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| By:
Larry
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Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Monday, September 06, 2010 |
Although the parking lot was fairly full, we encountered very few people on the entire circuit. We really enjoyed the whole hike, but I would emphasize that good boots (and hiking poles are helpful, too) are important for the first leg of the hike due to the rocks. We stopped for lunch by the radio tower and didn't realize that the Signal Nob overlook was just a few hundred yards further along. It would have been a much better place to chill out after the long uphill climb. It was very distressing to see the trash at several of the camp sites along the way.
By the way, my GPS for the distance was 9.75 miles for the entire circuit.
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| By:
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Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Saturday, July 24, 2010 |
| I will summarize what my girlfriend and I hiked, followed by my review of the hike. We were going to hike in with out internal frame packs and camp at one of the sites on the map after the second outlook. We made it a little less than a mile down the trail before we threw in the towel and turned around, realizing we were not going to make the campsites. We are in above average shape, however our packs were fairly heavy, and the incline along with the narrowness of the trail make it hard to manage. My point is that if you are planning on hiking into the campsites with gear for an overnight trip, you had better be in good shape, be prepared to take multiple breaks, and pack as light as possible.
What we ended up doing was going to the group campsite about 5 miles down Fort Valley Rd. which is actually a good campsite. As much seclusion as someone would get at a big campsite (30+ sites), and it is right along Passage Creek. It is $10 to camp which is a little much, but they do provide firewood and two full time volunteer rangers at all times. Next time, we will be getting to our campsite early in the morning and doing this hike without packs, which is still going to be fairly strenuous, but doable.
We did get to see a large black bear up close and personal, which was really cool. Taking a break, sitting on our packs, we heard a large rustling about 100 yards down the mountain, as if someone was clearing a bunch of leaves to make a campsite. That stopped, and I went to walk a half mile or so down the trail without my pack to see if there were any flat sections of land to make a camp. I saw a black bear about 35 yards down the trail, slowly meandering along it. The bear looked back at me, gave a huff and started slowly up the mountain. We kept an eye on it until it got out of sight, and unfortunately I didnt get to snap a good pic through the trees. It was by far the coolest wildlife encounter I have had in the woods.
HU Note: Here are a couple of good articles for those new to Backpacking:
http://www.wta.org/hiking-info/basics/backpacking-101
http://www.backpacker.com/backpacking101
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, June 26, 2010 |
| http://www.meetup.com/CharityHikers/calendar/13839510/? Our intent was sunset @ the Knob which is why 14 of us began our hike @ 4:30pm. It's a nice challenge to the top, particularly when hot. A couple checked out Meneka Peak too. While the Knob is a delightful rest stop and beautiful view we all decided it was the wrong direction to wait for sunset. Heading back watch out for the left turn off the service road onto Tuscaro. Several went past it. Once on Tuscaro there is another climb AND then the sunset. Check out our pictures. Really cool one thru the trees. We had headlamps on most of the way down and made sure to regroup several times, the last time, we all hiked together so we wouldn't get lost. Even that late, I drank nearly 70 ounces of water. We'll be back.
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| By:
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Rating:  |
Date of Hike: Saturday, June 05, 2010 |
| I've hiked this trail innumerable times and used to go faithfully every weekend from Central PA or Philly as my schedule permitted. Now that I live in Illinois whenever I'm back east I make sure I do the run up to Signal Knob overlook and back. One of the highlights of the hike is the possibility of seeing the many black bears who inhabit Massanutten and if the person or group is sufficiently quiet, this will certainly add to the excitement of the experience. My most recent trek was no exception. It was my first time up the mountain since having cancer surgery in March but I was able to do the entire in 3 hours, somewhat slower than 10 years ago when I first began frequenting the mountain. Make sure you hydrate properly, remember that the abundant timber rattlers will be out sunning whenever it's above 80 degrees, and be sure to take plenty of pictures.
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| By:
John V.
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, May 02, 2010 |
| A good hike. Our Boy Scout group camped at the Elizabeth Furnace group site Saturday night and hiked the Signal Knob loop on Sunday with 25 - 30 lbs packs as preparation for our trip to Philmont this summer. The camp site is fine, though currently no water is available there. As noted, the first part of the hike contains some very rocky stretches and good boots are necessary. The day was warm, humid, and buggy. The recommendation to carry at least 1 quart of water is low. Our total time from start to finish was 5 hours and 45 minutes which included a couple of 20 minute breaks. Saw several mountain bikers, a couple of small groups, and one large group (20+) having lunch on the ridge, but no wildlife. Did see a Lady's Slipper blooming right in the trail.
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| By:
Mike A
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 01, 2010 |
Did an overnight backpack last weekend. The trail head for this hike and easy to get to from DC, and the trail itself very well marked. There are some nice overlooks and a nice variation in hiking environment. The trail itself was very rocky, and there was not a lot of level trail--mostly either uphill or downhill. While it would probably be an easy hike, but with a backpack, it can get a little tiring. It was fairly buggy--not a lot of biting insects, but a lot of knats and inchworms (with the invisible threads hanging from trees) made it somewhat annoying. We passed a few groups of people--some hikers, a few other backpackers, and some mountain bikers, but it wasn't 'crowded'. On a hot day, bring extra water, as there are sections where there isn't a lot of tree cover.
We walked by at least 8 or 9 campsites--most small, single tent sites, but some that could accomodate small groups. Unfortunately not everyone abides by pack in/pack out, as there were discarded water bottles along the trail and in camp, and a burned Nintendo DS in our fire ring.
We did come across some interesting wildlife, seeing a lot of eastern fence lizards, a large rat snake, a coiled and noisy timber rattler, and a sharp shinned hawk, as well as wild irises and an orchid.
Overall, a good hike, and nice to be out in the woods, but nothing too distinctivea bout it and not one of my favorites.
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| By:
Molly
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, April 11, 2010 |
This is truely a lovely hike, and not too difficult, despite the distance. The signal tower near the Signal Knob overlook is quite an eyesore, but not enough to ruin the whole day. The trail is very rocky and rugged, so be sure to have good, supportive shoes for this one.
The total hike took us about 6 hours, including our lunch break. I could probably solo this one in about 4, but the rugrat slowed us down.
All in all, a really lovely area to spend the day!
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 |
| I hiked the Signal Knob hike yesterday with my dog. Unfortunately the pictures provided for this hike. particularly at the Signal Knob overlook don't do it justice. When you arrive at the Signal Knob tower, make sure that you continue to the overlook. The view, which is about 270 degrees this time of year is spectacular, particularly of Strasburg and the surrounding countryside, but you can also see a little of Winchester, the regional airport, and the mountains to the west. There are three other things I would say about this hike and the are 1) there are no real severe grades on this hike, just a long slow gradual incline, so it is a good hike for someone that is not all that fit but wants something that is just hard enough to get your breath going and your heart rate up and 2) that its VERY rocky in spots, and ecspecially after the recent rains many of the larger rocks that appear secure are not. This is not a hike for someone with knee trouble. 3) When the weather warms it might be a good idea to camp out on the mountain. There are several camping areas along the trail, and I counted 2 or 3 at Signal Knob itself. All and all it's a good hike
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, July 11, 2009 |
| It was relatively humid/hot the first part of the day, so the initial climb up to Buzzards Rock was pretty sweaty. Views were great, though. The big rock slides were cool, too. Once up to the ridge, the various camping sites looked great. We went all the way out to Signal Knob where we had lunch. Then followed the orange blazes down the fire road, which was pretty boring. If I could do that part again, I'd double back on orange toward the white trail and go over Meneka Peak to blue. The ascent on the blue trail away from the orange fire road and back up to the ridge was pretty fun, though. Once over the ridge and heading back down blue, we ran into Bear Wallow's namesake - a pretty large black bear! This was by far the coolest part of the day. He was about 50 yds downtrail from us when we came around a small knoll. Fortunately, he/she was way more scared of us than we were of him/her! The bear promptly took off up into the woods and we continued on our way. The rest of the descent on blue was nice - I think I'll go back to mountain bike the Elizabeth Furnace trails and will be sure to include an up/down on the blue trail! About half a mile from the car, the humidity and clouds that had been building all day finally started to rumble and open up. We picked up the pace back to the car. We had just managed to get into dry clothes and open a couple Dogfishheads when it began to pour so hard you couldnt see more than 25 feet away. A nice finale to a fun day. Overall a good hike with a few good vantage points of the Shenandoahs. Only saw 2 other small groups of people the entire time.
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| By:
Greg
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, July 05, 2009 |
| Went to the top of Meneka peek and back to the parking lot in two hours. It was great temps today for a hike! Only saw a few hikers and one mountain biker.These trails allways seem to be empty.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, May 25, 2009 |
Overall, the hike was good. The mountain laurel was in bloom which made for a beautiful hike. As noted in other reviews, it is rocky &ndash substantial shoes are a must. Also, parts of the trail need a little maintenance as the foliage is beginning to close in. The uphill is long but not too demanding. The views were worth the effort.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 16, 2009 |
I have a regular hiking group that is getting out every other month to take on some of the summit hikes in the Massanutten Ridge. This is the second we've done - we did Duncan Knob in March. We use Hiking Upward extensively to prepare for our trips.
As the other reviewers have noted, this hike is very rocky on the first ascent, which is also a continuous climb for about 2.5 to 3 miles. Sturdy hiking shoes are a must. There is a second ascent that is steeper, but with switchbacks it is quite manageable and it doesn't have the rocks.
The views on this hike make it all worthwhile. If you are a camper, these are the best campsites I've seen. On the weekend, you may not have this hike to yourself - we encountered three scout groups.
All in all, I liked this one and recommend it. You can read more about our hike on my blog - http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2009/05/signal-knob-moderate-day-hike.html .
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| By:
fiann
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, April 26, 2009 |
I really enjoyed this hike. It has a nice "pay off" at the top with a great view of the valley. Two things that should be mentioned 1) I would say 85% of this trail is ROCKY 2) A fairly strenuous assent remains after you have reached signal knob- you start to go down, but then have to climb a number of switchbacks.
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| By:
S
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, April 19, 2009 |
| We were two couples and three kids. One 6 yr old, one 2 and 1 19 month. The 6 yr old hiked the entire loop and the other two were carried in packs. The kids were great because they had great attitudes. The trail was very rocky for the first half but less so for the second half. Took us the 5.5 hours plus 30 for lunch. Great hike.
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| By:
mwrliberty
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, April 18, 2009 |
| This was a pretty good hike all around. The rocks throughout the first half were no joke. It cannot be stressed enough that good boots are a must have for this trail. I bought some fairly inexpensive boots and 3 days later my feet are still hurting. The second half of the trail had a couple stretches of rocky trail but for the most part was pretty nice. This was the nicest weekend since the winter so the trail was pretty packed. We took our time and went about 5.5 miles the first day and set up camp at a sweet little spot just after the trail crosses little passage creek about a mile past signal knob. We had a large group so we set up 4 tents easily and had plenty of space. Overall, really nice hike with amazing views.
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| By:
Gr8DaneLvr
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Friday, April 10, 2009 |
| There were about 12 of us that descended upon Signal Knob at about 10:30am. While we had expected rain, we only saw a few drops, which was a relief since the temperature was in the upper 60s most of the hike. We did not see anyone the entire hike, which allowed us to spread out into two groups moving at different speeds. We all finished in just under 5.5 hours, including about 30-minutes for lunch at Signal Knob. The trail was rocky than I had expected, so I was glad to have my poles. I definitely would not recommend doing this trail in anything but some sort of hiking boot. I would rate the Difficulty a 3 rather than 4, but there were a few sections that pushed the limits of 4. The one thing that I was pleasantly surprised by were the number and quality of camping sites along the trail. I would definitely like to go back for an overnight backpack trip.
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| By:
Sam
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, December 20, 2008 |
| It was a cloudy/overcast day but the views from Signal Knob were still pretty spectacular. The trail and directions off the website were accurate and easy to follow and the terrain wasn't overly steep. I didn't see a single person on the trail but I did see a couple cars in the parking area when I returned. This all made for a very relaxing and quiet hike. I will say the hike probably did not live up to its 4/5 difficulty rating since most of the ascent was steady but not terribly steep. The views, though, were as advertised.
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| By:
PJ
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, November 16, 2008 |
It was a bit cold, windy, and overcast the day we hiked, so that made the trail pretty uncrowded. We saw a few mountain bikers and two groups of hikers. However, when we started out at the parking lot it was obvious that a larger Boy Scout group was just finishing from an overnight. Peak season is probably much busier.
We are all in great shape and it still took 4.5 hours with a few little breaks. It was nearly all uphill/downhill with little flat. I would definitely recommend boots as a necessity for this hike, as it is covered in rocks almost the entire time. This time of year, those rocks are covered in leaves and hard to see - so the boots helped us avoid a great many twisted ankles.
There were some great views, and overall with the leaves off the trees I think we had good visibility throughout the hike.
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| By:
WyEast
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, November 08, 2008 |
| I hiked this loop on a very warm fall day. I thought the first half up to the knob was a great ascent and a spectacular trail. The knob wasn't as impressive as I had been imagining (probably because of the views of a populated area and the fact that I was up Strickler Knob a few weeks ago) but was still very pretty. The fire road section was uneventful and I might try the white connector trail next time. The hike down was long and the trail was rocky and completely covered in leaves, making it a tad tricky. I passed a family of 7 on the way up but had the knob to myself for about 15-20 minutes. Passed three groups on the way down, including a group of about 10-15. Pretty crowded. The camping looked great and next time I'll make it an overnighter. Loop took me 4.5 hours including a lunch break at the top and several photo breaks.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Friday, November 07, 2008 |
All,
2 of my friends and I are planning on going up tomorrow night and doing this hike after work...camping for the evening. I was wondering if anyone knew where the 4 designated camp spots were along this trail.
If anyone has any other useful advice, we will take that as well.
Thank you
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, September 15, 2008 |
| Finished the trail with my two daughters. First day we climbed 3-1/2 to 4 miles and made camp. The views were great, especially on a full moon. The trail coming up was rocky/small boulders. Not bad just watch your step. Second day we made it up to signal knob and down the back by way of fire road. Not much to see coming down. Nice camp sites were you intersect with purple trail (mudd Gap) along the stream. Would have camped there but to early in the day. We decided to go alittle further hoping to see a camp site along the way. Did not see any sites coming back. Don't advise going this route back. The stream was great as you crossed it five times but after that you wind up following a fire road back to parking lot about 3-4 miles. All together it was a very good trip and the time i spent with my daughters was priceless.
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| By:
Mike
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, September 06, 2008 |
A good hike. I got to the top of Signal Knob around 2am, and it was a gorgeous view at night. I don't recommend hiking this trail after sunset, but I was finishing up my circuit of the 71 mile Massanutten trail and knob is makes up the last 5 miles. The whole trail took less than 22 hours, but those rocky sections coming will require alot of time to safely maneuver through. I too would suggest boots, or very well supported trail shoes. I'd like to catch the views in the daylight next time. Yeah, that tv tower at the top is a bit random and ugly. Stay safe everyone, and enjoy being outside this fall.
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| By:
John
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, August 09, 2008 |
Great hike. For what it's worth - we found the suggested hike time of 7 hours to be way off. It took us about 4 hours with a few short breaks. I think if you're in pretty good shape this is about how long it would take.
We found some raspberry bushes off to the left as we were coming down the fire road (close to the intersection w/ Tuscarora Trail). Looks like some people/animals already got to most of them but we were still able to enjoy a few.
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| By:
Casey
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 |
| This was a wonderful hike. My girlfriend and I just had tennis shoes on and we paid the price with twisted ankles and sharp rocks to the feet. The view from signal knob was somewhat limited due to overcast skies but it was still worth it. The only other people we encountered were three campers within the first ten minutes of the hike but Other than that nothing. Saw a few chip monks and we took a lot of spider webs to the face. Overall it was a great trip!
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, July 07, 2008 |
| This was my first hike and thanks to this site I was prepared. Good shoes are a must, I would have sprained my ankle 10 time without good shoes. Due to my inexperience and age I had to take my time because of the rocks. I saw rocks in my sleep after this hike. I did the hike on a Monday and there were no other cars in the lot when I started or when I finished. I didn't see any snakes but I did see a bear. The views were great.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Thursday, June 12, 2008 |
| There is a forest fire in the vacinity. Smoke can be seen 30 miles away. Booo to whomever was involved in this.
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| By:
Mugs
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, May 25, 2008 |
| Good hike and good workout. Mountain Laurels were in bloom towards the top which made it even nicer. I agree that you need to wear good boots. Very rocky and you will twist your ankle if you are not careful. We saw some deer and a huge black snake along the trail. Great views from the top.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 29, 2008 |
| This hike was geat. The first three miles or so are a steady but manageable ascent. The veiw from Signal Knob was very good due to the excellant weather. We passed a group of scouts with very full and heavy packs and also a few other couples with dogs and one mountain biker. The mile down the road was very uneventful and I think the next time I do this hike I will turn back at Signal knob overlook and return to the White blazed Maneka Peak Trail and continue the hike from there. We saw no wildlife on this hike but there was plenty of scat that came in all shapes and sizes. Passage Creek was filled with trout fisherman and they took up a good bit of the parking lot. Better to get there early this time of year.
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| By:
Kris
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 22, 2008 |
| I hiked this route a couple of years ago, and returned here with a couple of friends who are preparing to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in October. I had forgotten how rocky this hike gets in spots. The views do not disappoint, though they were limited on this trip due to inclement weather. We encountered the works; rain, sleet, snow, and hail. Finally the sun came out on the second climb and on the way back and the sun was warm enough to shed some layers. This is a fun hike! The trail conditions, other than being rocky are very good. Can't wait for Spring to get in to full speed!
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 |
Two of my friends and I (Barry and Roger) went up on an "over nighter" up the trail just as a small snow storm enveloped the Signal Knob area. Bring lots of water - glad we did - there is none (except snow if lucky). With heavy packs the trip up took 4.5 hours (trip down only 2.5hrs). The over night temp went down to 15 degrees F! Cold, but not too bad with the right gear - I actually had the greatest sleep in a long time! (...less snooring from tents 10 feet away!)
The only thing that will improve or make your hike on Signal Knob is a VERY GOOD quality hiking boot ... the trail is very rocky in places (most places) and a good hiking stick. In summer I'd be concerned about rattlesnakes in the rocks? The fire rings/camp sites are near the top, not on maps or commenly known ... the closer to the top, the better the sites ... but all are good and fire wood plentyful. We all had a good time! .... Get down before dark - its harder getting off the trail in the dark like ... we did ... but still a good experience. Overall, it was fun and cold.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, February 17, 2008 |
| We hiked on a 40 degree radiantly sunny day. Views through bare trees abounded. You ascend on the outside of the mountain, so you have views the whole way. As everyone says, trail is extremely rocky and leaves were plentiful. We were a little bummed that the last descent seemed really long. Hike took us 4 hours with only a 10 minute stop. Passage Creek along the road you drive in on was brimming and beautiful.
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| By:
Pigeon
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, January 27, 2008 |
| This was a good hike. We moved quickly up to Signal Knob but upon descending we were suprised at the ascent back up the mountain. Very rocky and not much wildlife but enjoyable even with a bit of snow flurries. We finished it in about 4.5 hours. We also visited Spelunkers and got the Bacon Cavern burger which was delicious.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Thursday, October 11, 2007 |
I had mountain biked up to Meneka Peak the back way before, but this was my first full Signal Knob loop hike. My girlfriend and I hiked it in 4.5 hours with a few short stops for pictures and a snack. Overall, I think it would be a better hike in the late Fall or Winter because the views would be better. The hike was challenging and very rocky for a good majority of the hike. I highly recommend good boots!
The stop at Spelunker's in Front Royal after the hike was great. Good burgers and shakes are a must after that hike.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, October 07, 2007 |
Thanks to all previous posts. The directions on this website link to goggle.com were dead on perfect. Was a warm day. I carried 70 oz. of water, was enough. The trail is well marked and maintained. I enjoyed the first half of the hike. 2nd half not much fun. After the 2nd ascent , I was pretty much hurting the rest of the hike. The views are nice. Probably better on a clear day. Warm, hazy, October sun doesn't make for great far visibilty. Looking back on Passage Gorge were the best views. Watched the "hawks" or whatever birds they are, circling the gorge, I counted 8 of them. Only saw 4 people until the Tuscarora Trail. 4 ladise walking their horse were coming down. They said they went to the top, couldn't find the trail, were circling back. Made me a little uncomfortable until I got to the top. There is a sign pointing to the Meneka Trail, and 1 pointing down to Elizabeth Furnace. Yeah, if you keep going staright, it's a dead end. Hiking down was uneventful and mostly painful. To speed up the hike I ran in the flat or not so rocky areas. My biggest complaint, and probably why I won't hike it again, is the fact that there was a lot of air traffic noise. I guess Sunday is the most volume day for flying. Almost non-stop, Commercial jets, private planes, even heard a helicopter. Good workout, I finished in about 4.5 hours.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, September 08, 2007 |
| I really enjoyed this hike. The trail was very rocky at times with fairly steep inclines. The views were amazing. The day was very hot and I required over 96 ounces of water, so be prepared. I hiked the entire trail without seeing another person, possibly because it was such a hot day. I did see several bears, though.
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| By:
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, March 18, 2007 |
| Beautiful, bright sunny day with a few inches of snow on the ground and dazzling icicles hanging from the trees. I was the only person out on the knob today, although lots of folks seemed to be using the Massanutten Mtn Trail. Winter hikes always reveal a breathtaking amount of the landscape and today was no exception! The trail is only difficult from a distance standpoint and the occasional rocky bit of terrain. The elevation gain is very well graded. For pictures of the hike, go to http://web.mac.com/podin04/
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| By:
ashipey
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, January 15, 2007 |
| Hello all! Great hike!! The weather was outstanding and the trail is in excellent condition. We hiked the trail at a fast pace and finished in just under four hours. I would recommend a sturdy pair of hiking boots,(No tennies for this hike)!!!! Also walking sticks are extremely helpful through the rocky sections. The view from Signal Knob is exceptional.
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| By:
Funkbone
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, January 14, 2007 |
I have done this hike many times in all seasons and winter is by far the best. There are some o.k . switchbacks and inclines and it is very rocky at certain parts in the trail, so be careful not to get caught in the rain because the lichen can make the rocks quite slick. There are some nice patches of Mountain Laurel and some fine oaks along the trail. But I wish that there were a few more overlooks on the trail, alot of the times it was "tunnel vision" and everything looked the same. I ran/hiked the trail w/ a friend and finished in 3.5 hours. I wore my Vasque Trail Runners and they ate up the terrain. However, "regular" sneakers are not reccomended. If you plan on walking, make sure that your footwear offers excellent motion control and has a sturdy shank in the midsole to protect your arches from pointy rocks.
After the hike, stop in Front Royal at a place called Spelunker's. They have AWESOME milkshakes and hand grind their beef for their hamburgers.
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| By:
Michele
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Saturday, November 11, 2006 |
| It was a nice hike, but nothing spectacular. The only tricky part about footing is that the leaves cover half of the rocks and it's hard to tell what you're stepping on. Neither ascent is that bad, thought the second certainly is tougher. Noise from tower is not that bad either, we could hardly hear it from the overlook. We went at a moderate pace, slower over the rockier areas, and finished in 5.5 hrs, including a lunch break.
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| By:
Alexandria VA Hiker
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Monday, October 09, 2006 |
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| By:
Daryl M & Pam S.
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, April 30, 2006 |
| Today was an awesome day for hiking... Clear skies, beautiful weather & GREAT Company!.. THANKS for the day Pam! The trail is marked wonderfully, except for part of the descent on the Blue Trail, and THAT second Ascent is a tough one.... BUT hey we went we had great weather, great views, a wonderful 1st day with one another. Even shared some wine on the top. How about that. I'd recommend this hike to anyone. It did not seem like 10.5 miles. We finished in 6 hours and went at a nice comfortable pace. We plan on doing it again in the fall. My 1st hike of that length, and it was REALLY nice.... Hey I think it was a great trail and a great day made better by the wonderful lady that was with me... Glad we did it Pam!
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| By:
Kris
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Rating: |
Date of Hike: Sunday, March 05, 2006 |
| I had been eagerly awaiting a time to do this hike. I was not disappointed! Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day and it was perfect for a tougher hike. Without leaves, the views were limitless nearly the entire hike. There are a few real 'ankle biter' rocky sections along the trail. The back side of the hike on the fire road was a bit boring, and all I was thinking about was climbing back up to Meneka Peak. The second ascent kicked my butt a bit. Spotted some really nice rock formations on the mountain side just past the pink trail junction. I carried a full pack for training, so I felt good that I was able to do this hike wihtout trouble. As always, the map and hike decription were excellent. Can't wait to do it again, and hike along the Meneka Peak. Thanks for a great hike!!
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| By:
mw
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Date of Hike: Sunday, January 15, 2006 |
| really great day, really great views. i took it easy and did this as an overnighter, setting up camp on the meneka peak trail. no leaves + cold temps + clear skies + full moon = a very enjoyable time. i will certainly do this loop again. highly recommended.
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| By:
Nicklucci
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Date of Hike: Saturday, December 10, 2005 |
Brisk December temperatures, a cloudless sky and a thick blanket of fresh powder made this hike nothing short of magical. The sweeping vistas were a dangerous lure, providing frequent distraction from what occasionally became tricky footwork during the first ascent. Though the views from the summit provided a nice backdrop for lunch, the ambiance was tainted by a series of strange noises that emanated from the nearby radio tower. After lunch, while strolling down the service road, I found my eyes glued to the ridgeline to my left as it became more and more distant, and the inescapable trek up it more and more foreboding. The ensuing ascent was invigorating, though it hardly came as a surprise.
A couple notes:
1) The half-mile descent along the service road feels longer than it is -- keep walking, the blue-blazed trail intersection is difficult to miss.
2) While on US678, there is a smaller parking lot, also on the right, just before the one for signal knob. I made the mistake of pulling into that one first... just trying to save others from the same mistake.
Note: Nicklucci is correct, the distance from Signal Knob peak down the orange blazed service road to where it meets the blue blazed Tuscarora trail is 1.2 miles NOT 0.5 miles as originally posted. It has been corrected – Thanks, HikingUpward.com
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| By:
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Date of Hike: Sunday, November 20, 2005 |
| My girlfriend and I are both avid hikers and we really enjoyed this hike. It was arduous in some areas but the views were more than worth the climb. I strongly recommend that you wear sturdy hiking shoes as the trail is rocky. Also, if you are hiking this time of year you don't always see the rocks due to the leaves that cover the trail. If you plan on keeping a fast pace the hike can be done in 5 hours. If you're going to take breaks allow at least 6 to 7 hours. The maps and written trail directions from this site are perfect and I recommend taking them with you. Enjoy the views!!!!!!!!
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| By:
Linda
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Date of Hike: Sunday, June 05, 2005 |
| My knees hurt!! Actually, it wasn't a bad hike, I was just a bit unprepared for it. Take water with you and print out a map from this site. The map on the post at the parking lot was lacking to say the least. There were few signs and none telling you how far along the trail you were.
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