 Review the Laurel Run hike here! Average Rating:
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Hokie Hiker
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Date of Hike: Sunday, September 18, 2011 |
The ATC and Forestry Service are currently working on the trail, clearing debris and making it better- so when we hiked the trail the hill going up was a little rough here and there as it was sometimes soft where the trucks and equipment (bobcats etc) had been working. After the first hill, there are plenty of spots once to catch a view and spend some time staring out into the valley and looking at the rolling mountains.
The one thing I will mention- I did not find Wil's Point overlook- if it is a formal one there is no sign for it- but do not worry about it- there are plenty of great views out there!
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| By:
Jason
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Date of Hike: Saturday, November 20, 2010 |
Decent hike, but there are better in the area. First 2 miles were pretty strenuous, definitely a good work out. Views along the ridge are nice. The descent can be dangerous, as it was covered with leaves. Took us 4 hours with a 30 minute lunch (gate was open).
Hike was a little crowded due to a boyscout retreat, but other than that there were only a few other hikers.
All in all, I'd recommend, but only after you've tried some of the other hikes in the area first.
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Date of Hike: Saturday, September 18, 2010 |
First gate was open that saved 1 mile. First 2 miles is steadily up very rocky trail. Lack of views on Stack Rock trail (could not find). We are 60 and it took us 5 hours including lunch.
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| By:
KML
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Date of Hike: Saturday, July 03, 2010 |
What we liked: The views, the clear directions provided by HikingUpward for following the trail, and the workout. My wife, her dog (toy/miniature poodle), and I had a great time, saw a deer, heard a turkey, and startled a hawk. The views were very nice. The walk along the top ridge is particularly pleasant. Each woodland walk between knolls seems a little unique. In one the floor is shrouded in ferns, another has wildflowers and blackberries. The ridgetop hike was quite enjoyable. Another favorite thing: The only other people we saw once turning off Wolf Gap road were a group in an SUV driving by where (gravel) state road 691 intersects with the trail.
What we didn't: The directions for getting there provided by Google were not perfect, at least, not with me at the helm. There are several miles of gravel road to get to the "parking area" at the first gate (it was locked). There is no parking area. There is a road, a private drive with a gate, a rocked off private drive, and lots of "No Trespassing" signs. We parked in the rocked off driveway, assuming everything would be fine. It was. If multiple cars needed to park, the side of the road would constitute the "parking area".
Other things: Because we had to park at the first gate, this was an eight mile hike. The first 1.1 miles is along a very well maintained gravel road. As other commenters have noted, I am not sure why the gate was locked, but the 1.1 miles is almost flat and certainly easy. The hike up to the ridge is a good workout. It is not too onerous, but did take us nearly three hours to cover the 3.5 miles. We stopped for photos, snacks, and water (for the dog) along the way, so it could certainly be done more quickly. The hike down from the ridge is quite steep. It is steep enough that it is hard not to jog. Even in July, dead leaves cover loose rocks, so be careful going down. A twisted ankle is a real possibility if you aren't careful.
Last thing: I would not have recommended it for kids. I see other hikers have taken kids as young as 8. I would only do that if you are fairly experienced and you know your child is up to a pretty tough workout. The 8 mile round trip took us about 6 hours, with a stop for lunch, and most of that time is spent on a rigorous ascent or steep descent.
I do recommend the hike, but if, like me, you are somewhat new to hiking this area, don't expect a clearly marked "parking area". And be aware that the trail head is down several gravel roads, not all of which (FR 252, for instance) are clearly marked.
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| By:
Gators
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Date of Hike: Saturday, May 29, 2010 |
Laurel Run is a very nice hike, made better by the lack of foot traffic and excellent views. The gate was open allowing us to park at the trail head, though this may have been unique for the Memorial Day weekend. Other than some campers at sites off of Farm Road 252 coming towards the trail head, we saw one car at the start of the route and no one on the mountain. The trail is very clearly marked, though you need to be on the look out for the scenic overlooks. It is fairly obvious where they are going to be, and the better of the overlooks is marked with a clear trail on your left of about 20 yards to a nice rocky promontory. We completed the 6.5 miles or so at a leisurely pace of about 3 hours.
My guess is this would be fine for children. The initial mile or so on the yellow hash portion of the route is a bit rigorous, but once you make the left onto the orange-hashed part of the trail, the walk if quite scenic and takes you through a range of nice, unique sections of forest.
With some more hikes under our belt for comparison, we might bump this up to a four star rating.
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