Recent Outing Critiques

Name: Faye                                                                                                               Hike: Big Schloss
Date: 7/12 - 7/13 2008                                                                                          Rating: 4.5

Critique: Overall a very good hike. We arrived around 11am. Steady incline. Rock hopping at times. 1st stream very low but still able to get water. Very buggie at times. We came across a very nice grassy campsite.. thinking about staying there but were pretty far away from water. We decided to go on and stay at one of the three campsites by the 2nd stream. It was a great place to soak your feet after a long hike. Came across 5 other hikers passing through. We arrived at the campsite around 4pm. Some bad flies there. Mt. drainage was low, caused some stagnant water around. Nice and open. There was a calming breeze at night very peaceful.

We did come across some bear droppings but didn't run into any bears or any wildlife for that matter.

Nice and easy hike once initial incline out of the way. Beautiful views from top of the mountain... be sure to go out its worth it.

Would do it again.

 

 

Name: Peter                                                                                                                Hike: Big Schloss
Date: 07/12/2008                                                                                                     Rating: 5

Critique: I got to the parking lot around 3pm Friday afternoon. There were only two cars in the lot. I was able to fast pack it to the first scenic view at about 7 miles, about a mile past the last water stop. There is enough space for a couple campsites and the view was magnificent. The bugs were terrible, and I didn't have bug spray, so I built a small fire in the rock fire ring. This really helped.

The next morning I took the trek up to Big Schloss, a little over 2 hike (out and back). The view was worth it.

This rates as one of the most beautiful hikes I've been on in the mid-Atlantic area. I'm going to do this hike next spring when the Rhododendrons are blooming.

Beware: I did see signs of Black Bear (large scat and diggings) while hiking the Mill Mountain Trail.

 

 

Name: Matt                                                                                                                  Hike: Gunpowder Falls East
Date: 7/13/2008                                                                                                        Rating: 4

Critique: Headed out to the start of this hike a little late on a Sunday at about 3:30pm. I downloaded the gpx data from the hike description and loaded it onto my Garmin 60CSx. The hike up to the bridge at falls rd was sunny and humid. There were a bunch of storm clouds rolling in and just before the road it started to rain. Luckily I was sort of training with a full pack on so I grabbed the tarp to my tent and 4 of us huddled underneath it until the nasty storm passed. The bridge at falls rd is under construction, but there is a footbridge made of 2 steel i-beam girders that you can walk across. It gets a little bouncy once you get halfway, so one person at a time crossing wouldn't be a bad idea. Due to the heavy rain, the remaining trails were wet, muddy, and full of puddles. The stream crossings over Panther Branch were a little more difficult because the water level rose a couple inches due to the rain. Some spots were muddy enough to cause a couple falls. Overall it was a cool hike. I'd do it again. Here is a link to my GPS data: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6240089

 

 

Name: Brandon                                                                                                           Hike: Pocosin-South River Falls Circuit
Date: 7/12/2008                                                                                                        Rating: 3

Critique: Not as much stream walking as you'd hope. All there is the waterfall (which is nice!), but the best part of the stream is if you bushwhack. Also, more than half of this is on fire roads and horse trails.

So that's one point deducted, the other point is because there was less solitude than I expected, even away from the falls. I saw no one on the AT, but I didn't even get to photograph/look at the mission and its cemetery. There was this huge party of about 20 people, ALL with horses just hanging out there, all over the trail just standing, with some dog that tried to bite me twice.

Nice assortment of families at the falls, as you'd expect.

Parking note: there are 3 hunks of parking in the loop - you want the third one.

Also shortly after the high point of the AT, someone drew a 900 on a fallen tree, with a note of encouragement for thru-hikers at the midway point. Nice touch.

 

 

Name: Bill                                                                                                                    Hike: Black Forest South
Date: 7/5/08                                                                                                              Rating: 5

Critique: We did a reverse trek according to the narrative we found here. This was a tough trail, but the payoff was great! This trail traverse numerous different forest ecologies, including thick vegetation, high brush and ferns, nice blooming rhododendrons, plenty of pines, and some great camping areas.

On the first day we trekked down to Naval Run from the Di Shay parking area atop the map. Since we got off to a slow start, we had to blaze through this portion of the trail. This was very difficult and I don't recommend pushing as fast as we did. However, we arrived in plenty of time to set up camp and relax for a bit.

Day two, we trekked out, past the pump house and set up camp underneath the pines. On day two, we passed an incredible potential camping spot atop the first vista when walking south from Naval Run. A word of warning, we descended the "final" climb according to the written narrative above. This was a straight drop down without any switchbacks.

Day three, we broke camp and hiked back to our car. The night before the hike, I took some travel equipment with me so I could do some stargazing at the Astronomy Park in Cherry Springs. While, I do not recommend leaving anything valuable in your car during any hike, we thankfully didn't have a problem.

Beautiful sights, fun hike and some great camping areas!!

 

 

Name: Morgantown hikers                                                                                       Hike: Otter Creek NW Loop
Date: 7/5-6/08                                                                                                          Rating: 4

Critique: A good hike through some wet terrain. We hiked the route in the reverse direction as it had rained quite a bit before we hiked in and we didn't want to get caught at the fords of Otter Creek. Turkey Run and Moore Run trails were nice, but nothing special. The trail along Otter Creek was just wonderful. I think that is some the slowest hiking I have been on as we just kept stopping to appreciate the beauty of the stream. Overall, a very good hike that lends itself to waterproof boots.

There is a problem with the directions to the trailhead: Fox's Pizza no longer has a sign (that we could see), so it isn't the best reference. Here are some better directions:
Following US Route 219 South into Parsons: As you come into town you will make a sharp left turn next to a car dealership. Immediately after this look for a small sign on the left side of the road for Otter Creek. Turn left just past the sign onto Central Avenue then immediately left again onto Billings Avenue (If you come to a bridge over Shavers Fork you have gone too far). Continue below.

Following US Route 219 North into Parsons: At the stoplight, turn left to continue on Route 219 North past Sheetz, McDonalds and over a bridge over Shavers Fork. After the bridge take the first right onto Central Avenue then immediately left again onto Billings Avenue.

DIRECTIONS CONTINUED
Follow this road through town, past a cemetery, and onto a chip-sealed road. At the intersection with 2 gravel roads, turn right. You should see a sign for the Experimental Forest after you round a curve. Follow this road and take the left fork when it splits above the reservoir. A parking lot with a trailhead sign in a sharp curve is Big Springs Gap trailhead. Turkey Run trailhead is a little further up the road.

 

 

Name: Rehingd                                                                                                           Hike: Dolly Sods Circumnavigation - mod1
Date: 6/30/08-7/3/08                                                                                            Rating: 5

Critique: A friend and I did this hike mid-week and saw only 2 people until the Forks, and even there things were not busy at all. I would not consider this hike difficult. Just enough elevation change to get your heart beating once or twice per day. Otherwise the only difficulty of the terrain is walking on rocks and wet ground. This was a relaxing and absolutely beautiful hike with great campsites. I definitely hope to return.

If you have the luxury of timing your trip with the weather, try for clear skies on Day 1. We had a lot of fog and mist on Day 1 that blocked most of the D.S. North landscape, which otherwise would have been the most impressive views of the trip.

There is a great variety of landscape in both the North and South sections of this hike. The North is more unusual and impressive. The South, while very nice, is more typical of mid-Atlantic hikes.

Navigation notes:
We only had a couple of difficulties, both of which may have been solved if we relied on our GPS throughout:

At the beginning of Day 3, we had trouble figuring out which of the many small trails through The Forks camping area was the continuation of Red Creek Trail. It's a left turn, maybe 30 yards past the Red Creek crossing that ends Day 2.

Also, I don't think we ever found the correct stumps where we were to leave Raven Ridge Trail on Day 3. We ended up doing a 1mile bushwhack East back to Dobbins Grade. Happily we were not blown to smithereens by any undetonated munitions. And we found a great swimming hole.

Some Q/A from my first visit to Dolly Sods... maybe helpful to others:

Availability of drinkable water? Not a problem on our trip, and I wouldn't expect a problem even in dryer conditions. Much of Day 1 is dry, but otherwise we did not need replenish water on most of our chances to do so.

Low Temps? As expected, it's colder here than in surrounding areas. It was down to the upper 40's one night. Plant-life is weeks behind other mid-Atlantic areas.

Hammock camping? Yes! The camping areas have plenty of trees to hang from. Prepare for the cool nights. I was quite happy in a Hennessy Ultralight with half a Walmart blue pad under my torso and a down vest stretched under my legs.

Biting Insects? Basically none on our visit. Repellant did not leave the backpack.

Footwear? I made out ok in trail running shoes. Those with ankle concerns will want boots to account for the rocky terrain. A little more sole protection may have been nice for the same reason. Your shoes will get wet.

Travel by Motorcycle? FR75 has some rocks, but is no problem for any car with average clearance. My motorcycle is made for some light off-pavement riding and was fine. My friend was on a large Harley Duo-glide and had a little more challenge, but he made it without incident.

An exceptional trip. Thank you!

 

 

Name: DAVID M. WATTS                                                                                            Hike: Red Creek/Dunkenbarger Loop
Date: 6. - 20 to 21-2008                                                                                           Rating: 4.5

Critique: This is a wonderful loop hike that has just the right mix of everything. It seemed to be easier than I expected from the "difficult" rating but the description of the hike above is perfect and makes following the route easy. The campsite at Dunkenbarger run is one of the prettiest I have ever seen. Unfortunately I arrived at that site at 1:30 in the afternoon and decided to hike on to the finish. Please heed the ford information and I recommend a good set of Keen sandals for the crossing. Trekking poles are useful for this as well.

 

 

Name: MDRaven                                                                                                          Hike: Old Logger's Path
Date: 06-13 to 15-2008                                                                                             Rating: 4.5

Critique: We tackled this loop going clockwise from Masten. I'm convinced it may be a little easier to do this counterclockwise, but I'm still glad we did it the way we did, using Pleasant Stream as the first night campsite and Rock Run as the second. The scenery exceeded my expectations. The vistas were outstanding, accompanied by the blooming mountain laurel. Rock Run was spectacular. I could see where later in the summer this trail could get very dry. Other than Rock Run and Pleasant Stream, there wasn't much water flow. I thought the trail was very well-marked and easy to follow. The Trail Notes posted on this site were excellent. We saw a very large Scout group on the trail, but few others, even at Rock Run on Saturday night. Overall, I was impressed with The Logs and will consider doing it again someday.

 

 

Name: Blueridgetreks                                                                                               Hike: Austin Mt-Furnace Mt Loop
Date: 6/21/2008                                                                                                       Rating: 4

Critique: This is one tough hike full of rock slides, great views (especially at the end of the Furnace Mtn Spur Trail, don't miss it) and wild rock formations on Blackrock Mtn. Bring plenty of water on this trip during the summer as you'll need it especially going up Furnace Mtn Trail after crossing Madison Run. After reaching Blackrock Mtn, the rest of the trail on the AT back to Brown's Gap is fairly "flat", a nice reprieve after the climb up Furnace Mtn. Directions from this site were great, we started/ended at the Brown's Gap Parking area, close to MP83 on Skyline Drive.

 

 

Name: Tony Van Vugt                                                                                                Hike: Austin Mt-Furnace Mt Loop
Date: 6/21/2008                                                                                                        Rating: 5

Critique: The Austin/Furnace Mountains hike is a challenging day hike at over 13 miles. The Austin Mountain trail offers beautiful views to the south and peak of Furnace Mountain. There are also great vistas from the Furnace Mountain summit back towards Austin Mountain, as well as a panoramic view from the Blackrock area.

We did this hike a couple of weeks after MRHyker, and I strongly agree that doing this circuit counterclockwise is the best route.  And as MRHyker recommends, make sure to wear good sun protection, like a hat and sunscreen for the long hike up the exposed Furnace Mountain ridge. One last note: If you do this hike in the warmer summer months make sure to cover yourself with Deet. The trails are very grassy, and are covered in ticks.

 

 

Name: John                                                                                                                  Hike: Ramsey's Draft
Date: 06/21-22/08                                                                                                    Rating: 4

Critique: This was a fantastic hike, a little challenging for beginners, but a good experience nonetheless. We started hiking up the draft as suggested but ran into heavy rain with lightning on the last push to Hiner Spring Meadow. This dampened the spirits of my friends and the following day we decided to follow the same trail down instead of the longer ridge trail with promises of more elevation gains, so I cant comment on that part of the trail. We did meet other people at the meadow campsites that complained about the lack of reliable water sources and recommended stocking up before continuing. As far as the draft trail there were several patches of shoulder high poison ivy but luckily the water level was low making for very easy crossings (and the number of crossings gave us many opportunities to wash off). Look out for the cairns for crossings, as someone else mentioned, they are not always visible being obscured by growth. Most of the trail following the old graded road is bordered by stinging nettles and I would highly recommend pants for this segment. Following the washed out bridge the elevation gain is more consistent and the forests encroachment of the trail begins to become more evident with several off-trail excursions to find routes around fallen trees. All-in-all this is a great experience that reminded us of trails we had done on Washington's Olympic Peninsula with all the moss and growth. Highly recommended, I will return to Ramsey's Draft to complete the loop as soon as possible.

 

 

Name: shuntphl                                                                                                          Hike: Pole Steeple
Date: 6/21/2008                                                                                                       Rating: 4

Critique: Thanks for a very enjoyable day hike to around Pole Steeple! The first part to Pole Steeple was fairly strenuous due to the summer heat. I had some difficulties finding the black-blazed trail (blue?) up the mountain to the outlook. The view from Pole Steeple is magnificent. After a short snack, I was back on my feet, but where to go now? I looked at my GPS and thought to myself that this can't be right, because the way down on the other side of Pole Steeple went almost vertically down for about 300ft. After some debating, I made my way down (not easy with a 10lbs. pack) and was greeted by a fair amount of people who came up the short and easy 1m trail from Laurel Lake.

The remaining part of the loop was through a fairly populated area with log cabins and the YMCA camp until I hit the orange-blazed Buck Ridge Trail. The final red-blazed Koperhaven Trail is fairly level, but adventurous. I haven't crossed a creek over a log in a while and it took me about 5 minutes to find the courage to make an successful attempt. Again, fairly challenging with a day pack, but very, very enjoyable.

I went through a good 90oz of water on this summer day hike and proper hydration for this trip is mandatory. There is a fair amount of lakes, ponds and creeks to refill for those who don't want to carry a lot of water.

The directions were right on the spot. Thanks for a very enjoyable hike!

 

 

Name: Jonny                                                                                                               Hike: Black Forest trail North and South
Date: 6-19-08 to 6-20                                                                                               Rating: 5

Critique: This is a beautiful hike with many vistas. Many streams to cross, we did the entire BFT in 2 days. I parked just off rt44 at the county line start/end point. we started at noon on day 1 and decided to camp at the campsite on Slate Run, which was .77miles past the old quarry rd. We got their at 6:00pm very nice camp site, lots of pines.


Day 2 we left campsite at 10:30am. After crossing a forest rd climbing up to the top is the hardest climb, but it is the best overlook on the trip. plus we saw 2 rattlesnakes laying on the rocks on the edge. My friend was able to catch one and hold it. Perfect place to rest or eat lunch, just watch were you walk rattlesnakes blend in well up there. We got back to the truck at 5:15pm. I wouldn't recommend doing the entire loop in 2 days unless you're in good shape. It is a advanced trail.

 

Name: Jenna and Ben                                                                                               Hike: Big Schloss
Date: 06/07-08/2008                                                                                               Rating: 4.5

Critique: This was a great hike! We got a late start, started the hike around 3 on Saturday, but found a great place to camp overnight right before the first cabin. There was a perfect stream and we didn't see another sole until the next day, after a few hours of hiking. The laurel was perfect and the trail was varied, which kept things interesting.

This time of year was hot, but the forest, especially during the first 3/4 of the hike kept us cool.

There is plenty of water. Remember bug spray. Don't miss the Big Schloss turnoff. It is definitely worth it.

 

 

 

Name: Kirby Adams                                                                                                   Hike: South Prong Trail
Date: 06/03/2008                                                                                                     Rating: 5.0

Critique: This is my idea of a perfect day hike. We did it during a very wet season (and wet week) in the MNF, but found the creek crossings quite easy. I suppose the creek is just somewhat unpredictable. During our hike, there was actually a third crossing...the creek that goes through the Hidden Passage crosses the trail downstream. I imagine this is usually a step-across, but it was a get-your-feet-wet crossing on our hike.

If I had to find something negative, it would be the rockiness of the last couple miles. Good technique and good boots will prevent twisted ankles and soreness, but be ready to see a lot of rocks jutting out of the trail.

One other thing, after a lot of rain, consider a 4x4 on the forest road to the trailhead. There are some colossal potholes and rocky areas. Our Pontiac G6 didn't enjoy it - but at least it was a rental!

 

 

Name: Sarah Weammert                                                                                        Hike: Long Pond Backpack
Date: 5/24 - 5/25 2008                                                                                          Rating: 5

Critique: The scenery and challenge of this hike make it a wonderful option for a weekend outing. This trail is only 4.5 miles but it is challenging so don't underestimate the time it will take you to do it (on the way out we did it in right under 2 hours without stopping for pictures or breaks). On our leg out to the campsite we missed the right turn to stay on the Long Pond Trail and wound up hiking on the Pine Lick Trail for .5 miles before we realized our mistake at the footbridge. To avoid this, BEFORE the sign indicating the direction and distance to the C&O Canal locks turn right hugging the side of the hill and following a smaller tributary. The blazes will show up in a couple hundred feet and you'll begin climbing up the ridge. We crossed the stream and stood in front of the sign looking for the right hand turn and when we didn't see it we followed the trail behind the sign.

Upon reaching Long Pond we had to cross into the floodplain to find an unoccupied campsite. I wish I had some bug spray b/c I was bitten 67 times (but I attract biting insects, my boyfriend has about 8 bites). So if you can camp in the sites along the creek do so, the breeze will help with the bugs. To be safe, bring bug spray. This area had hydric soils and I recognized some wetland plants so prepare for the bugs.

The next day we did a day hike on the Long Pond Trail to lock 58 (4.5 miles one way). We hiked back, retrieved our hanging packs, and hiked the remainder of the trail to our car at the Long Pond trailhead. I had an excellent time on this trail. I will use it as a training hike for longer backpacking trips and enjoyed it as a weekend trip.

 

 

Name: Chris Bowers                                                                                                  Hike: Apple Orchard Falls/Cornelius Creek Loop
Date: 5/26/08                                                                                                            Rating: 4

Critique: Great directions and the trails are well marked. The Mountain Rhododendron were in full bloom with most located near Apple Orchard Falls. Great view of Apple Orchard Falls. If hiking during the summer, Cornelius Creek offers some great little swimming holes with small falls to sit under and relax.

 

 

Name: Ron                                                                                                                   Hike: Black Forest Trail North
Date: May 24-26/08                                                                                                  Rating: 5

Critique: Lead this hike for the Mountain Club of Maryland over the holiday weekend. The weather was perfect all 3 days and that prompted more folks to enjoy the woods. We were able to get the best campsite for night 1 which is an unmarked trail that leads about 1/4 mile downhill and is right beside the creek. There is room for about 8 tents here. The 2nd night we camped beside Foster Hollow and slept to the sounds of the peepers. This hike is not complete without stopping at the Waterville Hotel for burgers on the way home. Thank you Mike for maintaining such a valuable website!

 

 

Name: Brandon                                                                                                          Hike: Dolly Sods Wilderness BP
Date: 5/22/08 - 5/24/08                                                                                        Rating: 5

Critique: Stupendous scenery. Red Creek and all its tributaries are a delight. Tons of campsites. If you think you've found a good area, chances are if you explore around a few minutes you may even find a better site!

The plains on top were an interesting site this time of year - everything was still dead like it was winter. Still boggy as crap though.

The main downer is that I saw few animals - just some birds and 1 deer. Not even a squirrel to be found!

Only took 1 wrong turn - when ascending the Red Creek trail after fording it, when Rocky Point comes in from the left, the trail that seemingly continues to your right is some blown-out trail that takes you slowly to a nowhere place next to Red Creek. Just keep going up the Red Creek trail like the directions say.

Hope to go back again when things are greener! And when I don't have to ford Red Creek in sub-50 degree weather.

 

 

Name: Greg                                                                                                                 Hike: AT/Sunset Rocks
Date: May 4, 2008                                                                                                      Rating: 2

Critique: I had high hopes for this hike, but it was really rather dull. Drove out from the Philadelphia area for the hike, and could have found better options closer to home. I have hiked the opposite direction on the AT from the furnace stack on previous occasions, and found it enjoyable - especially the spur up to Pole Steeple. However, this hike is pretty boring for the first 4 miles or so - much of it is spent on private drives and paved roads. Once you get off the AT onto the blue blazed Sunset Rocks Trail, it gets a little more interesting, but traversing the rocks only takes 20 or 30 minutes. But the return trip doubles back on the AT -- and back to the same boring/sightless path you took in.

Even if this was in my own backyard, I probably wouldn't do this hike again. Maybe for someone who has never really hiked before, or maybe looking for a brief intro to scrambling, this would be enjoyable. But if you hit the trails more than once or twice a year, I don't think you will find this hike particularly rewarding.

 

 

 

Name: B. Gordon                                                                                                        Hike: AT-Mau-Har Trail Loop
Date: 5/10/2008                                                                                                        Rating: 5

Critique: As advertised, this is a very strenuous hike. We did it as an overnight, staying at the Harpers Creek Shelter area and were the only ones camping there. The creeks are really flowing right now so if you can break free soon get out and see them. From other reviews it seems that the creeks can turn to a trickle quickly as we get into the summer months and no rain. The trillium and rhododendron are blooming and were beautiful. Don't miss the yellow blazed side trail to see the waterfalls on Campbell Creek on the way up the Mau Har Trail, a worthwhile side trip. I highly recommend using trekking poles for this hike. An excellent hike and even better done over 2 days.

 

 

Name: dcmidnight                                                                                                      Hike: Bull Run Mountain
Date: 11 May 2008                                                                                                     Rating: 5

Critique: Beautiful hike. Rain has really washed a lot of the pollen/dust off of the trees and undergrowth and the scenery was really spectacular. Graveyards and ruins make really neat side features to this hike. High Point was really worth the trip. Saw 3 nesting hawks flying below us.

Only downside is all the rain has turned the first part of the trail before and after the boardwalk into a river. Literally. Boards have been sporadically placed in spots but be prepared to get wet. At a few places along the way the intense washout does make it hard to follow the trails. I'm sure this will go down eventually but for now its something to watch for. Also blowdowns in several areas that appear to have been cleaned up for the most part.

Second downside, two hikers we came across at High Point that brought their dogs on this hike. While the signs clearly denote no dogs I guess people have a hard time reading.

 

 

Name: Eric Cober                                                                                                       Hike: Dolly Sods Circumnavigation - mod 1
Date: 4/23/08 - 4/25/08                                                                                        Rating: 4.5

Critique: Went late April 2008 (23 - 25). Bumped into only one other hiking party mid-week, but several groups were on way in Friday afternoon. Trails in Dolly Sods North very well marked, with signed junctions and trail markers. Raven Ridge essentially dry, not really any good place to camp up there. Itinerary good for 3 days, but in Wilderness area trails rocky, wet, muddy. A nice rugged trip. Campsite first night at Red Creek off of Blackbird Knob trail nice. 2nd night at the Forks fabulous, but apt to be quite busy in season. Overall, rough terrain and poorly maintained trails; not for inexperienced backpackers.

 

 

 

Name: William Edwards                                                                                            Hike: Blackwater Falls SP/Canaan Mt. Loop
Date: 5/3/08                                                                                                              Rating: 3.5

Critique: This is a good day hike with some great scenery. It did not have quite as many vistas as I expected but there were some very nice natural features along the way.

There were a few blowdowns at the beginning of the Yellow Birch Trail but they were easily negotiated as this trail is mostly through mature woods with plenty of open space. The trail does twist and turn quite a bit here so you have to keep a vigilant eye out for the yellow blazes.

We chose to bypass the stables and cross Engine Run on the bridge. Don't get too used to bridges however as you will do a lot of small stream and boggy area crossings by rock hopping. This was one of the wettest hikes I have been on and as far as I know they had not had an unusual amount of rain. Just choose the proper footwear and don't expect to stay pristine and there will be no problems.

 

We stopped at the Davis shelter for our first snack break. It is located at the intersection of the Davis/Allegheny and Plantation trails. For anyone that is directionally challenged I would advise them to make sure they use the same trail to enter/exit the shelter as there are trails leading to both the Davis/Allegheny and the Plantation trail from the shelter so it could be easy to assume you had re-entered the same trail you just left and actually be on the other one.

The Plantation trail was also very wet and has limited views. Most of it is a tunnel of rhododendrons and would be absolutely gorgeous if they were in bloom but unfortunately we were a bit early for that.

When we arrived at the Plantation/Lindy intersection we were greeted by a fresh-looking sign that warns that the forest service no longer maintains the section of Lindy Trail that you need to take north to CLR13. We did not have any trouble but depending on how much travel this section gets from here on out this could be a potential trouble spot and some bushwhacking or an alternate route may be required. It looked like the trail was still being utilized by mountain bikes so if they continue using it they will probably cut back the brush themselves.

The absolute best part of this loop is Lindy Point. You should plan on taking a long break here to enjoy the views.

I think it took us about 5 hours to complete the loop but we were in no hurry and this was my wife's first hike of that length carrying a day pack. Thanks MRHyker for this hike!

 

Name: Rahul Gundala                                                                                              Hike: Overall Run Hike
Date: 05/03/2008                                                                                                   Rating: 5

Critique: We went on this hike on a beautiful spring Saturday and everything was wonderful. We did the shorter version of it(6.4mi) and it was a good workout. We started on the AT at the end of the parking lot next to the Hogback Overlook and took a right onto Overall Run/Tuscarora trail and followed it all the way to the waterfalls. As it rained before there was plenty of water. The whole hike was beautiful. While going it was downwards but coming back was strenuous as it requires a lot of climbing. We started our hike around 1:30 and were back in the parking lot around 6:00. We met several other people on the way and at the waterfalls. No wild life during the hike but on our way back saw some deer. Overall this was a good hike to start the season with.

 

Name: B. Failon                                                                                                          Hike: Trayfoot Mt/Paine Run Loop
Date: 4/27/2008                                                                                                        Rating: 5

Critique: Directions were excellent, as written. It should be noted that the Paine Run Trail is yellow-blazed (equestrian). I saw 5 guys on horseback descending as I was ascending the last 0.86 miles back to the parking area. Views were, unfortunately, not as spectacular as those pictured due to limited visibility (clouds/fog). I did this hike solo in 4 hours, but allotting 5 is probably better. I saw a black bear jump out of a tree and cross the trail in front of me (40 yards?) and lumber down the right side of the mountain as I was just south of the Trayfoot Mt. summit --- definitely a highlight! Fresh scat on the trail had my senses on alert about 10 seconds before I saw the bear, though it clearly saw/heard me first. Paine Run was really running and was a bit of a wade, rather than a rock hop, due to recent rainfall. This is now one of my personal favorites.

 

 

Name: bassman                                                                                                          Hike: Hogback Mt
Date: 4/27/08                                                                                                             Rating: 5

Critique: Hiked this on a very foggy Sunday morning. Hiked "Loop A" the shorter of the hikes. Beautiful area, nice hike. Even with the fog generally obscuring our views, we found this to still be a beautiful hike. Will definitely do it again on a clearer day to enjoy the breathtaking vistas seen in the photos.

 

 

Name: Rich                                                                                                                   Hike: Dolly Sods Circumnavigation
Date: 4/16/08 - 4/18/08                                                                                         Rating: 5

Critique: Two friends and I did this hike last week. We had it planned out a month in advance and couldn't have asked for any better weather. There wasn't a cloud in the sky for the 3 days we were there. It had snowed up there a couple of nights before we got there and saw some snow still left in the shadows of trees. The first night got to about 25 degrees. We had a fire going and decided since it was such a clear sky we would sleep by the fire instead of in our tents. We had our sleeping bags layed out by the fire and was getting ready to go to sleep and then we here a pack of wild dogs barking about 100 yards away. I think they had a turkey treed because I heard the turkey just before them. They barked all night long. A couple of times I woke up to put more wood on the fire and noticed that my sleeping bag had frost on it. Every day we saw at least half a dozen deer. The last day out we did get to see some turkeys. This was my second trip here and I love it. BUT I want to let people know that to our surprise someone had busted out my window in my car and stole my cell phone and sunglasses. They didn't take my wallet because I think the alarm scared them off. Kind of a bad ending to an awesome hike.

 

 

Name: Matt Zimmerman                                                                                        Hike: Catoctin Mountain Loop
Date: 3/28/08                                                                                                          Rating: 4

Critique: Trail was in good condition although without markings you do need to pay closer attention to see the signs and intersections. Moderate rating for this hike is spot on. There were no extreme sections that we encountered and the vista we saw at Chimney Rock was beautiful. I couldn't really find the vista at Wolf Rock but the rock structures there were amazing with 1-2ft wide cracks that dropped 20-30ft; careful! After Wolf Rock we looped back on the side trails back to the Visitor Center.

A quick heads up about the park, I went with my wife and another couple and we had decided to tent somewhere in the park that night. There is no tenting along the trails and the camp sites were closed for the winter I guess. The only place we could stay were in the Adirondack shelters (3-sided wooden building with a roof, require registration but free). These are located in the furthermost north western part of the park along the horse trail. Let's just say they weren't as comfortable as the ground and not near as warm as a tent. (It got below freezing while we were out there.)

 

 

Name: Brandon Wu                                                                                                     Hike: Ramsey's Draft
Date: 3/29-30/2008                                                                                                   Rating: 4

Critique: It was a cold weekend to do a hike with lots of wet stream crossings, but I had a great time with a couple friends doing this trip as described, except we camped at Hardscrabble Knob instead of Hiner Spring. There was one other group hiking in the area, but after passing them near the beginning of the Ramsey's Draft trail we didn't see another soul all weekend.

Saturday took longer than the mileage would indicate because of all the crossings, only about half of which were rock-hoppable or otherwise dry. Also, Ramsey's Draft Trail itself is pretty poorly maintained at this point, with lots of dead trees requiring fancy footwork or off-trail excursions. The trail was difficult to follow in a couple places, but we didn't have any major problems. Until we got to Hiner Spring that is, where we lost the trail completely. After wandering around the campsites (which btw are as beautiful as advertised) for a while, we just struck out in the right direction to meet up with the trail up to Hardscrabble Knob and eventually found it.

There are some nice campsites near the knob, though nothing like the Hiner Spring sites. The knob itself offered a nice view, though only a small section of it was unobstructed. The temperature dropped to the low 20s and it sleeted on us Sunday morning, but the hike on Sunday was really easy, no stream crossings and almost totally flat.

The forest was kind of sad to walk through, especially the Saturday section (Sunday's hike seemed to go through more evergreen areas that are still doing fine). There are so many totally devastated parts, though there is new growth cropping up everywhere (in some cases encroaching on the trail). I can't really imagine what it must have looked like 10 years ago.

Some photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandonwu/sets/72157604323927591/

 

 

Name: Mike Hamilton                                                                                                Hike: Roaring Plains Base Camp/Day Hike
Date: March 29, 2008                                                                                                Rating: 5

Critique: Great day! No clouds and about 40 deg. Saw only a couple of patches of snow along the shaded areas of the Pipeline swath. A little bit of water on the trail leading to the "basecamp", and then quite a bit along the pipeline from the Eastern edge to the hill leading up to the microwave tower. Coming in, I turned off the main trail at the "basecamp", and proceeded towards the Hidden Entrance as I had successfully done once last summer, but at the time had to turn back before making the pipeline due to a less than enthusiastic hiking partner. This time, with a more willing companion, we made it to the pipeline, but I confess I was all over the place between the "basecamp", and the pipeline. The trail became REALLY obscure! I was semi-lost, but new I'd eventually get to the pipeline as I could always see the ridge across the valley to the East. My cheap Garmin lost satelite reception enough that I didn't count on it to get me back the same way, so we took the pipeline to the forest road back to the car. Interesting to see a lot of scat along the pipeline with hair mixed in, and even a bit of what appeared to be chards of bone. I assume it was from some kind of cat, larger than a domestic cat. Saw no one else. The gate at FR75 was still closed. The forest service roads right now are the worst I've seen them, looking like the military practiced bombing runs, and much erosion. Plan to get a front end alignment after this trip if you get up there before any maintenance is done on those roads!

 

 

Name: Jim Kirk                                                                                                         Hike: Cranberry Wilderness BP (Modified)
Date: 7/06                                                                                                                Rating: 5

Critique: It had been nearly 20 years since I had hiked this.

North Fork had changed a LOT. Even more than after the 85 floods.

The liming station was a shock too.

Tumbling Rock was a chore in July especially since it was wet and a lot of trees were down near the top but it's probably the prettiest part of the hike. The place where the trail crosses the creek is super pretty and serene.

Started in the afternoon and camped maybe a mile above the liming station. Camped at Hell for Certain the next night and then walked out the next morning on Middle Fork.

Is there anyplace as pretty as Cranberry in the morning? The sunlight cutting thru the mist and trees.

 

 

Name: Andrew                                                                                                            Hike: Old Rag
Date: 12/31/2005                                                                                                     Rating: 5

Critique: Came up here with my wife and brother, camped up at the camp line making the loop backwards. Then hiked up to the top to drink a bottle of champagne at midnight on NYE. It was clear and beautiful up there at night. The wind was blowing like crazy.

 

Name: Tony                                                                                                                 Hike: Neighbor Mountain-Jeremy's Run
Date: 3/15/2008                                                                                                        Rating: 4

 

Critique: Beautiful hike! I agree with Midatlantichikes.com that doing the hike clockwise, and upstream on Jeremy's Run, is more scenic and probably safer. There are also many nice pools along the run, with a great campsite at the top of a set of falls 0.6 miles upstream from the Neighbor Mountain Trail intersection. Make sure to put this hike on your list!

 

 

 

Name: Kyle Henson                                                                                                   Hike: Trout Run Circumnavigation
Date: 3/5-3/6-2007                                                                                                 Rating: 4

Critique: We started this hike intending to do the full 27 mile loop but because of time restraints we had to cut it short.
We hiked as described here but did a few things differently. We hiked the first day into Halfmoon Run making the first day 9 miles. We felt the camping was much better there and we did not have to walk 1 mile to water (the case if you stay at Pond Run night 1). We decided to turn around and backtrack from there on day 2 and check out some side trails (Halfmoon and the locked cabin area). We arrived night 2 at a very nice camp spot off the trail at Sandstone Spring and set up camp and collected enough firewood to burn for 3 days. Temps were dipping into the mid 20's that night and the night before. As we were collecting wood we noticed a fresh, yes, fresh, pile of bear dung. Then we found another...and another...and another...and another...and another...about a dozen of them and all within 25-50 yards of our campsite--literally forming a circle around our site. Then about 100 yards into the woods we discovered what we believe is a Bear Den. It was comical. So comical we decided to pack up and do some night hiking--something I have wanted to do anyway. Had great views of some city lights on top of the ridge. 4.5 miles later we were at our car and drove back to Delaware. The next person to camp there will be greeted with great firewood.
All in all a great trail. Great views. I would call it easy-moderate in difficulty unless doing all 27 miles then moderate. Had great daytime weather in the 50s but night temps were very cold.

Maps and description were perfect. Thanks!

Oh, one other thing. As we were descending Big Schloss about 1 mile from the car at 930pm we were greeted by 7 teenagers hauling 2-3 sleeping bags, a cooler, and a few 12 packs up the mountain to sleep at the top of the ridge. As far as we could tell they did not have any gear for sleeping in 20 deg temps. Add alcohol to their systems and I guarantee someone was crying all the way down that mountain at 2am...ha-ha, we had a good laugh at that.

 

Name: Cory                                                                                                                Hike: Difficult Run Loop
Date: 03/09/2008                                                                                                    Rating: 3

Critique: Well it's been almost 7 months since I could hike so I decided to start again where I started back in August when I first decided to hike again. The winter has had some hard effects on the trail system with some foliage being down on and around the River Trail and the Swamp Trail being hard to follow. It was cold but nice out though so it wasn't too bad of a hike. Someone has went along the River Trail and marked it with a teal (sort of a green/blue) colored blaze so it's no longer "blue" like in the trail notes.

Name: ejmcclary                                                                                                        Hike: Oregon Ridge
Date: 3/2/08                                                                                                               Rating: 3

Critique: Thanks a lot for the great directions; they got me through this trail perfectly in an hour and a half - first time I've ever been to this place. The most confusing part to me was at the first gas pipeline swath where we cross it, I wasn't sure to go left or right. Go right and then walk straight till you get to the white blazed Short Cut Trail.

The side trail to the lunch spot is not required since you can get there by staying on the yellow path; however the side path definitely gives more challenge as it is a scramble downward towards the end.

You will also be required to cross the stream about 4 times, but they are all very easy crossing over rock. Be prepared to get wet just in-case you fall in for those cold days. This is a very beautiful trail with lots of water, ponds and trees, by far one of my more favorite very close by parks.

When I got there the handrail and the two logs towards the end were very sturdy and showed no signs of significant structural damage. I couldn't get a crack out of them no matter how much I hopped...

Name: Nicholas                                                                                                          Hike: AT/Mau-Har Loop
Date: 2/16-17/08                                                                                                      Rating: 4.5

Critique: Great hike, tremendous overlooks, always going either up or down. About half hour into the hike, while resting on a large boulder, we were lucky enough to see a doe and fawn come into view and then (mistakenly on their part) nearly run straight into us as they sensed our presence, getting to within about 7 yards before veering off course and into the woods.

There was good water at Maupin Fields shelter - we started very light on water to conserve the weight for a bit, and then filled up there. Campbell Creek was running strongly. Continued on the AT after Maupin Fields, and the trail climbed almost continually, with a few flat spots, up to the summit of Three Ridges. With the leaves gone, the views were excellent along the way. Before the summit, we saw a print from a large cat of some type, probably close to three inches long from heel to tip of the claws, but we never saw the print's owner.

After the summit came the most difficult part of the day in the switchbacks. The problem was that on large sections of the trail, there were thick beds of leaves sometimes covering the trail up to a foot and a half deep. They were very slippery, and covered up some pretty big rocks. You almost had to shuffle your feet as you went through. Also, this section of the trail was a bit difficult to follow because it was invisible beneath the leaves and there were not many blazes from the summit south to Harper's Creek.

Harper's Creek Shelter is in great shape. The creek was flowing strongly. The only drawback was there was no firewood around, so rather than two hours of gathering wood and carrying it some distance, we went without a fire.

The Mau-Har was the most difficult aspect of the loop. There were a number of major tree falls which completely blocked the trail. Tree falls by Campbell Creek required some difficult detours, one of which consisting of not-too difficult rock climbing. Once the trail moved away from the water, it got easier.

Hike would have been a 5 if not for the tree falls which added unnecessary difficulty to an already difficult hike.

Name: Galen                                                                                                                Hike: Mt. Pleasant loop
Date: 2-9-08                                                                                                                Rating: 2.5

Critique: Did this one on an abnormally nice February day. Drove 3+ hours to get out of my normal hiking area. (closer to DC) After seeing the photos and hearing about how great it is, I was looking forward to this one.

We accidentally started off going counter-clockwise on the Lanum trail, which was really confusing. It was fine though, it all goes to the same place and is a well-maintained trail. Definitely not too tough on the legs but it's no walk in the park. The climb up to Mt. Pleasant is a little rougher and has some neat vegetation changes on the switchbacks. The west vista is really nice. I can't imagine you'd get a much better view from anywhere else. And the campsites at the top must be the best around, just steps away from the summit view. Never got to see the east vista because someone was hogging the rocks with their UNLEASHED dogs. (I have two dogs on leashes.) Heading back along Pompey Mountain and back to the car, there's not much to see. The terrain is your standard tree-shrouded mountain with a few tiny streams here and there. It's a fine walk in the woods but I wouldn't call it a classic.

NOTE: Thanks to the trail maintenance folks who were doing their thing that day. We appreciate your work. Also, I have to say that the road to the trailhead can get a little rough for some cars.

Name: Matt Zimmerman                                                                                           Hike: C&O Canal/Long Pond Shuttle
Date: 01/31/08-02/01/08                                                                                       Rating: 4

Critique: First time to Green Ridge State Park. We did this as a backpacking trip. First day was absolutely beautiful but the night and second day was filled with sleet and rain. The water was high so the second day walking across the creeks was very difficult. We missed the turn onto the Pine Lick trail so we crossed the creek 10+ more times than we had to... I fell in, it was cold...
Very challenging in the conditions, had a lot of fun. Thanks very much for this site!

Name: AuzzieHiker                                                                                                    Hike: Wildcat Mountain
Date: 1/26/08                                                                                                            Rating: 3

Critique: This is a beautiful little hike close to the metro Washington area. Where most of the other well known hikes can be crowded with people on the on nicer days, it is possible to have this place all to yourself. The trails and fire roads are a virtual labyrinth, offering a different hiking experience each time you visit.

Name: Terri G.                                                                                                           &n