Torry Ridge - BRP Virginia


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Length Difficulty Streams Views Solitude Camping
9.1 mls
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5.5 hours plus a 1/2 hour for lunch
1,700 ft
George Washington National Forest
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e.g.. 12000 Government Center Parkway 22035 or Fairfax VA
Park at the White Rock Gap parking area

The Torry Ridge hike, just south of Waynesboro VA, passes through one of the premier campgrounds in the GWNF, Sherando Lake. With both camper and tent camping as well as a fantastic lake with a man made beach, this hike plus other trails in the area such as St Mary's Wilderness, this makes for a great weekend getaway spot.

This circuit has three possible start points. Sherando Lake, The Slacks Overlook, or how we have it mapped here, from White Rock Gap. Cross the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) and start south down the yellow blazed White Rock Falls trail. In 1.2 miles cross White Rock Creek then start the steepest section of the hike as the trail makes several switchbacks. In 0.2 miles after crossing the creek, look for a faint unmarked trail that leads down to a 30ft waterfall.

Continue up the yellow blazed trail and 0.3 miles from the waterfall are two vistas of the White Rock Creek gorge. From this point the trail will become less steep and arrive at the BRP in another 0.4 miles. Cross the BRP and follow the unmarked connector trail behind the picnic table for 100 yards to the intersection of the Slacks trail.

Turn left on the blue blazed Slacks trail and follow it 0.9 miles to the intersection of the Torry Ridge trail. Turn right on the yellow blazed Torry Ridge trail and follow it 2.0 miles to the intersection off the blue blazed trail that leads down to Sherando lake. the Torry Ridge Trail has several nice views of Bald Mountain and Kelly Mountain.

Turn right down the blue blazed trail and arrive at the Sherando Lake overlook in 0.2 miles. Continue down the trail for another 0.1 miles to the Dam trail intersection. Stay left on the Dam trail for 0.3 miles where it ends at the orange blazed Lake trail and Sherando Lake. Turn right following the orange blazed trail around the lake to where the orange trail ends at the picnic area.

For the next 0.9 miles follow the campground roads to the south end of the recreation area and upper dam. Climb to the crest of the dam, then turn right and follow it all the way to the right side. Do Not go down the steps on the water side of the dam.

At the end of the dam turn left on the orange blazed White Rock Gap trail and in 1.8 miles pass the one good campsite on the circuit. From the campsite it is another 0.3 miles to the intersection of the blue blazed Slacks Trail.

Stay straight on the orange blazed trail for the remaining 0.4 miles back to the BRP, and White Rock Gap parking area.

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Hiker Reviews For The Torry Ridge Hike (5 Most Recent)
Review the Torry Ridge hike here!   Average Review Rating:

By: Rating: Date of Hike: Saturday, September 05, 2009
This was a great hike on an early fall day. We followed the loop just as the HU site suggested. The creek along the White Rock Falls Trail was very low. It would have been nice to see the falls during higher flow. The first 2.5 miles of the hike is definitely the most difficult as you drop down to the falls then work your way back up to the BRP at the Slacks Overlook. Once you attain the ridge the hike gets much easier. A steep decent gets you down to Sherando lake for a place to cool off mid hike. The White Rock Falls Trail past upper Sherando Lake is a gentle incline back up to the White Rock Gap parking area. The White Rock Gap parking area was unsigned when we were there. It looked as though there had been some work done on it recently. We did not see any timber rattlers. We did see a couple of hunters practicing with their dogs, "treeing" bears. We stopped to chat with one young man who said that one of his dogs had a bear in a tree just a few hundred yards off of the west side of the Torry Ridge Trail. He was wearing jeans with thick canvas "chaps" over them to protect from rattlesnake strikes as he followed his dogs through the brush. We also had the added joy of hunting down one of the famed HU hiking sticks, which we were able to find. A great day on the trail with a visit to the DB Brewing Co. on the way home.

Late August
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