VA hiking

[sierra]

Me and my trusty sidekick are heading to VA to hike McAvee Knob next month. I confess to doing a shoddy research job on VA. Anyone have a cool peaks in the state let me know, I am familiar with the peaks near the knob.

 

[VaMoose]

Hi Sierra. I am a former New Englander who has hiked a lot in the Whites but relocated to Virginia years ago. I am a longtime reader here on VFTT and your post induced me to finally sign up so I could hopefully give you some hiking ideas in Virginia. McAfee Knob is a great hike. I've heard it said that the view of the rock jutting out from the mountain is the most photographed spot on the AT. As an aside, Virginia has a specialty "Appalachian Trail" license plate that has a drawing of McAfee Knob on it. Nearby, Dragon's Tooth is another good hike with a view from a rocky outcrop. You didn't mention what other parts of the state you may go to, so I will give a few general suggestions. Near milepost 86 or so off the Blue Ridge Parkway are the Peaks of Otter - Sharp Top and Flat Top. Sharp Top has 360 degree views, but it is a popular place. One reason is that a bus takes tourists partway up. Nearby Flat Top has no such road, thus is much less crowded and also has good views from the summit. Heading north on the Parkway near milepost 13 is Three Ridges Mountain, with a great view from a rock outcrop below the summit, and on a faint path north from the summit. If you want a White Mountain type hike, take the AT north up Three Ridges from Route 56 in the valley. A 3,000 foot elevation gain will bring you to the summit in about 6 miles. You can make a sort of loop hike back taking the Mau-Har trail, which follows a beautiful rocky stream and passes a nice waterfall. Across the road from Three Ridges is the Priest, a 4,000 footer with a great view just south of the summit. One the most popular hikes is Humpback Rocks, just a mile hike (but steep!) off milepost 6 of the Parkway. It has a great 180 degree view of the Shenandoah Valley. However, you most likely won't be alone. Probably the most popular hike in the state is in Shenandoah National Park, at Old Rag Mountain. It's only 3,200 feet in elevation, but has boulder fields near the top that are demanding, yet fun to go through to reach the open summit. This hike is so popular that one must buy a ticket in advance ($1, if I recall) to climb it and it is capped at 800 per day. It is like the Mount Monadnock of Virginia. If you go, go on a weekday. I hope these suggestions have helped.

 

[Peppersass]

if you haven’t already been there, Mount Rogers is the geographical high point of Virginia. Not a spectacular summit by any means but if you start at Massie Gap, head up to the Appalachian Trail and turn left, you’ll be on the Grayson Highlands. The summit trail is off the AT. Up and back,it’s about 9 miles round-trip. If the day is clear, there’s a spectacular view of Virginia. Even if it’s misty, you will be treated to wild ponies, cattle, rocky out crops, and a feeling of the moors. We are going tomorrow.

 

[JToll]

Mt Rogers is the only hike I have done in Virginia, but we really enjoyed it. Easy hiking with wild ponies as a bonus

 

[sierra]

Hi Sierra. I am a former New Englander who has hiked a lot in the Whites but relocated to Virginia years ago. I am a longtime reader here on VFTT and your post induced me to finally sign up so I could hopefully give you some hiking ideas in Virginia. McAfee Knob is a great hike. I've heard it said that the view of the rock jutting out from the mountain is the most photographed spot on the AT. As an aside, Virginia has a specialty "Appalachian Trail" license plate that has a drawing of McAfee Knob on it. Nearby, Dragon's Tooth is another good hike with a view from a rocky outcrop. You didn't mention what other parts of the state you may go to, so I will give a few general suggestions. Near milepost 86 or so off the Blue Ridge Parkway are the Peaks of Otter - Sharp Top and Flat Top. Sharp Top has 360 degree views, but it is a popular place. One reason is that a bus takes tourists partway up. Nearby Flat Top has no such road, thus is much less crowded and also has good views from the summit. Heading north on the Parkway near milepost 13 is Three Ridges Mountain, with a great view from a rock outcrop below the summit, and on a faint path north from the summit. If you want a White Mountain type hike, take the AT north up Three Ridges from Route 56 in the valley. A 3,000 foot elevation gain will bring you to the summit in about 6 miles. You can make a sort of loop hike back taking the Mau-Har trail, which follows a beautiful rocky stream and passes a nice waterfall. Across the road from Three Ridges is the Priest, a 4,000 footer with a great view just south of the summit. One the most popular hikes is Humpback Rocks, just a mile hike (but steep!) off milepost 6 of the Parkway. It has a great 180 degree view of the Shenandoah Valley. However, you most likely won't be alone. Probably the most popular hike in the state is in Shenandoah National Park, at Old Rag Mountain. It's only 3,200 feet in elevation, but has boulder fields near the top that are demanding, yet fun to go through to reach the open summit. This hike is so popular that one must buy a ticket in advance ($1, if I recall) to climb it and it is capped at 800 per day. It is like the Mount Monadnock of Virginia. If you go, go on a weekday. I hope these suggestions have helped.

Thanks for the suggestions. Sharp Top is on my list, I'll look at Flat top and your other suggestions as well, thank you.

 

[sierra]

Mt Rogers is the only hike I have done in Virginia, but we really enjoyed it. Easy hiking with wild ponies as a bonus

It's on my list. My dog might like the ponies.

 

[Barkingcat]

Across the road from Three Ridges is the Priest, a 4,000 footer with a great view just south of the summit

If you head south on the AT past the Priest, you can pick up a woods road that connects you to the trail to Crabtree Falls -- spectacular. Out and back from the AT trailhead to the falls (going over the Priest twice) is just over 14 miles -- but it's a gentle 14 miles, at that. You'll find that the AT here is pretty low-key compared to the AT up here, in New Hampshire.

Probably the most popular hike in the state is in Shenandoah National Park, at Old Rag Mountain.

If you hike Old Rag from the west (Wakely Hollow Road), it's a relatively easy 5+ miles out and back. Afterwards, heading south from the trailhead on Wakely Hollow Road just under a mile is the trailhead for White Oak Canyon with some nice waterfalls. You can make a loop hike out of this, as well, by walking a short distance on the Skyline Drive at the top and then coming down the Cedar Run Trail.

Also, a hike that no one has mentioned yet: Brumley Mountain Trail and The Channels. This isn't too far from Mt. Rogers, so if you're in the area, you should check it out. The Brumley Mountain Trail isn't much different from a lot of the hiking in Virginia, but at the end is a series of slot canyons called The Channels -- the whole thing is worth a look. Out and back from Brumley Gap Road is an easy 11+ miles -- nothing very strenuous compared to the stuff you're used to here.

Finally, this guy's web site is a great resource for hikes in Virginia. It's very helpful for planning.

 

[DayTrip]

It's on my list. My dog might like the ponies.

Grayson Highlands is AMAZING. I've been wanting to get back down there for awhile to do a full loop of the whole thing. (I did an out and back from Elk Garden to the Wilburn Ridge). Mt Rogers is wooded but I found the short spur trail very scenic.

 

[Ear Drum]

Hi Sierra. ...Near milepost 86 or so off the Blue Ridge Parkway are the Peaks of Otter - Sharp Top and Flat Top. Sharp Top has 360 degree views, but it is a popular place. One reason is that a bus takes tourists partway up. Nearby Flat Top has no such road, thus is much less crowded and also has good views from the summit. ...

I grew up in nearby Lynchburg, Virginia. Hiked up the Peaks of Otter, Sharp Top and Flat Top, many times as a kid and teen. Also camped nearby, and drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's a special and beautiful area. Those were my first hikes and formed my love for the mountains.