| Topic: Can anyone recommend a good loop in the Va mountai, Need a good trail recommendation | < Next Oldest | Next Newest > |
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CharlesTheHammer 
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Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Sep. 26 2012, 10:54 pm |
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Hi folks, I am looking to put together a 3 day backpacking trip in Oct or Nov 2012, and will be driving only 1 car up, so I need a good loop trail that will be long enough for 2 partial days of hiking and 1 full day, because it'll be a 2 night, 3 day trip, with the first and last days being driving days.
So I am guessing we'll be hiking maybe 5 miles on day 1, then maybe 15 on day 2, then 5-7 on day 3. So we need a good trip that'll be around 20-28 miles, give or take.
So, does anyone know a good loop trip in the mountains of Va, maybe near the northern area of Shenandoah ntl park, or northern Massanutten areas? A trail that at least partially travels the AT would be nice....
I really dont like to be limited to a loop, but I dont know of any other way to deal with backpacking with 1 car, because obviously you must park at the beginning, but you need transportation when you get to the end of the trail. Unless there's some other way to handle this issue...
Thanks
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| Post Number: 2
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MRHyker
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 9:02 am |
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Who needs the AT? I think the Trout Run Valley Circumnavigation on Great North Mt on the VA/WV border will suite your needs.
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 3
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| Post Number: 4
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mankind117
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Joined: Oct. 2010
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Posted on: Sep. 28 2012, 8:40 am |
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I did the trip MrHyker referenced in February. It definitely does start and end at the same place, the wolf gap campground and picnic area. I would recommend it. The trails over there on great north mountain have a much more wild feeling than the AT in shenandoah and northern virginia. The camp sites were very nice and you have great views from Big Schloss, Half Moon, and tibbet's knob that are just as nice as the views on the AT. Difficulty wise I would say it was moderate. There are some long climbs and rocky sections so I would say it would be harder than the AT in northern virginia.
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kevinumberger
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 28 2012, 10:45 am |
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i highly recommend taking a nice long break at big schloss.....
great views from up there.......and you can basically trace the route from up there.......
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| Post Number: 7
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CharlesTheHammer
Group: Members
Posts: 241
Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Sep. 28 2012, 7:42 pm |
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OK, I looked at the trail guide to that hike last night when I first came back to this website, and it looked good, and it still does, but now I have (finally) done a Google map destination search, and it turns out that hike would be about 270 miles further driving from where we'd really like to be, and it would take us an additional 4.5 hours of driving each way! That would mean 9 less hours of hiking and 9 more hours of driving.
Thats why I wanted a hike in Northern Va near Front Royal, or northern Shenandoah natl park.
We are driving from eastern MD, on the other side of the Chesapeake bay, so we are starting from almost directly east of Front Royal, but about 2.75 hours away.
MY general rule is if a trip is only 2-3 days long, then I dont want to drive more than 2-3 hours each way, especially considering we have to hike each of those driving days. If it was a 10 day trip, then I'd do it, but even then I'd probably fly there and rent a car or take a bus or something...
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| Post Number: 8
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rpcv
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Joined: Aug. 2006
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Posted on: Sep. 28 2012, 10:48 pm |
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I think Google Maps may have been a bit confused. Wolf Gap is only about 30-45 minutes west of Front Royal. A link to the location is here.
Anyway, I was going to weigh in agreeing that the Trout Run Valley Circumnavigation is a really nice hike. I haven't done it all at once, but I think I've covered most of it and I love that area. Big Schloss and Tibbet Knob have spectacular views. On most of the rest of it, you won't see anyone else out there.
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Silver Spring Wanderer
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| Post Number: 9
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CharlesTheHammer
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Joined: Jan. 2011
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Posted on: Sep. 28 2012, 11:07 pm |
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When I clicked on one of the results I saw, the map showed it to be in western Va, right on the NC border, and when I clicked on directions, it said it would take 7 hours, 7 minutes. It would be 450 miles. Here are the coordinates for the first search I did, and I suppose the stream in the satellite picture must be "trout run". 36.659722,-81.061389
But there must be 2 areas with the same basic name.
When I clicked on the link you left today, it had a google map link, which I clicked and it said it was 263 miles away, it sent me to George Washington Natl forest. Thats not too bad.
Whats confusing this further, was my search for Big Schloss, Wolf Gap, which was referenced by another poster who said he's hiked the trail you posted, and when I did a Google search for Big Schloss, it says its 181 miles away!
So between the 3 of us, we must be speaking of 3 different places!
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| Post Number: 10
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MRHyker
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 29 2012, 9:14 am |
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The link that rpcv posted is the same one that is on my site. I don't know where you got "36.659722,-81.061389" but it is way far away from the hike.
Quite often it is faster getting to a good hike in GWNF than a hike in SNP because of the low speed limit on Sky Line Drive.
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 11
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rpcv
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Joined: Aug. 2006
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Posted on: Sep. 30 2012, 6:22 pm |
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Yeah, I googled Trout Run and I think I see the place you were looking at, down near North Carolina. I can understand your confusion. I think Trout Run is a pretty common name for coldwater streams (and sometimes the roads near them) in the Mid-Atlantic.
Anyway, MrHyker and I are definitely talking about the same place (especially since, as he noted, I got the location link off of his site - Thanks!).
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Silver Spring Wanderer
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| Post Number: 12
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