HikingUpward.com Blog

Oak Knob - August 2, 2008

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:34:53 GMT

We got to the Hone Quarry campground around 10:30, setup our tents, and then headed off on the Oak Knob Hike. There were two great views in the first mile of the hike, then several views of the reservoir further up the Cliff Trail. At only 7.9 miles long this hike is grueling because of the rocky Cliff Trail, and the steep descent on the Pond Knob Trail.

Nestled in a quite area of the GWNF just west of Harrisonburg VA, this is a picture perfect place to spend a weekend hiking from a central camping spot. And because it was car camping, we could bring the added luxuries of camp chairs, a grilled dinner, and other things we could never backpack in :)

Sunday morning we got an early start and hiked the Hone Quarry Ridge circuit, which also had a beautiful view out to the west. In all, this is a great camping spot with two nice loop hikes that both starting at campground.

Trimble Mountain - July 26, 2008

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:07:54 GMT

The Todd Lake recreation area in the GWNF just west of Harrisonburg VA, is another of those picturesque places that only the locals seem to know about. With a sandy beach, and picnic area, this is a beautiful place to car camp for the weekend.

The Trimble Mountain loop is an easy to moderate hike situated just opposite the Todd Lake recreation area on FDR95. There are several views of Big Bald Knob and Little Bald Knob on the western section of the loop. At the end of the circuit, the short climb up to the Lake Todd dam embankment offers a beautiful lunch spot, and view of the lake.

The Trimble Mountain Hike is just one of many hikes that are located in the Todd Lake area. A great weekend plan is to come in on a Saturday and hike Trimble Mountain, take a dip in Todd Lake, camp at the Todd Lake campground, then hike the North River Gorge circuit early Sunday before leaving.

The Todd Lake Campground has clean shower and restroom facilities, as well as a sandy beach and picnic area at the lake. The campsites are $16 per/night, and are on a first come first served basis. Reservations are not accepted. If the campsite is full, there are numerous free camping spots available along the North River off FDR95. Todd Lake Recreation Area is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Austin/Furnace Mountains - June 21, 2008

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:54:39 GMT

We were lucky the with weather, and the temps stayed in the high 80’s with low haze. There were great views on the Austin Mountain ridge of the Furnace Mountain summit, as well as a vista from the Furnace Mountain summit overlook, back to the Austin Mountain ridge we had just hiked a few hours earlier.

The Austin and Furnace Mountains loop is one of the most strenuous day hikes in the Shenandoah National Park. Not only is the hike long, at over 13 miles, but the steep descent down the Austin Mountain ridge, and long climb up the exposed Furnace Mountain trail, makes the 3000+ vertical feet of gain seem even that much harder.

If you’re looking for a challenging day hike in the SNP, this may well be a good choice. But remember to filter some water at Madison Run before heading up the Furnace Mountain Trail. The long ascent up the ridge is exposed in a lot of places, and you can go through some water fast!

BRCES - June 14,2008

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:14:52 GMT

It's not often that we find a brand new hiking area so close to Metro Washington DC, and never one with as much to offer as the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES).

With multiple circuits possible, from the shorter 1.8 mile Farmstead Loop passing a wildlife pond, valley views, two old homesteads, and several pastures, to combining the Farmstead Loop with several of the higher mountain loops to form a 6.2 mile perimeter hike. This area has a hike for everyone.

The Robert and Dee Leggett Foundation purchased Mountain View farm in 1999 as a home for the Blue Ridge Center and to preserve the land's history. If you’re looking for a new hike close to the metro area, the BRCES is one you may want to try before the word gets out :)

Beards Mountain - May 17, 2008

Wed, 21 May 2008 23:04:59 GMT

Douthat State Park is one of Virginia's jewels. Voted among the nation’s 10 best state parks, it has more than 43 miles of trails. Beards Mountain has just as many beautiful vistas as the Blue Suck Falls Hike, which is the other circuit hike in the park. Both hikes feature lots of Mountain laurel, which blooms in early June.

We were last at Douthat at this same time last year. It was even more beautiful than we remembered. The trails are in fantastic condition with good blazing and signage throughout.

We'll have to make it back again next spring to hike Beards Mountain and make it to the two overlooks that we missed this time out. But we don’t really need a reason :). We could visit this park again and again, just for the beauty of the valley.

Cacapon Resort State Park - May 5, 2008

Wed, 07 May 2008 15:09:22 GMT

Cacapon Resort State Park is a beautiful area of over 6,000 acres. There is something for everyone here. A virtual labyrinth of over 20 miles of hiking trails, a trap shooting range, horseback riding, swimming and boating, as well as fishing in the large lake and reservoir. The park also has accommodations of 24 cabins and a main inn for weekend getaways.

Cacapon is a derivative of a Shawnee Indian word meaning "medicine waters". West Virginia is renowned for its fabulous state park system, and Cacapon is a perfect example. However what we did notice, is that although there were quite a few people enjoying the parks other facilities, we didn’t see another hiker on the trails.

We plan to make it back in the fall to explore some of the other trails and possibly do some horseback riding. If you are looking to find an out of the way place that is still close to the DC area with plenty to do, this is it!

Little Schloss - April 26, 2008

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:17:51 GMT

Little Schloss is just one of the many beautiful circuit hikes possible in the Great North Mountain area. Little Stoney Creek is also a favorite with backpackers, with many camping sites along its banks. The vista from Little Schloss is spectacular. This area also experiences an explosion of Mountain Laurel in early to mid June.

No idea why, but for some reason I had never hiked the Little Sluice Trail from Little Schloss to the Bread Rd Trail. Big mistake! Not only is the scenery spectacular, the Little Schloss overlook panoramic view is just as good as Big Schloss and the views east on the Little Sluice ridge are unobstructed, but this section of the trail seems to have been forgotten. I had the overlook and ridge all to myself on Saturday. This is a must do for any hiker who enjoys the Great North Mountain area.

I also got an early start, getting on the trail at 8 am on Saturday because of the strong line of storms that were forecast to go through the area in the afternoon. Sure enough, you could hear the thunder in the distance during the last mile of the hike. Just made it back to the parking area before the clouds opened up :)

Three Falls - April 18, 2008

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:47:45 GMT

The Three Falls hike is a circuit that passes Rose River Falls, Dark Hollow Falls, and Lewis Spring Falls. These are three of the most beautiful falls in the SNP. There is also an option of shortening the distance, and vertical gain, by opting out of the Lewis Spring Falls section for a total of 6.1 mls and 1530ft gain.

The three falls are at their peak in the in the spring, but don’t overlook the small things, like this Hooked Buttercup (Ranunculus recurvatus), that are blooming all over the park in April.

We had a picture perfect day on Friday. The views along on the AT at Fishers Gap, as well as from the Lewis Spring Falls overlook, were spectacular. Weekday hikes are some of the best days to enjoy the Shenandoah National Park, as you can enjoy the solitude of some of these more popular hikes that are much busier on the weekends.

Jeremy's Run Hike - March 15, 2008

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:07:15 GMT

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.

Little House Mountain - March 3, 2008

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:21:55 GMT

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.