The Buzzard Rock hike is a shorter out and back hike in the
Elizabeth Furnace section of the GWNF near Front Royal Virginia.
There are several other great loop hikes that start from
this same area: High Peak, Mudhole
Gap, Signal Knob and Meneka
Peak. The Shawl Gap Hike also
uses this mountain but starts from the other side of the ridge.
Finding the trail head through the picnic area is a little
tricky. From the main parking area take the
path from the top left side straight for 100 yards (two
other paths cross it) before you arrive
at Elizabeth Furnace. Continue around
the furnace staying on the blue/orange blazed Tuscarora/Massanutten
Trail. Immediately after passing the furnace stay straight
DO NOT take the unmarked trail that heads to the right uphill.
Follow the blue/orange blazed Tuscarora/Massanutten Trail
and shortly cross a small wooden bridge before starting
uphill. The trail will cross a non-maintained yellow blazed
trail twice before arriving at the ridge line and four-way
trail intersection 2.3 miles from your starting point.
At the ridge and intersection turn
left on the white blazed Buzzard Rock Trail is turns
uphill for 2.0 miles before reaching Buzzard
Rock. The views here are
obstructed by trees so for a better vista continue
for another 100 yards along the trail where there is a spot
that looks out towards Front Royal and the Shenandoah Valley.
To return retrace your steps back down the Buzzard Rock Trail
to the four-way intersection. At this point you can either
turn right going back down the Tuscarora/Massanutten Trail
from where you came or continue
straight through the intersection for
25 yards then turning
downhill on
the old yellow blazed trail.
If you should choose the yellow blazed trail it is considerably
shorter as it heads almost straight downhill but therefore
very steep as well. This trail is only blazed at the top
and before crossing the
Tuscarora/Massanutten Trail for the
first time, so just stay straight, it will end back at the
picnic area.
Interactive Hike Map BelowPrintable
Topo Hike Map (PDF) Hike route in Drag the map with your mouse using the icon Zoom with the controls on the left Mouse-over the icons in the map below for location shots
Calculate roughly how many calories you could burn on the Buzzard Rock hike:
=
Hiker
Reviews For The Buzzard Rock Hike (5 Most Recent)
Back on the trail with a couple of friends again today. Turned out to be a great day around Elizabeth Furnace! This hike is a good work out, and offers some fabulous views, especially without the leaf cover. Passage Creek is flowing high with the recent rains. The trail remains well marked and is in excellent condition. No obstacles. Always a good idea to pack plenty of water for this hike.
By:
Rating:
Date of Hike: Wednesday, January 10, 2007
This is a great hike or ride if you are into mountain biking. I usually bike this trail but I have hiked it too and it is nice either way due to the great overlooks on both sides of the ridge either into Fort Valley or towards Front Royal. I like it for biking because it is challanging to navigate the rocks. There are bolted routes on the rock faces towards Fort Valley (Buzzard Rocks) so if you are into sport climbing this an option. It is also a neat place to take people repelling because the view really ads to the effect. You can park down at the Buzzard parking lot by the Fish Hatchery or if you are on a bike I think it is a better ride to climb up Shawl Gap because the ridge falls towards the North I think. If you are in the area biking and stop in Half Moon Mountain Outfitters and say hi or get off the computer to go riding with you. Peace, Matt McHale
By:
Kris
Rating:
Date of Hike: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
After a slight hiatus from hiking, I was finally able to get out to do the Buzzard Rock hike. Storms had cancelled a previous attmpt a week or so ago. I must say, with al due respect, that I thought the hike desription fell a little short here. Thanks to the previous report by TomBucta, however, I was more prepared. The climb after turning onto the white Buzzard Rock trail is somewhat brief with quite the drop frm the ridge for a ways. This is a very significant factor on the return trip. I know I had not been out in a while but I thought the trek warranted a 4 on the difficulty rating a times! I would also have to agree that the trail markers are likely more correct with a length of 8 miles round trip! The rocky footing is also pretty brutal after a bit. The trip was wonderful and I was rewarded with not one, but two bear sightings. The first was about a half mile along the ridge on the Buzzard Rock trail. This beauty was a good 700lbs. It was bigger than any bear I've seen! We kind of stumbled upon each other, but I waved and shouted and he was gone. Thankfiully. The second was a few hours later getting down closer to pasage creek on the way down the orange trail. This one was only 2 -3 hundred pounds, but I was able to get a pic of him before he took off. All in all, a wonderful hike and certtainly one of the best. As always, I do love this site, but thought this trail desription needs a little work.
By:
Tom Buchta
Rating:
Date of Hike: Sunday, August 13, 2006
The easiest starting point to find for this hike is just across the Passage Ck Bridge to the Picnic Area. Park in a small parking area on the left after you turn off 678 and before the bridge. Walk across the bridge and you will find find trail signs on the left pointing downstream to the Buzzard Rock Trails. This hike gains about 1000 feet in 2 to 2 1/2 miles to the Mansanutten Ridgeline. The lower half has a good tread through an open forest. Towards the top of the ridge it gets increasingly rocky, at points with the rocks arranged (naturally or not..) as steps. Still we got to the ridge with plenty of energy and started NE to Buzzard Rock. This part of the trail is pretty rocky and hard on the feet, but provides a stroll along the narrow ridge through fragrant pine and hardwood forest. It gains about 300 feet in elevation, mostly right after the trail junction, and then loses about 400 feet to end of the trail. As you get closer to Buzzard Rock (and yes, once on the ridge we were accompanied by vultures soaring directly overhead) the ridge gets increasingly narrow and very rocky. Near BR huge slabs of sandstones are stood on end forming a wall to the NE side of the trail (We passed some climbers there on the way down). Keep going until you cant go no more for a nice view. Going back you'll be surprised to learn how much uphill there is going back to the Mansanutten Trail junction! According to the Forest Service signs this is a about an 8 1/2 mile out and back trail, and my GPS had it at about 9 miles. We were packing heavy packs getting in shape for a trip in Idaho...and it took us about 2.5 hours each way (did not take the short cut trail).
icon 
I would also have to agree that the trail markers are likely more correct with a length of 8 miles round trip! The rocky footing is also pretty brutal after a bit. The trip was wonderful and I was rewarded with not one, but two bear sightings. The first was about a half mile along the ridge on the Buzzard Rock trail. This beauty was a good 700lbs. It was bigger than any bear I've seen! We kind of stumbled upon each other, but I waved and shouted and he was gone. Thankfiully. The second was a few hours later getting down closer to pasage creek on the way down the orange trail. This one was only 2 -3 hundred pounds, but I was able to get a pic of him before he took off. All in all, a wonderful hike and certtainly one of the best. As always, I do love this site, but thought this trail desription needs a little work.
