A long hike to take in just a single day, the Little Sluice
hike is best done as an overnight hike. There is a great
campsite on the White Rocks trail, 50 yards from the lookout.
To start, hike up FR88 for 0.5 miles past
the gate where you parked and turn left uphill on the
orange blazed Bread Road Trail. Follow the trail as it gets
steeper for 1.3 miles before coming to the ridge line and
junction of the Little Sluice Mountain Trail.
Turn right on the purple blazed Little Sluice Mountain Trail
as it descends and rises along the Little
Sluice Mountain ridge for the next 2.5 miles. Be alert
to remain on the purple blazed trail, as there are several
old woods roads that intersect it.
You will arrive at a four
way intersection and the purple blazed trail you have
been following turns left becoming the blue blazed Tuscarora
Trail. You need to make a right turn onto the Tuscarora/Three
Ponds Trail which is both green and blue blazed, the greens
blazes were used for a deer study.
Ascend for 1.4 miles before
beginning your descent where the
white
blazed White Rocks Trail leads to the best vista of the hike.
Turn right and follow the white blazed White
Rocks Trail to the vista in 0.3 miles.
After returning to the Tuscarora/Three Ponds Trail, continue
for 0.5 miles where you meet the pink blazed Old Mail Trail.
Turn right
at the trail junction staying on the blue blazed trail .
The trail becomes less rocky as you follow it for another 0.3
miles before you need to turn
right as the blue
blazed trail now turns downhill.
This section of the trail winds through a pine grove before
coming to the next trail junction in 1.3 miles. Turn
right and cross a small run following the blue blazed
trail for another 0.7 miles to the junction
of FDR 1863.
Turn right and ascend on yellow blazed FDR 1863 for 1.5 miles
before the road ends at a small clearing. At the left of the
clearing, yellow blazed Cedar Creek Trail continues downward
for another 0.5 miles before meeting
the low water route.
Turn right continuing to follow yellow blazed Cedar Creek
Trail and pass a small
wildlife pond on your left in 0.8 miles. In another 0.5
miles you will emerge onto FR88. Continue down FR88 past
Bread Road Trail for another 0.6 miles back to the parking
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 Click the icons in the map below for location shots
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Hiker
Reviews For The Little Sluice Hike (5 Most Recent)
This was the most solitary hike I've ever taken. Could've been the time of year, but I did not see another person for the entire 11 1/2 miles. The trails still had snow on them on the west-facing trails, which made the going a little tougher. Also, with all of the melt water and recent rain, the Cedar Creek trail was basically a small creek itself. However, the view from White Rocks is worth the effort! Nice view of the Cedar Creek valley and through Sheffer Gap into the Shenandoah valley. There are also a few somewhat obstructed views on the Tuscarora/3 Ponds trail when you reach the ridgeline into Racer Camp Hollow (probably fully obstructed during summer). A great hike for a solitary experience. Note: During winter, if FDR 88 is closed, there is another area where you can park your car, and avoid the extra three miles to the trailhead. From Woodstock, take US 11 north to a left tun onto Saumsville Rd(VA 600). Follow VA 600 over Little North Mountain and into the Cedar Creek valley. When this road comes to a T intersection, take a left onto Van Buren Rd/VA 603 (Right continues on VA 600). VA 603 will turn into FDR 1863, and wil end at a gate near the intersection with two other forest roads. There is enough room for two, maybe three cars approximately 100 ft. down the road to the left. To start the hike, go through the gate on FDR 1863. The intersection with the Tuscarora trail is about 1/4 mile down the road. Continue straight at this point to coincide with the description on the main page.
By:
Scott L.
Rating:
Date of Hike: Sunday, August 07, 2005
A nice walk in the woods, but not much more than that. Nothing wrong with the loop, just that we spent nearly the entire trip under a canopy of trees.
Once we climbed to the ridge line the bugs went away.
Didn't see anyone else on the trail.
A little muddy on the return trip after a previous night's rainfall, but nothing that couldn't be easily handled. However, I could see how footing on the yellow-blazed trail could become very difficult if the water was running a little higher as we walked about .5 mile on slippery rocks.
After the hike, however, we went into the town of Woodstock. Great place. Small town feeling. A real main street. There is a restaurant/antique store/used-book place on the main drag. I recommend a meal there afterwards.
By:
Fred C
Rating:
Date of Hike: Sunday, July 10, 2005
Like all the Hiking Upward trails I've tried so far, the directions and maps for Little Sluice from this site were SUPERB. Print out the topo map and the text guide, and you won't go wrong.
First of all, don't be scared off by old signage near the parking area. There is a sign (dated 2003, I think?) posted just a few yards beyond the parking area saying the purple blaze trails are private property, and are closed. Perhaps they refer to sections of the trail OTHER than those outlined here, because my hike, following the directions on this site, was open and clearly marked the entire way.
Recent rains have left the trail a little boggy coming uphill on the back end. Mile 10-12 is a bit of a slog, uphill through what is essentially creekbed. Uneven walking surface, large stones, and mud make for slow going. Make sure you save some energy (and some water) to get yourself through this section.
Deer were plentiful through the green blazed deer study area of the trail, and wild game birds were popping out of meadows and low shrubs all along the route.
There is only one place along the trail where you emerge from under the forest canopy onto a vista, but the views are terrific. The campsites near the vista were clean, with carefully built fire-pits.
Bugs aren't too bad just yet, and the heat isn't bad either, since you're not in direct sun for any length of time -- lots of canopy!
There were some flowing streams that look like possible water sources, although with all the local wildlife, I'd be wary of drinking the water untreated. Carry what you need.
It was a beautiful mid-summer Sunday, but there was not a single soul on the mountain with me. No other vehicles in the parking lot morning or afternoon, and no one on the trail. A wonderfully solitary experience along the Va-West Va border.
Thanks Hiking Upward, this is another gem!
Fred C., 7/10/05
By:
Tom B.
Rating:
Date of Hike: Sunday, March 20, 2005
It was great. The view from White Rock Cliffs is amazing because you can see four Shenandoah mountain ridges to the east. When we arrived at White Rock Cliffs, the camping site near cliffs was occupied, so we camped at the intersection of the Tuscarora and the White Rock trail. We're a Boy Scout troop, so we had 10 boys and 3 adults on the trip and found just enough room to pitch our 7 tents. We used the trail as our cooking and dining area. It was a lot of fun. We were careful to leave the site the way we found it. The water from the spring .3 miles to the east of campsite tasted mighty fine.
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