At 14.7 miles the Jeremy's Run loop is one of the longest in the SNP. There are several beautiful views on the Neighbor Mountain Trail of Kennedy Peak, Duncan Knob, and the Three Sisters Ridge just to the south. Also with 14 crossings of Jeremy's Run this hike can be a challenge in the spring when the water is at its highest level.

Again we were lucky with the weather on Saturday. With showers forecast for much of the day, it turned out to be sunny with no rain at all. The Jeremy’s Run hike also has a great campsite above the falls near the lower section of the run. Late spring will be a great time to make it back and camp above the falls.

Whether you do make this a two day backpack, or just a long day hike, this is still one of the most scenic circuit hikes in the park.

The House Mountain hike near Lexington Virginia is made up of two mountains. Big House Mountain with great views to the south, and Little House Mountain with its punishing direct climb to the ridge, and spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley.

If you decide to do this hike anytime soon, you may also get your own mountain guide as we did! Starting up the trail, ‘Rose’ a local dog from one of the private homes near the trailhead, decided she wanted a day in the woods and led, not followed, us to not only the top of Big House Mountain, but also to the outlook on Little House Mountain. Apparently she knows when people park at the lower lot they will be hiking the mountain and heading back the same way. The only fee she charges is some water and food. In our case, half our lunch and 1 liter of water :)

Little House and Big House Mountains appear to tower out of the plains as they stand by themselves, separate from any other mountain range. The 950 acre House Mountain Preserve was purchased in 1989 through the efforts of the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council, the Virginia Outdoor Foundation, and many local residents, including Bill Stubbs a leader in conservation causes in the Rockbridge area for many years. The area is now owned by the Virginia Outdoor Foundation.

The Buck Hollow/Mary’s Rock circuit is one of our favorite winter day hikes. Starting in the valley just west of Sperryville, the route to Mary’s Rock gains over 2,600 feet of elevation in just over 4 miles. The reward for the steep climb are the spectacular views along the ridge, as well as panoramic vistas from the high point at Mary’s Rock.

Saturday morning was cold when we made it onto the trail at 9:00 am with the temp around 35F in the valley, but once we got going we warmed up quickly. However, 2,600 feet higher on the ridgeline the temperature dropped to a chilly 26F, plus the winds whipping up and over the ridge from the west made it feel that much colder.

There are many great vista hikes in the Shenandoah National Park, and the best time to enjoy them is in the cooler months when the visibility is at its best. Cold weather hiking is great exercise, and the SNP trails that are usually very busy in the spring and fall are almost empty this time of the year.