and better views to your right.

At .78 miles, you will come to your first overlook.  We noticed quite a bit of tree color on the trail and at the overlooks, which gets us both excited for some fall hiking.   You’ll continue walking on the ridge, going slightly up and down, but not a lot of elevation change.  At 1.75 miles, you will reach a signpost leading you to take a right to take the Big Schloss spur trail to the summit just .25 miles ahead.   At 1.9 miles, you will see a campsite off to the left of the main trail and a small rock outcrop that holds a small cave.

You access the Big Schloss overlook via a small wood footbridge.
You access the Big Schloss overlook via a small wood footbridge.

Shortly after this, you will cross a wooden footbridge and then reach the summit for the best views.  There is not a ton of room on the rocks to view the summit, but you will likely have a spot to enjoy the view and eat a snack.

At the summit, we ate a small handful of trailmix and then made our way back to the parking lot for a picnic lunch.  Christine’s mother went overboard on packing for the picnic.  She brought about 15 pieces of fried chicken, various pasta salads, pineapple, grapes, cheese & crackers, three different bags of potato chips, assorted beverages, and two birthday cakes (lemon blueberry cake and coconut cake).  We ate way more than should have, but we had a wonderful morning for a hike.

Adam and our friend Shannon found the Big Schloss Cache back in 2007.
Adam and our friend Shannon found the Big Schloss Cache back in 2007.

If you are into geocaching, there is one that you can find not too far from the summit.

Christine Says…

Big Schloss is one of my favorite hikes in the Lee District.  It’s a beautiful hike in every season!  Springtime brings a trail lined with mountain laurel and rhododendron.  In the fall, the changing foliage colors spread across the valley below like a colorful tapestry (photo from Fall ’08).  Summer brings fog in the valley and dense green foliage all around (photo from May 2007).  In the winter, views are crystal clear and unobstructed for miles and miles.

Big Schloss offers beautiful, panoramic views - especially to the west.
Big Schloss offers beautiful, panoramic views – especially to the west.

The area is popular with central Virginians.  The Wolf Gap campground is often full, and you’ll see hiking groups  – especially on weekends.  We’ve seen everything from hardcore mountain bikers to ultra-distance trail runners on the Mill Mountain trail.  A couple years ago, we even met a team of competitive cyclists helping an injured teammate off the mountain.  The terrain is very rugged, so I imagine you’d have to be an experienced mountain biker to travel this route.

On this particular day, we hiked with my Mom & Dad to celebrate my birthday.  In addition to their wonderful company, I also got the gift of a new hiking gadget before starting the hike.  My parents gave me a pair of Komperdell trekking poles.  I’ve been wanting to get a set of poles for quite some time now, so I was thrilled with the present.  I don’t really have the best of balance, so I loved the added stability the poles gave me hiking down the loose, rocky trail on the return trip.  I was also amazed with how much strain they took off my knees. The model they gave me has cork handles, which are apparently cooler and chafe less than other handle types.

We were surprised to see how many colorful leaves had already fallen.
We were surprised to see how many colorful leaves had already fallen.

When we started out on our hike, the sky was brilliant blue with just an occasional cloud passing by overhead.  By the time we got to the overlook, the sky was mostly cloudy and hazy.  It wasn’t the best view that we’ve ever had from Big Schloss, but it was beautiful nonetheless.  I loved seeing the hints of autumn starting to appear in the forest.  The Virginia creeper was crimson.  A lot of maples and dogwoods were starting to change, too.  At every open viewpoint, we could see distant ridges with red, yellow and orange trees peppered into the greenness.  Fall is definitely on its way, and I think it might be coming early this year.

We really didn’t stay too long at the summit, especially since we had a big picnic lunch waiting for us at the campground.  As Adam mentioned, my mom went nuts with quantity and selection.   I’m not complaining, but seriously… who brings two birthday cakes to a picnic lunch for four people?

My mom even brought birthday candles along.  My family “sang” Happy Birthday to me while the breeze repeatedly blew out the candles.  You’ll notice “sang” is in quote marks.  I have to tell you, my family cannot sing – not a single note.  They’re so bad, it’s become a family joke to make “Happy Birthday to You” sound like the saddest, most off-key, howl-inducing dirge you might ever imagine.  Since we were in a public place, my dad and Adam put extra effort into singing it loudly and badly.  I think I heard babies crying, dogs barking and campers exclaiming “What is that noise?”

After lunch, we parted ways with my parents and headed home.  It was a great hike.

Note: There is another great trail starting out from the Wolf Gap Campground.  If you have a couple days in the area, check out the Tibbet Knob trail.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 4 milesout-and-back. Add another .1 mile to get to your car.
  • Elevation Change –1000 feet
  • Difficulty – 2.  After a rather steep .7 mile climb at the beginning, the trail is mostly level and follows a ridge.  There is one other short climb after the Mill Mountain Trail meets up with the Big Schloss spur.
  • Trail Conditions – 2.5.  The trail is well-maintained but it’s rocky and has lots of loose footing in the first .7 mile.
  • Views –4.5. The view are pretty spectacular – especially on a clear day.
  • Waterfalls/streams –0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – 0 We didn’t see anything beyond chipmunks, birds and squirrels.  We did see a fawn near the Wolf Gap campground.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4.  Just stay straight on the trail.
  • Solitude – 2. This trail doesn’t see the same crowds as trails in Shenandoah National Park, but it is a popular hike with the local crowd.

Download a Trail Map (PDF)

Directions to trailhead:
From I-81, take exit 279.  Follow Rte. 675 until it meets Route 42.  Turn right on 42 and then take almost an immediate left on 675 (Wolf Gap Road).  Follow Wolf Gap Road (you will have to make a few turns so keep an eye at road junctions) until you come to the Wolf Gap Campground (right on the Hardy County Line.)

Cole/Cold Mountain

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Amherst County’s Cole Mountain Loop is a moderate 6 mile hike with serious payoffs at the summit.  Situated in George Washington National Forest’s Pedlar Ranger District, this trail (also know as “Cold Mountain”) is one of Central Virginia’s only hikes to cross a bald, pasture-like summit.  Views of the valley from the saddle and summit are open in every direction.

The Cold Mountain summit is open and offers panoramic views in every direction. In this shot you can see the white Appalachian Trail blaze and the USGS benchmark.
The Cole Mountain summit is open and offers panoramic views in every direction. In this shot you can see the white Appalachian Trail blaze and the USGS benchmark.

Christine Says…

Despite the busyness of our weekend, Adam and I made time to hike the Cole Mountain loop on Sunday morning.  We had read a description of the trail on another hiking site.  Their reviewer compared the summit to Scotland or Switzerland.  I don’t know about that, but it was definitely some of the prettiest Virginia summit scenery I’ve ever seen.

We started out from home at 5:30 in the morning.  It was still dark, but we wanted to hike before the crowds and heat got too bad.  We made a short detour before the hike to visit Statons Creek Falls.  It was just a couple miles from the trailhead, and was well worth a look.

The Appalachian Trail crossing is well-marked. Park across from this sign in a small lot.
The Appalachian Trail crossing is well-marked. Park across from this sign in a small lot.

The forest service road to the Cole Mountain trailhead is unpaved and bumpy.  There is only room for five or six cars at the parking area, which is located right at an Appalachian Trail crossing.

The hike starts out downhill along the forest service road for a couple tenths of a mile.  You’ll soon pick up the blue-blazed Hotel Trail on the right side of the road.  The route follows the Hotel Trail for about 3.5 miles until a junction with the Appalachian Trail (AT).  The AT takes you up a series of switchbacks, across the Cole Mountain summit and eventually back down to the parking lot where you started out.

Just a few of the gorgeous wildflowers on display in the meadow.
Just a few of the gorgeous wildflowers on display in the meadow.  Pictured below:  The old hog wall, the open meadow along the Hotel Trail, a beautiful tree sheltering one of the loveliest backcountry campgrounds in Virginia.

hog wall hotel trail meadow hotel trail meadow campsite_1

The thing I loved about this hike was the ever-changing landscape along the way.  It was a perfect sampling of Virginia’s varied scenery.  The trail started off winding its way down through lush, green beds of ferns sheltered by old hardwoods.  After passing through a short tunnel of pines, the forest gave way to a wide meadow-like clearing filled with shoulder high wildflowers in every shade of pink, purple, yellow and white.   Descending back into the forest, we saw numerous remnants from a bygone mountain farm.  Crumbling stone “hog walls” and errant apple trees were easily spotted along the trail.

The Cow Camp Gap Shelter
The Cow Camp Gap Shelter.  Pictured below:  a checkerboard is painted onto the shelter floor, Adam enjoys reading the shelter journal

checkerboard journal

We took a snack break along a small stream just before the 3 mile mark.  There was a fire pit and log seats that made a perfect place to enjoy some trail mix and water.   We ended up taking another break a few tenths of a mile down the trail when we arrived at the Cow Camp Gap Shelter.  This shelter is just one of many three-sided huts located along (or near) the Appalachian Trail.  This one was especially nice.  There was a checkerboard painted on the floor, with acorn cap and twig game pieces.  The shelter had a newer log book, so there weren’t many entries to enjoy this time.  The site also had the biggest picnic table I’ve ever seen.  It made Adam look like he was hobbit-sized.

The shelter marks the beginning of the only serious uphill climb on this hike.  About a half mile after leaving the shelter, you meet up with the Appalachian Trail and head north.  Along the way, the forest begins to thin out, giving you glimpses of a view from rocky ledges along the trail.

Upon reaching the saddle of Cole Mountain, the terrain changes radically and instantly.  The trees disappear and a wide, pasture-like alley appears across the summit.  The field is dotted with giant boulders and speckled with wildflowers.  It’s a great place for a picnic lunch.  You certainly can’t beat the sweeping views in every direction.

Adam Says…

This truly was a wonderful hike!  I don’t think this hike is very well known to those that don’t live in Central Virginia, but it is a true gem and definitely worth a trip no matter where you live.  We had absolutely perfect hiking weather with beautiful blue skies, dappled with an occasional cloud.  We plan on coming back down to this area soon to try the nearby hike of Mount Pleasant.

Cole Mountain is also commonly known as Cold Mountain (and is listed as such on Hiking Upward), but when we saw its official name through the USGS was Cole Mountain, we are sticking with their name.  I know when I told my family about hiking Cold Mountain, they thought about the movie with Nicole Kidman and Jude Law.  That Cold Mountain is actually in North Carolina, along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The first lookout point along the Appalachian Trail was already showing some signs of fall.
The first lookout point along the Appalachian Trail was already showing some signs of fall.

To begin the circuit that we chose, we took the Hotel Trail.  The origin of the name is supposedly derived from the landowner Joseph Richeson, whose house was known as The Hotel, due to the number of frequent guests.

Once you start the Hotel Trail, you will almost immediately come to a horse gate.  Go through the horse gate and continue to follow the blue blazes.  You will follow these blue blazes until you reach the junction with the Appalachian Trail.  At .9 miles, you will reach the beautiful field of wildflowers on your left that Christine mentioned.  At around 1.3 miles, you will reach a gorgeous spot for an overnight camp.  I would highly recommend this to anyone that is planning on doing a backpacking trip.  There is a large firepit formed with logs to sit and enjoy some S’mores over an open fire.

From the firepit, look to the northeast and you will see the blue blazes continue.  At 1.7 miles, you will come across the “hog wall”, which is neat to think about people that used this area in the past.  Continue down the trail until you reach the bottom of Cow Camp Gap at 2.9 miles.  On our way down, I heard some strong howling off in the distant which sounded like coyotes.  Since we’ve heard of this from other hikers, there must be some nearby.  You will see on the other side of a small stream, the Cow Camp Gap Shelter.  This is a great spot for any thru-hikers or people that just want to have a packed lunch, rest, or fill up water from the spring.  We always enjoy reading the logs that thru-hikers and backpackers leave during their trips there.  Once you see the shelter on the right, just stay on the trail until you reach the junction just ahead.  The path to the right will take you to the shelter and the spring, but after your stop, you will take the path to the left.   I imagine that during rainier times, this would be a nice spot to hear a trickling stream, but it was dried out when we were there.

From the junction at the shelter, you will have another .5 miles to reach the junction with the Appalachian Trail.  At 3.5 miles, take a right (North) on the Appalachian trail.  You will continue your ascent through a few switchbacks.  At 3.7 miles, you will reach the first of two nice spots for an overlook at the edge of the switchback.  Continue on the trail until you reach the large meadow with the summit.  You will see a few vertical 4 foot high rocks sticking out of the ground.  On the ground in the rock, you will see the USGS benchmark which marks the summit of Cole Mountain at 4,033 feet.  Take a moment to enjoy the views at the summit and continue to follow the AT white blazes going north.  You will see many gorgeous panoramic 360 degree views as you cross along the highlands for a few tenths of a mile.  The scenery was truly breathtaking as we trekked across the highlands of the saddle, across the bald summit. (Note: camping and/or fires are not allowed on the bald of Cold Mountain.) At the end of the meadow at 5.2 miles, you will begin your descent into the woods and back to your vehicle.  You will cross over a fire road, but stay on the white-blazed trail until you reach your vehicle.

Adam makes his way across the bald summit of Cole Mountain.
Adam makes his way across the bald summit of Cole Mountain.  Pictured below:  this bush was heavy with berries.

cold mountain summit_8

If you are into geocaching, there are a two that you can find along the way.  The first is at the “hog wall” and the second is near the summit.  There was also another at Statons Creek Falls, which I feel is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Virginia.  Here are links to the sites for those that are interested:

As a slightly humorous aside, we did see a couple of guys hiking that came over from another mountain.  They had already hiked for about 8 miles, making this hike their second summit.  They were planning on going back the way they came and making it a 17 mile hike to do in one day.  We saw them around noon and they were hoping to make it back to their car around dinner time.  They had a poor map and we tried to show them directions, but they were off quickly.  However, they ended up going the opposite way away from their vehicle.  We thought we should probably check the news to see if they became lost.  I hope they got back safely, but I’m sure they had to reheat their dinner.

I would definitely say that this hike is one of my favorites in Virginia.  The views were exceptional and the scenery along the entire trail was magnificent.  Make this a “must-do” hike in your future planning!  You won’t regret it.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 6 miles loop
    (Check out the stats from Map My Hike)*
    Note – the MapMyHike stats show the loop in reverse. When we rehiked the route on 6/25/16, we did it the opposite way so we hit the meadow views first.
  • Elevation Change – 1490 feet – The trail starts out both up and down, but the ascent to the summit is about 1.5 miles uphill.
  • Difficulty – 3. The trail starts with some ascents and descents.  Once you meet the AT, you have about a steady uphill for 1.5 miles, but it wasn’t too tough.
  • Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is well-maintained and not too hard on the feet.  There are some downhill portions that have some loose rock.
  • Views – 5. It doesn’t get better than panoramic 360 degree mountain views. We felt the scenery throughout the trail was gorgeous.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0.5.  There is a stream near the Cow Camp Gap shelter, but it was down to a trickle for us.
  • Wildlife – 1.5. We only saw a deer around here.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3. There aren’t a lot of turns here, but you may feel a little confused starting off.
  • Solitude –3.5. We did encounter a few people, but we had a lot of beauty to ourselves.  Expect to see a few people along the highlands at the top, but there is a ton of room to enjoy the scenery privately.

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

Directions to trailhead:   Take Exit 188A off of Interstate-81, merging on to US-60 towards Buena Vista.  After going through Buena Vista, take a left at Coffeytown Road/Rte 634.  After 1.6 miles, take a right on to Wiggins Spring Road/Rte 755.  While four-wheel drive isn’t necessary, I would recommend it since it is a rough gravel road.   Stay on this for about 2.5 miles until you reach parking on the left side of the road.  (GPS Coordinates for parking: 37.759652, -79.195336) Park your vehicle and then proceed further down the road for .2 miles.  Before the road splits, you will see two posts marked with blue blazes which will begin the Hotel Trail.

Hightop Mountain

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Hightop Mountain is a nice hike along the Appalachian Trail in the Southern District of Shenandoah National Park.  It features a super view and you can take a short spur trail to view an Appalachian Trail shelter.

It wasn't the prettiest day for hiking, but the view from Hightop was still impressive. Hightop is the tallest peak in the south district of the park.
It wasn’t the prettiest day for hiking, but the view from Hightop was still impressive. Hightop is the tallest peak in the south district of the park.

Adam Says…

Wow, it’s been a while.  Sorry for the delay in posting anything new for a while, but life has just gotten in the way.  We did get to go for a week in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and our annual trip to Acadia National Park in Maine, but we haven’t hiked in Virginia for a while.  We’re just now getting back into the swing of things.  We had a limited time on Sunday to do a hike, so we decided to pick something close by and relatively short.  It was great to get back on the trails!

The hike was very nice.  The trail had a steady uphill the entire way up, but it felt very manageable.  We noticed that the trail was a little more overgrown than normal.  This year has seemed to be great for weeds growing early on in the summer.  Usually we have better views along the side of Skyline Drive and the trails, but things seem to have grown wilder this year.  I’m sure the rain and cooler summer temps have caused this.  The grass and weeds along the way tended to tickle our legs.  The hike didn’t have a lot to view along the way, but it was nice to take a side trip and view the AT cabin and log.  Around 1.2 miles, you will reach the intersection with the Smith Roach Gap Fire Road.  Just cross the road to continue on the AT.  You can reach the AT cabin by taking the spur trail shortly after the intersection with the Smith Roach Gap Fire Road.  I always enjoy reading through the logs of those that have passed through.  In this logbook there was some entries about people bringing the thru-hikers food, some card game scores, and a tale about how a bunch of them danced naked in the evening.

The views at the top really do show you a lot of mountains to the south and you can get nice glimpses of Skyline Drive.  On a nice fall day, this could be a great photo opportunity when the leaves change color.

On the way back after .6 miles, you can take the option of taking the Smith Roach Gap Fire Road back to your car by taking a left, but the fire road looked very overgrown, so we opted to just go back the way we came.

Hightop Hut
Hightop Hut offers a nice rest stop for weary hikers and backpackers. Below: The hut has a trail journal.  They are always a lot of fun to read.

Journal

Christine Says…

It was so great to get back out on the trail again!  I loved lacing my boots up, feeling the trail crunching under my soles and hearing the sounds of late summer bees buzzing lazily through the wild flowers.  I’ve been out of the woods for far too long.

The hike up Hightop is one we’ve done several times now, but we’ve always approached the summit as an out-and-back from the northern end of the trail.  It’s shorter and steeper, but gets you to the same viewpoint.  I actually enjoyed this southern approach quite a bit more.  The grade was very gentle and gradual.  This route also gave us the opportunity to visit the Hightop Hut.  I always like to stop by the AT shelters and read the trail journals.

This cute little toad was one of the few wildlife specimens we saw along our walk.
This cute little toad was one of the few wildlife specimens we saw along our walk.

The view from the summit of Hightop was beautiful.  The sky may have been cloudy, but we could still see ten layers of mountain ridges fading into the distant southwest.  We also got a nice view of our “home” mountain – Massanutten.

After the hike, Adam and I started casually tossing around the idea of doing a long backpacking trip next summer.  We might try to hike the 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah National Park sometime next spring.  The more we talk about it, the less casual the idea seems.  We’ll see…

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 3.8 miles out-and-back which includes an optional .2 mile trip to an AT shelter
  • Elevation Change –967 feet
  • Difficulty – 2.  While it is a steady uphill the way up, it’s not too steep of a grade.
  • Trail Conditions – 4.  The trail is well-traveled and well-maintained.
  • Views –3. At the summit, you do have a chance to get some nice views of Skyline Drive and beyond.  We counted a series of 10 ridges of depth at the top.
  • Waterfalls/streams –0. Non-existent.
  • Wildlife – .5 Other than a toad, we only saw one doe.  There also didn’t appear to be a lot of birds on this trail.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4.  Just stay straight on the trail.
  • Solitude – 3.5 This trail doesn’t see a lot of traffic, but would be busier during the AT thru-hiking in the summer.

Directions to trailhead:
Park on the east side of Skyline Drive at Smith Roach Gap (around mile marker 68.5).  At the end of the parking lot, go on the fire road.  The trail takes off about 10 yards on the left.