Gerhart Shelter Hike

Gerhart Shelter - Wardensville, West Virginia


	Printable Topo Trail Map
	Click for location shots
	lick for location shots
	Click for Parking/Start location
	Hike trail
	Other trail

Length	Difficulty	Streams	Views	Solitude	Camping
10.6 mls
Hiking Time: Elev. Gain: Links: Resources:	5.5 hours plus a half hour for lunch 1,890 ft George Washington National Forest Printable Topo Hike Map (PDF) Wardensville Weather Forecast Graphic Precip/Temp Forecast Current Weather Radar Loop (Java) Garmin (GDB), GPS eXchange (GPX) (What's this?) 3D View of Route!
From:	e.g. 12000 Government Center Parkway 22035 or Fairfax VA Park on the left after crossing Waites Run

There are some nice views on both sides of Great North Mountain from the ridge just before arriving at Gerhard Shelter. The views of the valley from Vance's Cove can be wonderful on a clear day as well, but the main attraction is the solitude. We have never seen other hikers on this route.

Begin by turning left uphill on the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail passing a closed gate. At this point the trail is a closed forestry road (FS) that slowly climbs the side of the mountain for 0.8 miles before the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail makes a sharp right, and the FS road continues straight. Turn right on the blue blazed trail. If you start going downward on the FS road you missed the right turn.

The blue blazed trail climbs the side of Great North Mountain steeply and makes several switchbacks before reaching the ridge line in another 3.0 miles. Follow the ridge for 1.0 miles and arrive at Gerhard Shelter. The shelter is generally used by through hikers.

Turn right downhill on the white blazed Gerhart Shelter Trail that very steeply descends Great North Mountain. The footing is precarious with loose stone for the majority of the descent. In 0.5 miles pass a side trail on the left that takes you to a spring, and in another 0.2 miles emerge onto a FS road.

Turn right on the unblazed forestry road. The forestry road is normally closed to motorized traffic, unless your hiking during hunting season (bad idea!). At the end of the FS road in 0.8 miles, just past a burn, the unmarked Vance's Cove connector trail will bear right. Follow the trail for 0.5 miles where it merges with the yellow blazed Vance's Cove Trail.

Stay right on the now yellow blazed trail for another 0.2 miles where the Vance's Cove Trail ends and a sign marking the border of WV and VA. Turn right on the yellow blazed Wilson Cove Trail and FS road as it winds through the valley for 2.0 miles and passes a closed gate and small parking area. Continue down to Waites Run FS Road passing a private driveway on your left at the bottom of the hill. Continue to your right on Waites Run FS Road road for another 0.8 miles back to the parking area.

Interactive Hike Map Below Printable 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 Gerhart Shelter hike:

Your Weight: lbs = Calories burned | What is your daily caloric requirement? Find Out Here

Hiker Reviews For The Gerhart Shelter Hike (5 Most Recent)

Review the Gerhart Shelter hike here! Average Review Rating:

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, December 21, 2008
I was dumb.� On a cold, drizzly December Saturday before Christmas, after a week of rain and wintry mix, I got a late start and left my rain and head gear at home -- what was I thinking?� The trail head was a little tricky to find, but once I found it and parked, I wondered how I could have missed it.� The ascent up to ridge was as described, and a very good workout.� Lots of rock covered with wet leaves -- hmmmm.� The trail is generally very well marked and easy to follow, but the leaf covering made some of the switchbacks hard to�discern in a number of places.� At the ridge, the trail flattens out somewhat to a much more gradual ascent and is an�outstanding walk.� But it was getting late, had started to drizzle, and fog was settling in as the ridge walk started to climb more severely.� I never made it to the Shelter and decided to turn back -- I was probably within a half mile.� But with the temperature dropping, the hour getting later�and the fog severely limiting visibility, I chickened out and retraced my steps back down to the forest service road and the warmth of my car's heater.� Lesson learned.� I will go back and start�earlier on a better day - the trail was worth it.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, August 13, 2005
I did this loop this past weekend as a sleepover hike using the PATC circuit hikes book as a guide. I took my girlfriend (who has never camped out before) and we had a great time. I hadn't gone on a hike in a few years and was looking for something that would be heavy on the solitude and not too challenging. The only other people we saw on our trek were two mountain bikers who came up behind us on FDR371 the second day. The hike itself was great, save for the heat and the masses of bugs (cant say ive ever seen a horsefly the size of a city cockrach before this :D ) Probably better to do it in the cooler months for sure. The peak offerred spectacular views, but the trail surrounding it seemed to be at risk of becoming overgrown. Lots of fallen trees to hop over as well. The spring mentioned in the PATC guidebook was completely stagnant; we had to wait till PaddyRun to refill our water supply (we camped out at the site right there). Lots of butterflies, some brilliantly colored fungi, bear doo, and a big ol' box turtle added to our experience. All in all a good time; I look forward to exploring more of the GWNF in the near future. :-)

Early June