|
| By:
|
Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Thursday, July 01, 2010 |
| Fridley Gap Tr trailhead from Cub Run Road west toward Massanutten South Tr, one mile: found it! Drive 1.7 miles north from the "Welcome to GW National Forest" sign in Runkles Gap. On the left there is a prominent dirt road slanting downhill into a clearing. (There's a yellow barrier so vehicles can't enter the clearing itself.) Parking for 1-3 cars. Don't hike into the clearing, hoping to find the trail on the other side (I did that once -- doesn't go anywhere). Instead, the trailhead is exactly where the dirt road intersects Cub Run Road, on the north side of that jct. There IS a blaze, but it's set back and not easy to see unless you're looking at just the right spot. This part of the trail passes through what's now a burned area with blackened tree trunks. The lack of tree cover has allowed the underbrush to grow luxuriantly and it's quite a dramatic sight, especially at the top of the ridge. (Rocky climb steep in spots same destination via Martin Bottom Tr is easier but less interesting).
|
|
| By:
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Friday, June 11, 2010 |
| mid-June 2010: The trailhead from Cub Run Road (road 65) is still very difficult to find, owing partially to a recent (probably intentional) large burn in the area. I will be back late June and return to Cub Run Road via Fridley Gap Trail and improve the trailhead markings if I can (not blazes - that's PATC's territory). Either come in from another direction, or, from Cub Run Road, park at Martin Bottom Tr (jct is well marked & has several good parking spots) and hike in from there, or park at the south end of Cub Run Road (at Runkles Gap) and take the Massanutten South Tr up to the Fridley Gap Tr. (Parking is dicey on Cub Run Road at Runkles Gap - easier for 4WD). Tip: Just E of Runkles Gap there's an old logging road leading off Cub Run Road and going north (dead end). There are a few spots where it's easy to park and only about 1/4 mi from the Massanutten South trailhead. * * * * Love Massanutten and have hiked it for more than 25 years - any Q's, just email (have you tried the new (2009) pink trail near the Mass. Visitors Center?
|
|
| By:
|
Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Friday, October 09, 2009 |
| First complaint-impossible to find the beginning of the trail, we spent 3 hours driving up and down the road until finally we gave up and just went on the "boulder gap" trail right there at the beginning of the road which ended up working out just fine but adding a steep 2 miles onto our journey (cool little shelter along the way though made it fun). Don't underestimate this guy, it says it's tough for a reason, lots of uphill with medium-small ankle twisting rocks for the majority of the hike (I'm 28 and in great shape and can go forever). You are hiking up and down massanuten ski resort. Not as bad (but still pretty exhausting) if you don't have heavy packs on the trail with you (we stowed ours after the first chunk of the hike at the campsite with the four way intersection with the first cool little campsite). Views were blocked a lot by the gorgeous fall leaves, but you got a couple of awesome ones (one you have to go like 20 feet up a side trail to see-at one of the two peak makeshift camping sites, look for lots of big rocks and climb on top of them-its pretty obvious). The swimming hole was a great reward for a lot of hard hiking and yes it was very cold, but so refreshing and I'm kind of a wimp with cold water, highlight I will always remember. Great trip!
|
|
| By:
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, August 24, 2009 |
We had some trouble finding the tailhead. We looked up to the right first instead of staying straight on 636 passed the gate the trail starts on the left. The rest of the directions were great.
We hiked in late on a Thursday around 2:30, camped, then hiked out Friday Am (done by 1030).
(5) difficulty - it would be nice if the swimming hole was moved to the top of that steep .8 mile uphill.
(3)streams- nice streams,no special cascade,fairly nice swimming hole
(4)views- only if you don't miss the vista on 4th mountain Adam discribed
(5)solitude -we saw 1 other couple day hiking (4)camping-there are a couple of 1 tent sites that are nice (at the crossroad,at the fridley run crossing,at the swimming hole), but the best was again from Adam's suggestion on 4th mountain at the start of the descent on the left is a great site next to the vista rocks (no water there)
|
|
| By:
Juston Manville
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, June 21, 2009 |
| Very challenging hike. I am more sore today than the day after hiking the Grand Canyon ( 10-12 miles each hike). We did the hike "backwards" and had a hard time finding the orange blaze after the swimming hole. A false trail and lack of clear marking were the cause. A post on this forum describes this. The swimming hole was great nice cold water. Watch for ticks!!! We pulled a bunch off of our dogs and several off of each of us.
|
|
| By:
Justin Abel
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, June 21, 2009 |
| Yes, I agree about the poorly marked trail, I started out at the fridley gap parking area, the Massenutten South trail is poorly marked where it crosses the stream just past the Massenutten South Trail and Fridely Gap Trail intersection traveling south. I ended up following the bogus trail until it ended, looked at the map, and decided to just bushwack up along the fridley run until it crossed the trail again further south. I probably enjoyed this more that if I had followed the trail, the stream was very beautiful and obviously secluded. If you find youself lost on this part of the trail, just follow the stream, but beware of thorn bushes!
|
|
| By:
Jessica
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, September 01, 2008 |
| We did this hike yesterday -- it was a great hike and delivered the seclusion it promises. In fact, we didn't see one person and that seemed pretty remarkable considering that it was Labor Day. We set up camp the night before at a camp site about 50 yards up the trail on the right. This let us get an early start the next day and meant that we didn't have to lug our packs with us! It took us about 5 hours to complete with a 30 minute stop at the swimming hole (although we were walking pretty fast). As for other campsites, there is a great spot at the four way crossing and another one a Fridley Gap. Maybe one or two others along the way, but not too many options. All in all, a great hike with loads of scenic stream crossings and not to mention a great workout. That .8 mile ascent after Fridley Gap was a killer!
|
|
| By:
Brandon Spurlock
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 29, 2008 |
Just got back from this overnight trip. My buddy and I chose it because it was only 20 miles away from Harrisonburg and seemed to have plenty of water; and it did! There were several easy stream crossings within the first 15 minutes of the trail.
We really enjoyed the continual change in scenery. There were areas with bare trees, then pine trees, and then grassy footpaths. Much of the hike is along mountain streams. We had planned on spending the night at Fridley Gap, where 2 streams converged. We collected water here, but continued on to the toughest part of the hike; the .8 miles up 3rd mountain. It whooped us!
The map we had showed a stream crossing on Martin Bottom Trail, so we thought we would try to set-up camp there. Unfortunately, the Martin Bottom Trail was more of a fire road with pretty ugly brush surrounding the trail for .5 mile from the Martin/Fridley intersection. We decided to continue back to the 4-way intersection that we passed earlier in the trip, and there was an excellent camping spot there. A pre-existing fire ring with several logs to serve as seats. It was wide open and the sky was beautiful here at the intersection, and left us with just 2 miles out the next morning.
There weren't as many rewarding views as we had hoped, but if you keep your eyes open along the trails, you can catch a few glimpses of the valley. This was a very enjoyable close-to-home trip!
|
|
| By:
|
Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Sunday, June 10, 2007 |
| This was a great hike. We combined this one with the Morgan Run hike for a 17 mile overnight loop (it would've been 15 miles, but a wrong turn took us into Boone's Run). The trail network is pretty dense at times, so it definitely pays to be attentive. Plentiful water sources all around for a good, strenuous hike. I disagree with the 2 rating on views, however - I think the view from the top of Fourth Mountain rivals the view from Bull Run Conservancy which recieved a 4. To find the vista, summit Fourth Mountain and look for the campsite on your left. A sidetrail leads from the campsite (and from the main trail, a few steps after the campsite) to a white rock outcropping which has a commanding view the entire valley. It's easy to walk past it but it's not to be missed!
|
|
| By:
Kris
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 26, 2007 |
This hike certainly lives up to it's ratings! This was one of the most strenuous hikes I've done to date. The main huffing and puffing comes when climbing back up Third Mountain after leaving Fridley Gap. Water sources are plentiful until after Fridley Gap. Be sure to replenish and filter water here if you are getting low. The ascents up Third and Fourth Mountain on the first leg before Fridley are cause for some sweat as well. The Boone's Run and Fridley Runs are beautiful and offer cooling down when you need it. Massanutten South trail is somewhat overgrown in spots and could use some new blazes. There is a huge blow down across the trail just above the intersection to the Boone's Run Shelter trail. This is massive and needs some negotiating. The trail is rocky in places and one needs to mind their ankles. The swimming hole at Fridley Gap is an oasis after the first few hours or so of assaulting the mountains. Take advantage of this beautiful spot to eat and relax. The swimming hole is about 5 or 6 feet deep (as of this writing) and great to sit by and unwind. You'll need the break for what awaits you heading up Third Mountain. The lack of switchbacks is cruel. You will climb about a thousand feet in less than a mile!
There are certainly some nice vistas to be had on this hike, though not until the leaf cover is gone. The rating at that time would be more of a 3 to 4. This is a great workout, and some beautiful sights can be had. Mountain Laurel and Honeysuckle were in bloom today and smelled wonderful. There were an array of other wildflowers as well. Bring a few liters of water with you if you do not have a filter. I filtered water to my hearts content and stayed well hydrated. The solitude was fabulous!! met one hiker coming in the opposite direction, and we shared a nice 20 minute break to "talk trail". I got behind a couple of horseback riders towards the last 1/2 mile or so. Not pleasant. Leave via Cub Run Rd. for a stop at Catherine Furnace. Wonderful history. I completed this hike in about 7 hours with some nice breaks and trying to locate the lung I coughed up on the second assault of Third Mountain.
|
|
| By:
Chris & Megan
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Friday, May 11, 2007 |
| This is a great, strenuous hike. We hiked this trail together with Morgan Run and turned it into a nice overnight backpacking trip. We only saw a handful of people the entire weekend. The area near the Fridley Gap swimming hole has two comfortable campsites. The swimming hole itself is about 5-6 feet deep and crystal clear all the way to the bottom. Boone's Shelter is also a great place for small groups. The shelter is three-sided and includes 4 wood sleeping bunks. We did notice, however, that the distance from Boone's shelter to the clearing (the intersection of the Fridley Gap Trail, 419, and Massanutten Mountain South, 416) is 2 miles according to the wooden trail marker. Enjoy!
|
|
| By:
TRL RUNR
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, June 12, 2006 |
I routinely do this trail route as a morning trail run before work. I love it because it's got a little bit of everything in a relatively short hike (I often begin at the trailhead on Aries Rd. on the west side of the Massanutten range, which cuts off 2-3 miles of distance). Tough climbs, lots of rocks, some nice views, pleasant streams, and lots of wildlife. In the early morning, I almost always see a handful of deer, occasional ruffed grouse, and even a yearling bear a few weeks back. Fridley Run is beautiful place to stop and soak your feet or take a dip. I don't think I've ever seen anyone more than a mile from the trailhead, so solitude is also a feature. Now for the negatives--certain sections seem to get overgrown. This normally only bothers me in the hot weather. Also, the bugs (gnats) can get real bad in mid summer to early fall--a big advantage of running vs. hiking, by the way, is that the bugs can't keep up! I love this route & am glad to have access to a nice trail like this so close to home.
From Harrisonburg
|
|
| By:
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, February 19, 2006 |
This is a very nice, quiet hike with a couple of pretty good views and a lot of solitude. It is one of my favorites. I just want to let people know that the trails listed here have have been cleared out since the reiviews included below. The trails could use some blaze work, but with a map, you shouldn't have a hard time following the trails.
I started overseeing trails in this area for PATC last fall. Please send me an email if you encounter trails in this area that need some work.
Thanks.
|
|
| By:
blueingenue
|
Rating: |
Date of Hike: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 |
I think this was the quietest area I've ever hiked. There wasn't a hint of road noise. I didn't see anyone on the whole trail, though there were a few people along the access road (Cub Run Road) that were there for fishing or the nearby swimming holes. The Massanutten South Trail starts in a gap in First Mountain, along a stream called Boone Run, which climbed through a gap in Second Mountain. Water ran along the trail here, but nothing too deep or muddy.
The trail was flanked with rock formations as it passed through the gap. This was the most scenic part of the hike. After turning north away from Boone Run, the trail continued to climb along a somewhat muddy, rocky trickle in the valley between Second and Third Mountains. This wasn't a steep climb, but it was long, and the moisture on the trail meant a lot of gnats. Even though I had started the hike at 3:30 p.m., after the worst heat of the day, this was really sweaty going. I was using my map as a fan to keep the sweat and gnats off me, though the bug repellent did most of the work there.
Taking the left fork of an interesection to continue on Massanutten South Trail, I climbed to a crest on Third Mountain, turned southwest for an easy descent on its west side for about a mile (the views advertised along this stretch are mostly blocked by trees), then took a zig-zag path ascending to the ridge of Fourth Mountain. That climb was moderate and there is a good-sized rockslide off to the left of the trail.
You don't stay on the ridge of Fourth Moutain (with more obscured vistas) long. The trail descends to where the streams Fridley Run and Mountain Run meet. After crossing the stream and walking a very short distance, I came to the intersection with Fridley Gap Trail. Watch carefully for this turn because it's almost a 180, but the correct trail is easy to identify because it goes uphill in a hurry.
The forest on Third and Fourth Mountains is very rich, and the most interesting thing about the previous stretch is the variety of colorful mushrooms. I also saw my first Indian Pipe plant, a white waxy flower that grows parasitically on fungus.
The Fridley Gap Trail portion started out as a brutal steep path to its highest point on Third Mountain. This was the hardest going on the trail.
CAUTION: The path down Third Mountain is hard to follow. I was starting to lose daylight and a deadfall trunk surrounded by a collection of smallwood and debris almost tricked me off the trail, especially because here there was also a false trail leading downhill. You will have to climb over the log and the smallwood to continue on the trail. I left some triangular-shaped rocks on top of the log - hopefully the next people through will get the message. I wish I had brought a paint pen. I think this portion of trail hasn't been maintained for quite a while, becuase after that first tree there were at least two more trees across the path that made the trail hard to keep, along with several more downed trees that were less deceptive. Blazing was sparse and faded, as well.
When I came back to the intersection with Massanutten South Trail, my book called for me to go straight through the intersection, back down the same path I had taken up. It was close to 9 p.m. by now and there was no way I was going to go down that in the dark (muddy + rocky + dark = bad). Instead, I turned left to continue on Fridley Gap Trail, which was the shortest route back to FR 65 Cub Run Road--a gravel road.
It was a good call, not only for safety (and lack of gnats!), but because I got a very nice view through a break in the trees. The view overlooked Shenandoah Valley as the moon rose. My Last Obstacle was a wide oval puddle almost completely blocking the end of trail, within sight of the road. After skirting that, the gravel road made an easy last couple of miles back to my car.
Total hike time was 6.5 hours with a few short snack breaks and several stops to take pictures. I wouldn't do this hike again in summer heat and humidity, but it would be nicer in drier, cooler weather.
|
|
| By:
DFlaherty
|
Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Saturday, June 11, 2005 |
| I don't want to be extra critical beacuse of the extreme heat and bugs last Saturday but this hike was not fun. It starts out fine heading up the first 1.8 miles on the orange blazed Masanutten Trail South crisscrossing over Boone Run.
If it was 20 degrees cooler it would have been fine but I was determined to do the hike in the heat and humdity and really paid for it. In addition, like an idiot I forgot to bring bug repellant so I was getting attacked pretty good by a swarm of nats.
Anyway I got to the clearing and 4-way trail head of Masanutten Trail South and the Fridley Gap Trail and could not find the orange blazed trail to my left. It was very hot and there were a lot of trees down so I decided to just do the hike backwards and headed straight ahead onto the purple blazed Fridley Gap Trail. This trial is a fire road until you get make a left and head up and over third mountain.
The trail had at least 7 or 8 large trees down blocking the path. It was also very wooded and tight. I thought to myself that it was almost to desolate. Anyway up and over third mountain I went with a steep decent to Fridley Run and the pool. At this point I soaked in from the heat and ate. I was also still getting pummeled by the bugs. So after a quick lunch I went off to look for the orange blazed Masanutten Trail South.
I followed along Fridley Run for a half hour and was not able to pick up the orange blazed trail. At this point I had been hiking for 2 1/2 hours and decided I had to go back the way I came. I just felt that the markings of the trail were very old, not obvious. It seemed as if no one had hiked or serviced this trail in years and I was worried I was going to get lost.
So back up Fridley Gap Trail I went and was just exhausted. The heat was absolutley brutal and I thought my head was going to explode. Beware of this stretch of trail becuase it is really tough. Luckily I had taken a ton of water. In the end I was able to get back to my in 2 hours.
So to summarize this adventure I want to warn all hikers that this hike is poorly marked down in the Fridley Run area and that the trail itself is in desperate need of servicing such as moving large trees and fresh trail markings on the trees. It is definately a desolate hike considering I didn't run into anyone at all. But at the same time I didn't expect many people to go hiking in that heat anyway.
-DF
|
|
|
