Dismal Falls

Description: A short, easy hike along the Appalachian Trail that takes you to a small waterfall nestled between Brushy and Flat Top mountain. The hike in is nothing special except for the fact that you follow one of the new sections of the AT.

Dismal Falls is a side trail of about 0.2 miles off the AT and is a welcome sight on a hot day. Dismal Falls is roughly 15 feet high and with the muddy bottom it is perfect for jumping off. If your looking for a quick hike and a place to relax then this hike is designed for you. However, do not expect to be alone at this water fall.

There is an access road only 20 yards from the falls. In the heat of the summer the falls seems to be a local pool, but atleast it’s clean.

Directions: There are two access points for the Falls. One off the Appalachian Trail and a much shorter trail. Here are directions to both.

Appalachian Trail route: From Pulaski: Take route 11 North to route 100. Take 100 North till 42. There is a little roadside stand with fresh fruit. Take 42 West for about 8 miles. You will pass through White Gate and route 606 will be on the right. The AT junction is only 2/10 of a mile. Take the AT North and your only 2 miles from the falls.

Short walk from road: Take exit 98 from I-81 going north on VA-100. Go 11.6 miles and turn left on VA-42. After 10.1 miles turn right on SR-606. After 1 mile, turn right on SR-671 which becomes unpaved after .4 miles. .5 miles after the pavement ends, there is a sign for the falls and a small pull-off on the right of the road.

Contact Information:
Blacksburg Ranger Station
5162 Valleypointe Parkway
Roanoke, Virginia 24019
(888) 265-0019

The trail section within Virginia spans 550 miles and can go from elevations of 265 feet to over 5,000 feet! This will give you a vary wide range of weather conditions depending on the section of trail and time of year that you are hiking.

Where and When To Go:
Northern Virginia: April through early June, September through early November. Summer heat and humidity can be oppressive
Shenandoah:

April—June, September, October. July and August are bearable except during a heat wave.
Central Virginia:
April—June and September—October. July and August are bearable except during a heat wave.
Southwest Virginia:

May—October.

Image from SherpaGuides.com.

The following comes from the ATC website for the Virginia section of trail:

Northern Virginia

In northern Virginia, the Appalachian Trail follows a long, low ridge, including a notoriously strenuous “roller-coaster” section south of Snickers Gap. It is less heavily traveled and is crossed by fewer roads than the Trail in Maryland. This is one of the best places on the A.T. for “spring break” hikes. Download Spring Break Hiking (PDF) to find out more about hiking on the A.T. in March and April.

The northern Virginia section stretches 54 miles from the Virginia/West Virginia state line south to Shenandoah National Park.

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park, with 104 miles of well-graded and well-maintained Trail and climbs rarely exceeding 500 or 1,000 feet, is excellent for beginning hikers and is noted for its many vistas and abundant wildlife. A variety of side trails provides excellent opportunities for one- or two-day circuit hikes.

Nearby Skyline Drive has many waysides and concessions for resupply stops. The park gets very busy during weekends and in late October, during peak foliage-changing season. Park facilities close from late November through March; when snow shuts down Skyline Drive, the entire park may become inaccessible except on cross-country skis or snowshoes. Backcountry permits are required when camping in the park.

Central Virginia

South of Shenandoah, the A.T. parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway. The farther south it goes, the more difficult the hiking becomes; the treadway is well-graded, but includes a number of 2,000- and 3,000-foot climbs. Mature timber, high summits, and spectacular wilderness can be found in the George Washington National Forest, north of Roanoke. The Trail then leaves the parkway and travels west across the Great Valley of the Appalachians through the Jefferson National Forest to the Allegheny Plateau, a splendid wilderness trip.

Central Virginia features many noteworthy points, with views from unusual rock formations and outcroppings and some of the northernmost balds on the Trails. Noteworthy peaks include Humpback Rocks, Three Ridges, the Priest, McAfee Knob, and Dragon’s Tooth. This section is more rugged and remote than the Shenandoah, but easier and more accessible than the Trail in Southwest Virginia.

The Central Virginia section covers 226 miles from the southern end of Shenandoah National Park south to Pearisburg.

Southwest Virginia

Throughout the Mt. Rogers region in southwest Virginia, where the Trail moves into the southern Appalachians, the floral displays of rhododendron and azalea in June and July are outstanding. The state’s highest mountain, Mt. Rogers, an area of spectacular highland meadows, routinely receives snowfall from October to May, making it considerably colder, wetter, and snowier than other areas of Virginia.

The northern portion of this section provides some of the A.T.’s best opportunities for solitude; toward the southern end the open meadows of the Mt. Rogers high country (5,000 feet and above) attract many visitors. At the southern border is the quintessential “Trail town,” Damascus, Virginia.

The Southwest Virginia section of the Trail covers 166 miles from Pearisburg south to Damascus.

For more detailed information about the Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail, then take a look at the ATC website which recommends trail guides and more!

Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, VA

Just an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C., Sky Meadows State Park in Clarke and Fauquier counties, offers a peaceful getaway on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With rolling pastures and woodlands, the park boasts beautiful vistas of the foothills and access to the Appalachian Trail. Its rich history is shaped by the development of agriculture and the impact of the Civil War. Activities include hiking, fishing, picnicking, horseback riding, primitive camping, and nature and history programs.

Location: The park is less than two miles south of Paris, Va., via U.S. Route 50 to Route 17 South; or seven miles north of I-66, Exit 23 on Route 17 North. The park entrance is on State Route 710.

Drive Time:

Northern Virginia, 45 minutes to one hour; D.C., over one hour; Richmond, two hours; Tidewater/ Norfolk/ Virginia Beach, three hours; Roanoke, two and a half hours

Trails:

The park has more than 12 miles of hiking trails ranging in difficulty from moderate to hard. In addition, the park offers access to the Appalachian Trail. The park is a three-day hike from Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., and two days from Shenandoah National Park. To protect our wildlife, all pets must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet. Vehicles and bicycles are permitted only on paved park roads. Horses are not permitted on hiking trails.

The park also has bridle trails; bring your own horse to enjoy more than six miles of challenging, scenic riding on two loop trails.

Here is a little history of the park/area…

Settlement of the area can be attributed to nearby Ashby’s Gap, which gave settlers access to the Shenandoah Valley.

In 1731, Lord Fairfax sold a 7,883-acre tract of land just south of Ashby’s Gap to James Ball. Ball died in 1754, and his land was divided among his daughter and five grandsons. One grandson sold his land to John Edmonds in 1780. Edmonds died eight years later, and his land was divided among his five children.

Isaac Settle of nearby Paris bought land from two of those children and in 1812 built a large brick house called “Belle Grove.” In 1842, he sold Belle Grove farm to his son in-law, Lewis Edmonds, who shortly thereafter sold 148 acres to Settle’s son, Abner, who built Mount Bleak House.

Mount Bleak in 1868 became the property of George M. Slater, who had been in Mosby’s Rangers during the Civil War. Slater and his son lived there for 55 years.

The property changed owners several times in the 1900s. In 1975, Paul Mellon of Upperville, Va., donated a 1,132-acre tract to the Commonwealth for the development of a state park. Another 248 acres were acquired in 1987, thus providing a corridor to the Appalachian Trail. In 1991, Mr. Mellon donated another 248 acres, designated the Lost Mountain Bridle Trail Area.

The name Sky Meadows comes from former owner Robert Hadow, who named the property “Skye Farm” after an island in Scotland.

For more information about the park including camping information and park fees, visit the park’s website.