Archive for January, 2008
Little Devil’s Staircase Trail - Shenandoah National Park
Posted by Chris | Filed under Shenandoah Valley, State Parks, Trail Information
Description: This is a strenuous 5.4 or 7.8 mile loop in the Shenandoah National Park. Most of the work comes early on as you climb steeply up and over rocks, gaining 1500 feet of elevation in about1.8 miles (1000 ft over a mile). If you think your buttocks muscles need some tightening-up then this is your hike! But honestly, once you’ve gained the ridge top almost all of the strenuous part is over. The short version of this hike utilizes a fire road as a return route and passes a graveyard along the way. The longer route follows Piney Branch with several nice little falls and cascades along the way. You’ll have to cross it twice but usually without much difficulty.
Trail notes: From the parking area follow the blue blazed Little Devil’s Staircase Trail North. At first the gorge is wide and the tread is rocky. As you proceed along the gorge will get much narrower and steeper … and, of course, rockier. You’ll cross Keyser’s Run several times as it percolates between all of the rocks and boulders. Be sure to look behind you as you climb for partial views. Near the end the trail gets very steep and then makes a hard left and reaches the ridge on a much more gradual pitch.
At 1.88 miles from the start reach a 4-way intersection. To the left and right is yellow blazed Keyser Run Fire Road. Straight ahead is blue blazed Pole Bridge Trail. If you opt for the shorter route turn left onto Keyser Run Fire Trail. In about 2.2 miles pass Bolen Cemetery and arrive at the intersection of Hull School Fire Road. Turn left, remaining on Keyser Run Fire Road and follow it back (1 mile) to your cars.
For the longer loop, continue straight through the 4-way intersection onto blue blazed Pole Bridge Tr. In about 0.93 miles turn left onto blue blazed Piney Branch Trail. Descend 2.8 miles to the intersection of Yellow blazed Hull School Fire Road. Turn left here.
At 0.78 miles from the last trail junction arrive at the junction of yellow blazed Keyser Run Fire Road (left and straight). Proceed straight on Keyser Run Fire Road for about another mile to get back to your car.
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Originally Published at MidAtlanticHikers.com/VA http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id156.html
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Jenkins Gap/Hickerson Hollow Circuit - Shenandoah National Park
Posted by Chris | Filed under Shenandoah Valley, State Parks, Trail Information
Description: This is a pretty arduous but rewarding hike in the northern section of SNP. It can be done either as a moderate 7.5 mile loop w/ a 1500 foot gain in elevation or a strenuous 12.2 mile “lollipop” circuit with over 2000 feet of elevation gain. There are views both east and west from Compton peak although the west view is by far the best. There is another vista as you leave the park on the AT and a nice lunch spot at the Tom Floyd’s Wayside. A one mile road walk will bring you back into the park on the Hickerson Hollow Tr along a picturesque stream of the same name. If you opt to do the shorter loop but still want to take in the views on Compton Peak add a 2mile out-and-back at the beginning or end of the trek for a total distance of around 9.5 miles.
If doing the shorter loop follow Skyline Drive to about Mile Marker 10.2 and park at the Compton Gap Parking Lot on the left. If doing the entire trek continue past mile marker 12 and park at the Jenkins Gap parking lot on the west side of the drive.
Trail Notes: For the long version start at the Jenkins Gap Parking Area. Follow a spur trail a short distance to the junction with the white blazed AT. Turn right on the AT and follow it for 1.2 miles to a concrete post marking a 4X intersection.
Take in the views and then continue to follow the AT as it switchbacks down to Skyline Drive in 0.76 miles. Cross the drive into the Compton gap Parking area. This is the start of the shorter hike.
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Bull Run Mountain Conservancy
Posted by Chris | Filed under Northern Virginia, Trail Information
Description: The Bull Run Mountains Conservancy manages 800 acres of forest on the southern end of Bull Run Mountains. Despite its small size this venue has a fairly interesting network of trails. I rate most of the trails as easy although segments of the trails that follow the ridge can provide a pretty good cardio-vascular workout. For this reason I rate the overall hike as moderate. The primary loop is only about4.6 miles in length but additional out-and-backs to visit graveyards, mill and homestead ruins, quarry sites, a fantastic view of Fauquier County and a pretty unique trash dump puts the total mileage at about7.4 miles. This was also the scene of a very important Civil War military engagement, the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, the results of which had major implications for the Second Battle of Manassas. Visit The Bull Run Mountain Conservancy Site for more information.
Trail Notes: The conservancy uses a unique trail marking system designed and installed by Boy Scouts. Each trail intersection has a post with colored discs. Note that there are still blazes on the trees. These are from previous management and may not match the color on the post. Post color has priority! Also, as of 11/05 the color coding of some trails have been changed andd some trails have been combined. Unofficial, unsigned or blazed trails are shown as orange on this map. The following description uses these changes.Some, but not all, of the intersections have signs. What is there is correct. Also note that the section of Ridge Trail north of the BRMC boundary is not under the Conservancy’s jurisdiction and is not blazed or maintained. Finally, the map shows an “un-named” trail that parallels the Old Quarry Trail (Blue) and follows the northern portion of Cattlet’s Run. This is not an official trail but one worth exploring.
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