|
Recent Outing Critiques
Name: José Calvo
Hike:
Old Rag
Date: 7/6/09
Rating: 4
Old
rag is an old favorite and I recently re-did the hike - it did not
disappoint. I would highly recommend getting there early OR LATE to
avoid the crunch in the upper parking lot. That might be the one
downside - the hike is so popular that you're unlikely to have your
own space or silence for long. The plus is lots of friendly faces or
commiseration if you're into that sort of thing.
Old rag remains unique for combining a difficult hike with some very
unusual rock formations that require scrabbling and even upper body
strength to lob your limbs up cracks and across a sheer cliff-like
face here and there. I would not do this hike alone unless you are
able to lift your body weight on your hands & arms (think push ups
or better yet "dips)." The rocks make this a really fun hike.
In the summer most of this hike is in the shade, but of course the
top 1/4 mile or so will expose you to a lot of sun.
Great views along the way so if you need an excuse to stop and pant,
you'll get them.
Biggest downside might be how long that fire road seems at the end.
It's easy to do, but by the time you get to it realizing you have
over 2 miles to go, and go, and go is just painfully dull.
J
PS
thank you for the fantastic web site - I've been neglecting hiking
for many months, but your site (still bookmarked in my browser)
makes it really easy to scope out the old haunts.

Name: José Calvo
Hike:
Old Rag
Date: 7/6/09
Rating: 5
Critique: Hey! Hey!! HEY!!! This isn't really a critique so much as
an alert - your driving directions are wrong! The google maps link
works fine, but if you follow the route it sends you on you cannot
get to old rag at all. In fact, it's been wrong so long that some
VERY NICE PERSON put up their own homemade wooden sign at the turn
that says "Google maps is wrong!" and gives directions that will get
you to old rag.
So - yes loved the hike as everyone does, done it many times, but
please update your site to give directions NOT GOOGLE MAPS :)
Thank you!
MRHyker Note: More
detailed directions are in the Trail Notes. A suggestion to use them
are now noted after the Google Map Directions.

Name: Josh
Hike:
Little Devil's Staircase
Date: 7/5/09
Rating: 5
Critique: This is my absolute favorite hike in Shenandoah National
Park. Though you don't get the views that Old Rag or Hawksbill
Summit offer, you get an enjoyable hike, a bit strenuous at times,
with an active stream. The pools of water are populated by several
species of salamanders, frogs and snakes, so enjoy looking under
rocks. You will likely pass other hikers on the trail, but it will
be quiet for the majority of your time. Wear sturdy shoes, as the
rocks on the 'Devil's Staircase' are often slippery/slimy from the
stream and can result in tumbles. My six and eight year-old
completed the hike today (5.4 miles), so take your kids!

Name: C Griffin
Hike:
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Date: 06/27/09
Rating: 4.5
Critique: I extended the trail somewhat since we were going to
have 4 days there. We did Red creek - Little StoneCoal -
Dunkenbarger - Big StoneCoal - Blackbird Knob - Red Creek -
Rocky Point - Big StoneCoal - Red Creek. Hands down the most
diverse and beautiful scenery I have ever seen. The stream
crossing on Dunkenbarger looked more like a Botanical Garden
than wilderness! We camped there our first night. We found a
nice campsite in a pine forest north of the creek crossing on
BlackBird Knob. We put in a long day on day 3 to see Lion's Head
which did not disappoint. We spent the night on a nice open area
along the junction of Big Stonecoal and red creek our last
night.
Tips - Make sure you wear comfortable shoes/boots. The rocky
trails are no joke and can make the hike unpleasant if you are
not careful. There were signs of bears, make sure you are
prepared to hang your food, etc. Try to avoid filtering water on
the stream/creek at Blackbird Knob - the iron content is so high
that it pretty much ruined a brand new filter. I wouldn't bring
kids on this adventure, I have a 7 year old that I normally take
with me. Glad I didn't on this one, some of the trails are a
little to physically demanding I think.
The only reason I will not give it a 5 out of 5 at this point is
because I am sure there is a true 5 out there that I have not
been able to visit yet.
Thank you Mr. Hyker for all of the good info. It made navigation
very easy. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone
looking for a nice mixture of solitude and scenery!

Name: Steven
Powers
Hike:
Cat Rock Circuit
Date: 6/27/2009
Rating: 4
Critique: Definitely a great hike... Not Old Rag great... but
still great.
The only critique I have about this is that the first leg of the
hike (Fisherman's Path) is a little vague, hard to find, and not
an official maintained trail.
Better directions would be to simply follow the stream or the
road to the cat rock trail head.
The fisherman's path itself is overgrown in most areas and
impossible to follow.
Another problem I had in following these directions was that the
gravel path that was supposedly near the falls is no longer
there. Its all boardwalk now a days. If you do follow the only
existing gravel path you will end up at the lake... which is not
where your supposed to go.
Do watch out for snakes... I saw 3 (1 rattler) within the first
2 miles.

Name: Jimmy
Bair
Hike:
Dolly Sods circumnavigation Mod 1 (sort of)
Date: June 5-7, 2009
Rating: 4
Critique: My 12yo son and I set out to complete this walk the
first weekend after school let out for the summer. Little did I
know that the days leading up to our hike would bring heavy rain
to the sods. On Friday morning we drove up the fire road in
driving rain and fog. We delayed our hike until the afternoon
which was only slightly better with steady mist and visibility
of about 20 yards.
As we moved off the fire road we found the trail nearly
impassable about 200 yards in. after an hour detour around
several run-offs, we came upon the trail and followed it up the
ridge. The trail condition improved and we rambled on to the
intersection of Bear Rocks Trail and Dobbin Glade Trial.
We took a break since the rain and mist kind of stopped. We
could hear Red Creek off in the distace, but visibility hadn't
improved so we didn't know what lay ahead.
We found Red Creek to be rushing over its banks. The stepping
stones marking the trail lay 3 or 4 feet below the rushing
water. After checking up and down stream with no luck finding a
better ford, we decided to head down Dobbin Grade trail to see
what we would find.
Dobbin Grade trail was impassable about a quarter mile from Bear
Rocks Trail.
We decided to head back to Bear Rocks Trail, turn right head up
to the ridge and find a camp. We settled in and sacked out in
the fog.
The next morning we awoke to brilliant clear skies and perfect
temperatures. We headed down the trail to find Red creek
passable and set off for Rocky Ridge. the scenery and weather
were beautiful. After lunching at the rocks on the ridge we
decided to stay on the ridge for the evening. We made camp at a
very cool campsite below a giant boulder about five minute walk
before the trail takes you over the boulder hop. We spent the
rest of the day exploring the ridge. We hiked down to the
intersection with the Dobbin Grade Trail, then back to the ridge
for dinner.
Sunday morning dawned just as beautifully as Saturday. We took
our time backtracking over the last two days' hike and returned
to our car by 1pm.
This is a beautiful hike, and even though the weather thwarted
our attempt at circumnavigation, we had a wonderful time. We
will surely be back.
I found the trail conditions to be just what we expected. One
observation (criticism?) I have is the seemingly lack of
forethought to trail signage. I have no problem with the lack of
signs, (We wanted to go to the NF to practice our navigation)
but I don't understand why areas like the glades going up Raven
Ridge Trail where you can easily identify the trail from a half
mile away are heavily signed, but when going through Spruce
groves where you can't easily identify the correct trails aren't
signed at all.
Thanks to Mr. Hyker for the advice and a great website!]

Name: Strawman
Hike:
Hogback Mountain/Knob Mountain Loop
Date: 6/27/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Did the 10.3 mile loop version of this hike on a
beautiful June day. The hike was quite nice, with some great
overlook views. Also plenty of wildlife to watch, including a
rattlesnake sunning itself on the Keyser Fire Road, and a black
bear with her two cubs between Elkwallow and Matthews Arm. The
only downside of the trail was its frequent proximity to Skyline
Drive, and the associated noise. Overall a very nice hike that I
would do again.

Name: Brandon
Hike:
Grayson Highlands - 2
Date: 5/29/2009
Rating: 5
Critique: I did this the Friday after Memorial Day. I was
planning on making it a 2-3 day excursion earlier in the week,
but all it did was rain and I really didn't want to deal with
it. So Friday's forecast was non-rainy, so I did this simply as
a dayhike.
I did the route described, except I also hiked out to the top of
Mt. Rogers, and I did this counter-clockwise. So it was 15-16
miles. Thankfully the elevation change was never anything crazy
- I never needed to stop for a break, just for the many many
photo ops.
I'd say the most "boring" area was Little Wilson Creek
Wilderness - just a walk in the woods. Don't shortcut it though,
because north of it is Stone Mountain and the best
landscape/views of the hike.
Sadly the rhododendrons were still prepping when I was there, as
I didn't see any blooms. The ponies didn't disappoint though! On
this day, they were pretty much all around the Wilburn Ridge and
Thomas Knob shelter areas. I'm not sure how many hikes feature
the sounds of a hiker begging a pony to stop chewing on his
tent.

Name: Rob
Hike:
Old Rag Mountain
Date: 6-21-09
Rating: 5
Critique: I have lived in Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho. While
this may not have the solitude of a hike into the southern
entrance of Yellowstone Park, it was one of the best hikes I
ever had east of the Mississippi.
I went by myself and got there at 1pm on a Sunday. This was a
perfect time and I was able to park in the upper lot.
The trail up to the scramble is a consistent incline and very
easy. The rock scramble was awesome and much more impressive in
person than described anywhere I have read.
However, I was not able to complete the circuit and I got rock
jammed at the minor summit. I spent 20 minutes trying to figure
out how to get through a crevice/fissure that was narrow, tight,
and slick on the sides. I tried over and over to put my back
against one side and use my feet to push up against the other
side to no avail. I was so pissed as I wanted to get to the top
badly. I did not run into anyone while struggling so I am not
sure if I was lost or what though the blue blazes were all over
the walls of this thing. So I turned around and went back.
Despite not summiting, I still enjoyed the trek!

Name: Jason
Hike:
Rocky Mount
Date: 6/17/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Definetly a strenous day hike but the two major climbs
are spaced out nicely, so you don't get too worn down. Hike to
the peak on Rocky Mount is the most strenous section, but views
from the cliffs at the top are great. If you parked at Two Mile
Overlook you can even see your car from one of the cliffs.
Hike down Rocky Mount into Gap Run is very non descript but the
Gap Run tributary is a nice reward. The tributary is an idyllic
oasis after coming down the rocky slopes of Rocky Mount. Trail
was muddy at times in the Gap Run area and while initial
crossing of Gap Run could result in some wet feet if the water
is high, other crossings you can almost jump over.
Stopped for lunch near Gap Run and had a black bear come up
within 25 feet of us. I'm not sure if it noticed us, if it did
it cleary was not interested.
Hiked this on a beautiful Friday and saw one other hiker the
whole day, so expect isolation, as this hike is only for those
looking for a hardy day hike. There are a couple nice camping
spots in the Gap Run area so this would make a nice short
backpack as well. One other thing, hike this is the direction
stated on the website. The hike up Rocky Mount the other way
seems brutally steep.

Name: Dave &
Tina
Hike:
Cold Mountain Loop
Date: 06-20-09
Rating: 4.5
Critique: This is a great hike. Not too hard not too easy. Great
views. The only thing is the whole accessibility issue. The
roads to get to the trail head are horrible especially if you
have a low car. Must enter/exit from the west end of Wiggins
Springs Road, else you will get stuck or on a dead end!!

Name: Matt Janes
Hike:
Kelly's Run-Pinnacle Overlook
Date: 6/19/09
Rating: 5
Critique: Awesome hike! The views of Lake Aldred and Kelly's Run
were great. I did this hike a day after some rain, which made the
hike up the Connestoga Tr., and crossing Kelly's Run, a little
precarious. My suggestion would be do this hike at least 2 or 3 days
after rain, so the rocks have time to dry. I managed it alright
regardless, but a less experienced person may have problems. The
only down point was the short stint on the Pinnacle Tr.; which was
very thorny as it mentions in the notes. Overall, I think this was
the most beautiful hike I've done this season!

Name:
Matt Janes
Hike:
Susquehanna State Park
Date: 6/6/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Great circuit. The info on the trail notes was very much
needed at some of the more confusing parts. The giant beech tree,
and oak tree were awesome! I took my time talking to people, and
taking pictures; and still completed this in about 5 hours. Thanks
for all the info!

Name: Mark
Hike:
Rohrbaugh Plains/Dolly Sods Shuttle
Date: 6/13-14/2009
Rating: 5
Critique: We made roughly the same hike as the other reviewer,
making this hike into a 2-day loop hike by camping at the un-named
overlook. This is great hike as an introduction to Dolly Sods and
backpacking, as we took my brother-in-law for his first trip out. I
think the climb up Fisher Spring wiped him out, but the view made up
for it. Plus we met some fellow campers at the Fisher Spring
trailhead and they gave us a lift back to my truck at the Blackbird
Knob trailhead. I didn't use the GPS on this one as we have hiked
almost all these trails before, so I was familiar with the
intersections. The overlook was spectacular as usual, we watched it
rain all around us Saturday evening but never felt a drop. The only
disappointment was I wish there was a trail connecting Fisher Spring
to Blackbird Knob on the east side of red creek so road hiking
wouldn't be necessary, but I guess getting a lift makes that easier.
After the hike we had another great pizza dinner at Sirianni's Cafe
in Davis.

Name: Vern
Hike:
Catoctin Mountain Loop
Date: 6/13/09
Rating: 4
Critique: I also did the 8.5 mile walk advertised on the NPS web site.
The route is basically the same, with the exception of the walk along
the stream and Route 77.
I set out early in the morning, and for a few hours, I had the park to
myself. Until I reached the trail that leads up to the falls, other
hikers were very few and far between. Basically, I ran into people at
each vista, and of course there was a mob scene at the falls.
Of all of the vistas, Hog Rock was the best view in my opinion. Chimney
Rocks had the most interesting rock formations. Be careful not to drop
your glasses at Wolf Rock. Some of those crevices are very deep. Lucky
mine ended up in one that was only two feet deep, but others looked like
they might be more then twenty feet.
This was a very pleasant hike, and the moderate rating is right on.
There are a very few areas that might be called strenuous, particularly
when the moss-covered rocks are wet. My guess is that this will be a
beautiful hike in the fall, when the leaves are changing colors.
Catoctin is a beautiful park and is well worth the trip.

Name: Anne
Hike:
Kelly's Run- Pinnacle Overlook
Date: 6/13/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Great hike!
Some areas were poorly blazed, which made things confusing, and the
cornfield is now filled with wheat, but it was certainly a fun day-hike.

Name: Susan Neill
Hike: Buck Hollow-Buck Ridge
Loop
Date: 6/13/09
Rating: 3.5
Critique: This is an interesting trail, but doesn't have as much variety
that I like, so I'm giving it a rating of 3.5. The descent into Buck
Hollow is a bit steep (though nothing like what's to come). The site is
humid/moist and there are lots of beautiful old tulip poplar and some
white oak, among many other hardwoods. The place had a tropical feel to
it. The day was not hot but very muggy and buggy, which obviously added
to the atmosphere. As I walked, I wished the trail got closer to the
run, which is close enough for pictures but a ways off until about mile
2.8, where the trail crosses a wide section of the stream. Human traffic
along the descent was a bit heavy for my liking.
The ascent up Buck Ridge: I'm really a novice hiker (I don't even have a
walking stick yet) and this was the most strenous trail I've been on.
There are terraced steps for about a third, which help. Eventually,
though, the steps end and the trail's surface becomes very rockier and
the slope steeper. I'm probably exaggerating but it felt like a 60
degree angle. The sloap does become more gradual but the trail goes up
and down until the end. The ridge is pretty (but no full views) and the
trail winds in and out of boulder fields among a lot of mt. laurel. In a
less rocky section, a bear crossed the trail behind me. The trail
eventually narrows a lot. Lots of berry shrubs along here; bear food
when they ripen.

Name: Mark
Hike:
Dolly Sods North BP
Date: 5/24-25/09
Rating: 5
Critique: This hike made me realize how out of shape I am coming
out of winter, but my burning legs couldn't dampen my spirits on
this beautiful hike. Absolutely outstanding. Dolly Sods is like
no other area in the Mid-Atlantic, and this hike really shows
it. The only disappointment was at Harmon Knob where we noticed
a larger than normal group of people and a bench. Upon walking
down to the overlook we found a road and trail just below;
somewhat disheartening after hiking in roughly 6 miles the hard
way. The campsite area was very nice, with 4 nice sites and
several other spots you could stay if it filled up. We will
definitely make this trip again.

Name: Ryan Culloty
Hike:
Catoctin Mountain Loop
Date: 6/6/2009
Rating: 4
Critique: I did the 8.5 mile hike starting at the visitor's
center and heading north on the trail in lieu of walking along
the road/stream. This is the map:
http://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/upload/8mileL.pdf
I found the hike to be strenuous at times and the trail somewhat
rocky, but a very enjoyable experience. Most of the vistas had
poor visibility due to trees blocking the view - I suggest
visiting in the winter after all the leaves have fallen.

Name: Peter
Hike:
Laurel Run - Falls Ridge
Date: 06/08/09
Rating: 4
Critique: After parking, Falls Run (little stream) is to the right
of the single family home located at the end of the road. There is a
trail to the left of the single family home which is not where you
want to go.
Beyond that, follow the provided directions and enjoy your outing.
If you plan to backpack and camp, the last water stop, that is easy
to access on the route, is just before the small pond (could be dry
in late summer?). It's a little spring next to the trail. We filled
up before the spring near the recommended break-point. After the
break the trail climbs away from Laurel Run to SR691.
Have fun, great hike.
Thanks Mike

Name: Garrett Socling
Hike:
Black Forest Trail - Southern Loop
Date: 6/6/09 - 6/7/09
Rating: 5
Critique: Enjoyed every portion of this hike. We did it in two days,
13 miles from parking to Little Slate Run on day one, 11 miles from
Little Slate Run back to the parking on day two.
The weather was perfect if just a tad warm at around 80'F down in
the valley bottom. Thankfully a little cooler up top!
Only wildlife we saw was two turkeys we scared out of trees at
various points, and one rattlesnake that we scared off the trail on
day two.
I took extensive photos to enhance the guide and the Black Forest
Trail - South description.
Photos can be viewed here.
The new management of The Waterville Tavern and the poor ambiance at
the Pine Creek Lodge chased us down into Jersey Shore. We highly
recommend The Tiadaghton Inn in Jersey Shore for good food, good
service and an excellent ambiance. They have two dining rooms and a
separated bar, so reservations are rarely necessary.

Name: Steve
Weber
Hike:
St. Mary's Wilderness
Date: 5/30-31, 2009
Rating: 4
Critique: The Rhodos and mountain laurel were in full bloom
making for a picturesque trip. Your trail notes and topo were a
huge help. The side trip to St. Mary's Falls made this a perfect
length for a weekend backpack. The group campsite you suggested
was fantastic. Day 2 with the road walk was less exciting than
the hike on Day 1, but someone or group must have cleaned up the
fire road, there was very little litter. Thanks again for all
you do, Mike.

Name: Reid
Hike:
BFT (total loop - 42 mile)
Date: 5/21/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Great hike, tough as nails though. The elevation
changes are no joke, and the steep inclines can be treacherous
with a full pack and will slow you down. Overall a great hike,
though, and the weather was perfect but for a sprinkle on the
third day in.
We did the whole loop over the Memorial Day weekend, in on
Thursday, May 21, and out on Monday, Memorial Day. Did the route
backwards from the prescribed route, and saw few hikers coming
the opposite direction, and had little trouble finding space at
the campsites.
WATCH OUT FOR RATTLESNAKES. We surprised at least two big
suckers right on the trail during the hike. Other than some wild
turkeys and the rattlesnakes, we did not encounter much wildlife
to speak of.
Only complaint: when we hiked out, we were all hankering for our
post-hike burgers and beers, and headed immediately for the
former Waterville Hotel (now the Waterville Tavern) that had
been suggested by many other hikers. We had nine campers in our
group, and they wouldn't push two tables together to accommodate
us, because "the owners don't want us to push tables together"
as the waitress told us. Needless to say, they lost our business
(well over $300) to the Pine Creek Lodge (I think is the name?)
down the street. DO NOT GO TO THE WATERVILLE TAVERN, as it seems
they don't care for hikers' business anymore. The Pine Creek
Lodge served us wonderfully, and all future hikers of the BFT
should take their business here instead of the Waterville
Tavern.

Name: Noah
Hike:
Ramsey's Draft
Date: 01/30-02/01 2009
Rating: 4.5
Critique: Went with a group of 5. Numerous camp sites right at
the head of the trail so driving up after work on Friday and
spending the night is very easily done. The draft was flowing
well but iced over in a lot of places. The numerous crossings
proved a little difficult in some places cause of the ice but we
managed. Camped at Hiner Spring. Lots of bear tracks, saw a few
deer. Hiked out the next day along with some very nice vistas,
but also very icy along the trail. Was a great hike, will be
back with my fly rod for some of those native wild brook trout I
saw crossing the draft.

Name: Keith
Lehman
Hike:
Big Schloss
Date: 5/17 - 5/18/09
Rating: 5
Critique: What a completely wonderful hike! Had a little trouble
finding my way in as FR92 isn't marked from the intersection
with 675. You'll know you made the right (left) turn if you come
to a relatively fresh logging clearcut on the left as you go up
the road.
The first section along Little Stony Creek trail was rather
muddy from the weeks of rain prior to my trip. I expect it would
be fine any other time and the mud wasn't deep and could be
avoided. There are no stream crossings so the high water wasn't
a problem.
The trail was beautiful with the creek views at first giving way
to blooming laurel as I ascended to the Sugar Knob cabin.
After the haul up to the ridge to Mill Mountain Trail the going
was pretty easy. The campsites really aren't that great until
you get to the one's near Sandstone Spring. They all looked
really nice. However, I wanted to camp on the ridge so I filled
up on water at the spring (necessary as there was no more water
even with the heavy rains).
The campsite at the overlook about a mile beyond the spring was
outstanding. The nearby cliff overlook gave me a great view of
the valley and the sunset. The winds were high but the campsite
is relatively protected so it wasn't bad at all. You could
probably squeeze two tents in at this site.
The views from Big Schloss are the best in the area. What a
marvelous place to relax for a nice lunch. There is a small
campsite at the peak but it may not be all that private as I met
a few day hikers even on Monday.
The hike back to the car from the peak was a little bit brutal
as it's fairly steep and the last half mile or so is in the sun
while walking on the road.
This is now one of the few hikes that I will definitely do again
and will use to hook my friends on backpacking. It's probably
the best hike within easy reach of DC.

Name: Vern
Hike:
Sugarloaf Mountain
Date: May 24, 2009
Rating: 3
Critique: This was a fun little hike. The only problem is that
it was over way too soon! There are a lot of good views, for
very little effort.
It was Memorial Day weekend, with temps in the eighties, so the
mountain was busy and full of families with young children.
There sure was a lot of noise going on at White Rocks, so we
only stayed long enough to choke our lunch down. Of course the
noise did not prevent us from getting some great photos.
Most of the trails are quite rocky, but all in all, they are
well maintained and well blazed. The views from each of the
vistas are outstanding.
Please note that a map or some other navigational aid is
necessary. The trails are a bit confusing, and I ran across one
person who was just plain lost. The trail description and map
provided here makes it easy.
Sugarloaf is worth the trip, I'm just not sure I would go out of
my way to repeat.

Name: Ian
Hike:
Morgan Run Loop
Date: 5/16/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Good hike and of good duration given the proximity to
suburbia. The trail description here is very accurate and makes
navigating the numerous intersections easy. Pretty stream
crossings and water views abound. The ferns and other
groundcover in the pine plantations is a verdant green in
spring. Had it been warmer we may have enjoyed the swimming
hole; our dog certainly did!
Two minor downsides: Ticks. There are numerous grassy areas. We
easily picked up 6 or more per person on this one and our dog
came home with several new "friends" despite her Frontline
treatments. The second is the 1/2 mile on Rt 32 to complete the
loop. There is not much of a shoulder on the bridge and cars fly
past at 50mph.

Name: Brandon
Hike:
Red Creek/Big
Stonecoal Circuit
05-10-09
Rating: 5
Critique: I did this as a day hike.
The best thing about this hike are all the waterworks. And even
though it was a very nice Sunday, the solitude as well. Only saw 1
large group the whole 7-hr day.
The worst thing is that Rocky Point trail is a spirit killer. You
have to endure a mile of basically walking on a rock bed. I stubbed
my toes and had awkward landings many times while on it.
I have yet to find an "official" trail to the Lion's Head, and today
was no different. Thankfully bushwhacking here is easy.
Also, note that fording Red Creek @ Big Stonecoal is a little deeper
than at Little Stonecoal or the fording at the Red Creek trail.

Name: RMS
Hike:
Kelly's run/Pinnacle overlook
Date: 5/9/09
Rating: 5
Critique: What a great hike! Good job on the description. Kelly's
Run was very high due to the recent rains making the crossings very
interesting. The hike is of varied terrain and is strenuous when
taken at a good pace.

Name: Vern
Hike:
Susquehanna SP
Date: 05-10-2009
Rating: 5
Critique: I never knew about this park until I saw it here. This one
ended up being a fantastic hike. It started off along the river on
the Mason/Dixon trail. The first couple of miles were all very
level, and it was a fairly easy hike except in the few sections
where the rail bed had been washed away. After turning away from the
river, there were some impressive elevation changes. In fact, at the
very end of the hike the trail seems to tower over the treetops at
the river level.
Along the way, the trail passed through several pastures, and also
some very dense foliage. It was a beautiful day, and we had lunch
under the pine trees near the maintenance buildings. The sun was
shining, and there was a great breeze blowing. One of those rare
days in Maryland where it is not too hot or too cold.
We missed the old white oak, but did see the beech tree and the
flint tower. The tree was very impressive. The hike took about four
hours total, and it was time well spent. I really enjoyed this one,
and will definitely be doing it again very soon.

Name: Jeff Mitchell
Hike:
Loyalsock-Link Loop
Date: xxxx
Rating: 4.5
Critique: This is a perfect weekend loop, not too easy or difficult.
Some climbs are steep, but are generally short. It has waterfalls,
nice views, great camping, rock outcrops, beautiful mountain
streams, Sones Pond and the impressive Haystacks Rapids, which are
Burgoon sandstone boulders in the Loyalsock Creek. I've done this
loop several times and I simply don't get tired of it. This is also
a great summer hike, since the trail has several superb swimming
holes.
Afterwards, stop by the Forksville Inn, a great place to eat with
local flavor, big portions, and very reasonable prices.

Name: Matt Alford
Hike:
AT- Matt's Creek to Devils Marbleyard
Date: 5/1-5/3/09
Rating: 4.5
Critique: Great hike. My girlfriend and I hiked into Matt's Creek
shelter on the AT on Friday afternoon and on Saturday hiked out to
Devils Marbleyard. Great Hike out and back. Marbleyard was awesome.
Lots of wildflowers in bloom, Rhododendrons included. Saw lots of
skinks and the biggest fence lizards I've ever seen at the
Marbleyard.
Great hike. A bit crowed.

Name: Vern
Hike:
Sweathouse Branch-Wildlands Loop
Date: 4/26/09
Rating: 3
Critique: This hike is a little gem. This morning, there
were huge patches of Virginia Blue Bells and Periwinkle in
full bloom. The trees are also starting to "green" up. The
trail along the river is really muddy in patches, but once
you get beyond that, they are really well groomed and well
cared for.
The first water crossing (on the yellow trail) was a lot of
fun. There are two ways to do it. I took the first route,
which is the stepping stones across the stream. My wife took
the second route, which is a large tree that fell in a
perfect spot just upstream. Of course, my waterproof boots
ended up filled with water, and my wife arrived on the other
side high and dry. If you insist on remaining dry, I'd
recommend the tree.
The rest of the hike had some small hills. We passed through
a portion that was lined with hemlocks, but the remainder
was mostly hardwoods. Along the route, there are some
private residences visible just beyond the park boundaries.
The parking lot on the northbound side of Belair road was
completely full when we arrived at nine o'clock on Sunday.
There is a commuter lot directly across Belair road that was
mostly empty. If you walk down the hill in front of the old
(closed up?) bar, there is great access to the trail and the
tunnel crossing Belair road, making this a great first
choice for parking.
Based on the parking situation, I expected the trail to be
packed, but that really was not the case. Mostly dog
walkers, but also a few serious hikers, who I assume are
breaking in their new footwear. For a proper hike, I would
suggest combining the Sweathouse Branch loop with the trail
on the opposite side of Belair road. All-in-all, this hike
was a nice surprise and well worth a trip from anywhere in
the Baltimore area.

Name: Keith Lehman
Hike:
Pond Run-Racer Camp Hollow/White Rocks
Date: 4/17-19/2009
Rating: 5
Critique: I did this loop in the reverse direction
from the description given on a sunny weekend in
mid-April taking three days with only 3.5-4.5 miles
a day. I found the trail conditions to be pretty
good with very few blowdowns but a good bit of mud
and some trail damage from horses. There were
virtually no bugs, including no ticks. The trail was
often sunny because the leaves hadn't popped yet. It
would be better in mid-May and probably great in
September.
The first intersection from Wilson Cove Tr. to Old
Mail Trail was a little tricky. The obvious path
goes down the hill following a hunter's path with
orange ribbon markings. The real trail actually
parallels the forest road for a few hundred feet and
is easy to miss. It gets very muddy in that area.
The footbridge over the creek will be the last
reliable water you find until you are on the other
side of the loop so fill up here. The climb to the
top of the ridge is reasonably easy. There is a
small spring right before you hit Tuscarora Trail
but I wouldn't rely on it running year round.
The campsite at White Rocks is outstanding and there
is room for two or three tents. There is also a
bigger campsite at the intersection with the White
Rocks Tr. and Tusc. Tr. if the one at the cliff is
full.
The southeast part of the loop is a gentle amble
downhill. Look for the small overlook on the right
for a good view of the valley. At the intersection
with Racer Camp Hollow Tr. there is a small stagnant
pond but I wouldn't trust the water with all the
horses using it. The hike up the forest road to
Little Stony Run is the steepest climb you'll have
going this direction. The spring beyond the cabin on
the Stony Run Tr. is a good place to refill your
water supply but you don't need to top off because
water is more plentiful on the rest of the loop.
There is a crude and rocky campsite to the left just
before the intersection with Mill Mt. Tr. There is a
better site up Mill Mt. Tr. but it is up the hill
about 1/3 mile or so.
The overlook at the intersection with Halfmoon Tr.
is really nice and there is a campsite at the
intersection. If you camp here, go a few hundred
feet down Tusc. Tr. over a boardwalk to find a
decent spring that looks like it would be reliable.
If it's not, then water may be found within a mile
down Tusc. Tr.
The rest of the loop is easy except the eight water
crossings get progressively deeper. Don't be cocky
and try to cross to the tantalizing forest road just
over Waite's Run. It's running faster and is deeper
than you think.
Overall, this is a varied and scenic trip. It would
be best done when the leaves are out as the shade
would be welcomed especially on the forest road
sections. Highly recommended!

Name:
Dominic Frasca
Hike:
White Oak Canyon/Cedar Run
Date: 04/18/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Good hike, however: DO NOT USE the Google
maps directions. They are totally, completely,
horribly inaccurare. Directions on the trail notes
are correct.

Name: Brian Vallelunga
Hike:
Green Ridge North Circuit
Date: April 11-12, 2009
Rating: 3.5
Critique: My wife and I hiked a version of this on a
short overnight trip to test out some new gear. We
started from the visitor center and hiked up to
Campsite #5, about 5 miles away. Once there we set
up camp, left our packs and walked a mile north
across the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. The next
morning we followed the Twin Oaks trail back down,
eventually meeting up with Pine Lick, which we took
back to the visitor center.
Overall, this was a nice, easy hike. The first two
miles from the visitor center closely follows the
freeway (which you walk under at one point). This
took away from the nice atmosphere and I think I'd
skip this part in the future. It was also the least
maintained part of the trail and was in need of
maintenance. The rest of the trail was enjoyable,
but shouldn't be mistaken for "back-country" hiking.
Early April is a bit too early to recommend this
hike to people. The trees were still barren, and the
morning temperature was very close to freezing.
Also, there was enough water that we had to take off
our boots and wade a single stream four times on the
first day. For some reason, the trail designers felt
it needed to criss-cross multiple times within a
single mile.
If you're looking for a short one-night hike to test
some gear and live nearby, the park was quite
enjoyable. If we go back, we'll likely try one of
the other trails that are farther from the freeway
and a bit longer.

Name: Keith Lehman
Hike:
Bucktail Trail-Halfmoon Lookout Loop
Date: 4/4/09 - 4/5/09
Rating: 5
Critique: I did this loop in reverse from the
directions given and I think that made it a bit
easier than it would have been going the other way.
The climb to the peak is more gradual and the sun
was more hidden on the last few miles on Bucktail
Trail. Going in on the Bucktail Connector offered a
few nice views since the trees hadn't budded in
early April when I did this trip. One note, be sure
fill up on water at the intersection with Halfmoon
Trail (yellow blazes). There is a nice campsite
there if needed and the stream will be the last
water you see until you come off the peak on the
other side.
There is a wonderful campsite at the "Cliffside"
area about 200ft from the peak. The site at the peak
is really only suitible for a bevy tent. Even in
high winds (gusts to 40mph) the Cliffside site was
shielded well due to the terrain deflection.
Heading out the German Wilson Trail was very rocky
and you need to be very careful about rolling a rock
under your boot. But it is definitely easier going
down than up. The blow-downs mentioned in trail
notes are cleared with only about 4 or 5 to
negotiate. There are plenty of springs and streams
for water on this half of the loop.
The first half of Bucktail Trail following the creek
was very muddy and torn up with horse prints. The
stream crossings were mid-calf level and you'll
definitely have some wet feet by the time you get to
the bridge at Capon Trail. After that it's an easy
amble back to the start point with only a very
gradual climb and then a gradual descent.
Overall, I recommend this hike if done in the
direction I went. I definitely would have liked it
less the other way around. This loop would be
suitable for a nice family excursion especially in
Spring or Fall.

Name: Matt
Hike:
Hemlock Gorge
Date: 4-5-09
Rating: 4
Critique: I picked a perfect day to do this hike. It was mid 60s and
sunny all day. I started around 12:30 and was back at the car by 4.
Since Spring has just started, nothing was really blooming yet. I
think in a couple weeks the hike will be much more alive. Recent
rains made the streams nice and full. Since it's still early in
Spring and nothing is overgrown, the trail was really easy to follow
by the streams. I had forgotten the trail description but managed
well because I downloaded the GPX data, loaded it onto my Garmin
60CSx and just walked from waypoint to waypoint. It's a really great
hike and the gorge is a really nice place to relax and eat.
Unfortunately the hike is fairly easy from Gunpowder Rd. so there is
a bit of trash here and there around the gorge. If I had a bag with
me I would've cleaned up some of it. It's really a great hike
otherwise.
My GPS data can be
seen
here

Name: Galen
Hike:
Dolly Sods
Date: 3/27-3/28-2009
Rating: 2
Critique: With my wife and two dogs, we originally planned on setting
out from up by Bear Rocks, but we arrived to find that P.R.75 was
closed. Maybe I overlooked it, but it needs to be emphasized that it's
closed until April. We altered the trip to start out from the south, up
Red Creek Trail. No big deal, but I was hoping to start out with the
Dolly Sods North scenery.
The hike along Red Creek was very nice, although you have to pay
attention to the trail. We lost about a half-hour trying to find the
unblazed paths that tend to disappear. The terrain is pretty rugged if
you're lugging 25+ lbs of gear. A lot of ups and downs and detours
around fallen trees. The creek itself was vigorous this day. We had to
carry both dogs across in cold, knee-deep currents.
With cold, wet, tired feet we didn't make it as far as we had wanted
too. Our campsite near Blackbird knob was very nice though, as were many
of the campsites that we passed that day. Right next to a running creek
on flat ground and a stone fire pit. It rained all night though and we
had no desire to slog around on already muddy trails the next day, so we
hiked out to the road and walked all the way back to the car in
super-thick fog.
So if there's any wisdom to pass along, it would be to keep an open mind
and be flexible enough when exploring the Sods. This is a big place with
a variety of terrains and ever-changing weather. That, and bring a few
extra pairs of socks.

Name: Jordan & Allison
Hike:
Kelly's Run - Pinnacle Overlook
Date: 3/27/09
Rating: 4
Critique: We took the advice of this site to do this hike in reverse,
and it was a great decision! We were really able to take in all the
great scenery going that direction. The overlook at Pinnacle is amazing.
We set up our hammock and made some hot chocolate on the picnic tables
after cooling down from the steep hike up. The second half of the hike
along Kelly's Run was definitely the highlight. We were glad that doing
the loop in reverse allowed us to end with Kelly's Run. The mileage
given seemed pretty accurate. We were definitely tired after this one,
but it was totally worth it! Thanks for the great info!

Name: Ryan Mitchell Hike:
Overall Run Falls-Heiskell Hollow
Date: 1/21/09 - 1/22/09
Rating: 4
Critique: My roommate and I hiked and camped using the planned trip
from the NPS with a couple extra miles added. Our goal, as two guys
who hike regularly, was to complete the three day trip in less than
two days. We successfully did at the cost of sore legs from both us
and our dogs. The trip begins downhill all the way to the great
views at the falls and surrounding area. The uphill back to 3,500 ft
from the valley is what makes this hike strenuous. The trail was
rocky and covered with leaves in many locations and crossing streams
with dogs was interesting at times. After about 13-14 miles we
camped in the 20 degree weather and woke the next morning to another
uphill hike of 5+ miles.
Overall, it was a very good hike that was as good as any other trip
we have taken in the northern portion of the Shenandoah. The lack of
spectacular views on the Heiskell Hollow trail, even with the
leafless trees of winter, keep this from being a 5.

Name: Natasha
Hike:
Riprap Hollow
Date: 02/09/09
Rating: 5
Critique: We did this hike late winter and were treated to amazing
views. To think if we had hiked this trail during the summer we
would not have observed the really neat geological formations in the
area and appreciated the descent into and climb out of the valley. A
summer hike would treat visitors to a number of pools along the
stream, which were flowing well due to recent snowmelt. I thought
the trail one of the rockiest around and highly recommend harder
soled boots to avoid sore feet (I was regretting my boot decision a
few miles in). The climb out of the valley is tough but lots of logs
and rocks along the way serve as great places to take a break and
enjoy the view. We liked finishing up on the AT to cool down before
getting into the car.

Name: Bumpkin
Hike:
Gunpowder West Circuit
Date: February 21, 2009 Rating: 4.5
Critique: Very nice hike. The little detour up to Prettyboy
reservoir ended up being a bit of a challenge. The trail turns into
nothing but huge boulders, and if you stray off the blazed trail, it
can include a few steep climbs. This was loads of fun, considering
how close to Baltimore it is. It was a beautiful February day, and I
enjoyed every minute of it.

Name: Gerard Viau
Hike:
Black Forest Trail - complete
Date: 10/3/08 10/6/08
Rating: 5
Critique: Three of us did the full BFT loop (North and South) in the
fall as the leaves were turning and it was amazing. We started at
the trailhead near the Hotel Manor and hiked counter-clockwise for
the full loop. The vistas got better as the hike progressed leaving
some of the most amazing views for the end of the hike a nice reward
for our hard work. Why didn't we do this hike sooner!
Day 1: 15 miles (17 if you including our rocky start). Started out a
bit rough by going the wrong way obviously it would have been fine
since the BFT is a loop, but we wanted to go counter-clockwise and
we were still groggy from the night before. After one mile in the
wrong direction, we figured it out and turned around. It rained a
bit in the morning and cleared up by 2pm, so our wet feet had a
chance to dry out by the end of the day. We saw three other hikers
on this first day (2 of which were planning to do the full loop.) We
had lunch by a stream and camped for the evening at a relatively
small campsite. Starting a fire that night was a challenge because
all of the wood was wet, my friend donated some of the pages from
his Ernest Hemingway book to get it started what a lifesaver.
Temperature dropped to around 34 degrees at night, but we all slept
well after a long day.
Day 2: 12 miles. We enjoyed some varied terrain: boulders, heavily
wooded forest, an open meadow, and some clear flats. The morning
gave us a little stretch of hiking downhill, but then we quickly
came to a steep incline at mile 16.5 (about 500 feet in half a
mile); that gave the legs a good wake up call. Mid-morning we came
across a black bear and her two cubs about 15 yards in front of us;
thankfully, there was some brush and trees between us so they did
not feel threatened and just moseyed on. We stayed at a great
campsite at mile 27 with a water source right next to us (Callahan
Run). Temperature crept up a bit to around 37 degrees.
Day 3: 12 miles. Easily the hardest day of the trip, partly because
we started out with a 1,000 ft incline over 1.3 miles brutal. We
stumbled upon a Ruffed Grouse (PA state bird) in the late morning
before we stopped for lunch at an amazing vista it was the boost we
needed. We planned to only do 9 miles today, but a lack of water
forced us to keep pushing on and it was worth it. We camped at
Foster Hollow Pond with unobstructed views of the stars and enjoyed
our last night on the BFT. Temperature stayed up at around 38
degrees.
Day 4: 3 miles. This last day was easy given we only had a handful
of miles to finish up so we took our time packing up camp and
hitting the trail, and still finished up before 11am. And on the way
home, we got burgers at the Waterville Hotel.
If you haven't done this hike and you're looking for a challenging
and amazing trail this is it. Enjoy.

Name: Michael Eckert
Hike:
Hull School/Thornton River
Date: 2/9/09
Rating: 4
Critique: Another nice mid-winter hike on a relatively warm day.
Great views, even in the valleys, as trees are somewhat less dense
through this area.
One mishap on the trail while crossing the Thornton River, as I
slipped while crossing and took an unwelcome plunge into the river.
There was no ice on the rocks, so I am assuming just some bad luck.
I was using hiking poles and one bent as I tried to save myself.
Very, Very cold water and I was completely soaked. Fell in backwards
into a pool that was about 2 feet deep. Air temperature was around
50 and water probably in the middle 30s as ice/snow was along the
banks. I can't say enough about wearing water wicking clothing. I
quickly undressed, wrung the water out and redressed and then
drudged uphill for about 3 miles. Within 30 minutes I had warmed
backup. I did have an extra light jacket/wind breaker in my pack
that was dry. Most items in my pack stayed dry as I got out very
quickly. I was fortunate that I only hit my hip and wrist on rocks
as I fell down. It could of been worse.

Name: Treebeard
Hike:
Weverton to Maryland Heights
Date: 2/8/09
Rating: 4
Critique: I did this hike on an unusually warm (64 degree) blue-sky
Sunday in February.
I did the shorter version of what is mapped (I will do the longer
version at some point in time) and it took me 3 3/4 hours to
complete with 2 very quick stops.
I started the hike at 8:35 am and it was a good thing. I had
virtually no company during the hike to the overlook. However as I
started down, I passed more than 25 - 30 people heading up the
trail.
This was a very pleasant walk. Just strolling down the C&O Canal
next to the river was wonderful. The hike up to Maryland Heights was
very nice and the views through the leafless trees were beautiful.
Idiot me forgot my camera! Coming down I stopped to watch two rock
climbers belaying 250+ feet up the jagged rocks over the train
tunnel - wow!
I would recommend this hike in the winter time due to less trail
traffic and extra viewing without the leaves on the trees.
I don't think my grading would be a 4 on a nice Sunday in June.
Thanks MRHyker for the map.

Name: Craig Hardy
Hike: North
Fork Mountain (Entire Trail)
Date: 1/9/09-1/10/09
Rating: 4
We had a group of six do this hike from the south to north in early
January. We started hiking Friday night around 9:30 pm once we got
our vehicles situated. We shuttled ourselves. It was a clear night
for the most part, and the snow cover of 2-4inches actually helped
us navigate the trail. We hiked in about 6 miles before setting up
camp. Temps were cold but normal for that time of year, (mid20's I
recall.) Saturday morning, we woke up to partly cloudy skies and a
great view on both sides of the ridge. As we hiked, we made our way
past the glider launch and down to the mid-way parking lot. Then it
started to rain, and then freezing rain. By this time we were almost
out of water. I carried about 4 liters in, and the rest of us had
various amounts. Our biggest mistake was hoping to rely on snow melt
for our water source. (The rain melted the snow along the way.) The
one really big drawback to this hike is that there is no water along
this trail whatsoever. We almost made do with a couple of puddles
near the top of the mountain by the tower, but I don't think that
any of us were that desperate at that point. We trudged through
Chimney Rocks and down to our vehicles after a 17+mile day. We
originally were going to camp Saturday night, but with the freezing
rain and no solid water source, we opted for the truck and a hotel
in Franklin. Great trip overall, but I cannot emphasize enough, that
you must pack in enough water or stash it midway to do the trip as
there is no source along this ridge trail. What awesome views of the
valley below on both sides most of the way. You can even see Seneca
Rocks below you.

Name: Michael Eckert
Hike:
Piney Ridge-Piney Branch Loop
Date: 1/13/09
Rating: 5
Critique: Added some distance ~2 miles by parking at Hogback, picking up
AT to Piney Ridge then down to Hull School and up Piney Branch toward
the top of Little Devils, but then turned onto Sugarloaf to AT and
Hogback. Would give it a 4, but water was high from last week's 1.5" of
rain and every rock I stepped on was ice covered. Crossing Piney Branch
was difficult at best and I did slip & get wet. Water is very cold.
Crossing without walking sticks would be nearly impossible. Few deer on
the trail and saw two hardy campers where Piney Ridge/Hull School trails
met.

Name: Michael Eckert Hike:
Beecher Ridge/Overall Run
Date: 1/3/09 Rating: 5++
Critique: Great, Great Hike. Parked at Hogback overlook and took AT and
several other short trails to Beecher then hooked up with Overall Run
and back to top. Beecher is more of a culvert in many areas and leaves
are knee deep. Can't see where/what you are stepping on so be very
careful. Hike up to Overall Run Falls was a burner. Legs are still
ground beef tonight. Overall Run Falls is frozen.

Name: Michael Eckert
Hike:AT/Laurel
Prong Loop (Camp Hoover)
Date: 12/26/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Took Laurel Prong and veered off to right and up mountain,
then down to The Sag and then down to Hoover's Camp. Back up Mill Prong
to AT then back to car. Only problem was that this took me out of the
park and hunters were tracking a bear with dogs. Hunting season is over
as of 1/3/09. Beautiful day with temps rising into 60s. Moderate workout
with plenty of ups and downs.

Name: Cliff
Hike:
Devil's Marbleyard/Gunter Ridge Loop
Date: 9/20/2008
Rating: 5
Critique: Awesome hike for the Scouts. We even found a rock that looked
like the scout sign! No other rocks were worn patterns like this. Three
fingers extended, pinkie and thumb folded and touching.

Name: Matt Culbertson
Hike:
Gifford Pinchot SP
Date: 9/1/2008
Rating: 3
Critique: Fun, but not wise in the summer when everything is overgrown.
The trail is hardly maintained, and hard to follow in many places.
Fortunately, no ticks.

Name: blueridgetreks
Hike:
Turk
Mountain
Date: 12/23/2008
Rating: 4
Critique: Started this hike around 9am with the temps around 19F but it
warmed up to 29F!! I did this hike in reverse from published directions
but I don't think it makes a difference either way, you'll get a great
workout. The creeks were flowing really good due to recent rains making
some of the crossings tricky. Not sure how the flow will be in mid-July
after no rain for awhile. I forgot to pack my hiking poles. Did I
mention the crossings were tricky? I lost my balance crossing Moormans
River near the Turk Branch trail intersection and proceeded to soak my
left foot. Trail shoe off, foot freezing, sock wrung out, and I was back
on the trail in 5 minutes. The views at the top of Turk Mt were
excellent so don't bypass the out and back to Turk Mt. On a warmer day I
could imagine having a nice leisurely lunch at the top. I gobbled mine
down quickly on the way back to the AT Intersection. I did the hike in
just under 5 hrs but only because I kept going to stay warm and didn't
stop for lunch. A worthwhile hike and especially pleasant today being
the only one on the trail besides the company of my dog.

Name: paknees
Hike:
Old Loggers Path
Date: 5.4.08-5.7.08
Rating: 5
Critique: I loved this hike! first week of may was a
great time to go, although there tons of bugs flying
around. Went clockwise from Masten, and spent the
first night at the Pleasant Run campsite. Day two
was great and we spent the night at Rock Run where I
took a dip in the cool water and than thawed out on
a rock in the middle of the stream. I must say I had
two of the most peaceful nights ever in the
wilderness at both these sites. Must of been the
sound of the water. Sounds like this place dries up
in the summer but late spring there was water
everywhere. day three was pretty sweet. We trail ran
the final 6.5 miles or so and than splashed around
in Pleasant Stream before heading back to Leheigh
valley. Perfect hike!

Name: Michael Eckert
Hike:
Rose River/Dark Hollow
Date: 12/9/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Decided on a relatively short mid-winter
hike to view the frozen falls. Most falls were about
50% frozen as temps warmed above freezing at higher
elevations. Very nice and quiet morning (no one else
on trail), but very, very windy with some branches
falling down around me. Cleared all blockages. Hiked
into Big Meadow to view/photograph deer and when I
got to the lodge, fire trucks were parked in front.
Talked to the guy in charge and found out the
sprinklers went off in the lodge (There was no
fire.). Looks like a major mess with water
everywhere.

Name: Naz
Hike:
Hemlock Gorge
Date: 11-29-08
Rating: 5
Critique: Updates: The Cotter road is now open with no problems.
I did only the Hemlock Gorge part of the figure 8 yesterday due
to time constraints. This is an excellent shorter hike in itself
and well worth it. It still took more than one hour with quite a
bit of scrambling done on the stream bank and of course some
stops for photos. The Gorge is beautiful and unique for this
area, and there were no other hikers on this sunny and
relatively warm November Saturday afternoon.
The instructions are very easy to follow. The only part that
could not be identified was the "sandy and weedy" portion of the
bench- this must have become altered in the years this was
written. There were weedy parts but no sand. The trail is easy
to follow until you reach the scrambling part in the gorge. Then
you can just follow the stream and you will not get lost.
Also found a small cave filled with cans and trash. Thankfully
they are not spread around and confined to this cave, but I plan
to return with a garbage bag.
Thank you for this site and this very good description of this
gem. This one is an excellent late fall/winter walk because the
hemlocks are green year round. I plan to go back when it snows
and the stream is frozen!

Name: zach
Hike:
Black Forest Trail North and
South
Date:11/22-24/2008
Rating: 4
Critique: Great hike in all.
Cold cold cold. Had two nights of sub 20 degree weather and 5
inches of snow. had to really push myself to finish on the last
day. I went left from the Slate Run trail head and was able to
return in 3 full days of trekking. Scenery was beautiful but
wouldn't recommend hiking it this late in the year (November
22-24) unless you want a challenge and are prepared for the
cold.
Ran into bear hunters throughout the final day, all were
friendly and surprised to see a hiker.

Name: Jeff
Hike:
Neighbor Mt-Jeremy's Run
Date: 11/ 15-16/2008
Rating: 4
Critique: We took a Boy Scout patrol of 13 and 14 year olds on
an overnight trip. We hiked it clockwise, ie. from Elkwallow
Picnic area south on the Appalachian trail to Neighbor Mt.
Trail, etc. First day was a total of 9 miles in about 7 hours
with a half hour for lunch. We camped at the waterfalls about .4
miles up Jeremy's Run. Nice level site but very rocky. There had
been two days of rain before we started and heavy rain while we
hiked on Saturday, but we were able to negotiate the stream
crossing on Sunday. However, between the uphill grade and the
stream crossings, it took us 6 hours, including an hour for
lunch, to hike the 5 miles up Jeremy's Run. Since the leaves
were off the trees, we had wonderful views of panoramas and of
the Run and cascades. Great hike, but be prepared for the 14
stream crossings.

Name: Tag-Alongs
Hike:
Difficult Run Loop
Date: 11/07/2008 Rating: 4
Critique: This was my fiancé's, brothers', and my first hike in
Maryland and we could not have asked for a more beautiful day. It
was late enough in the year that the trails were not overly busy and
the hike itself was great. We ended up taking a wrong turn while
heading north along the Potomac and had to "rough it" over a hill to
get back on trail. All in all, this is a great hike that is
refreshing to find so close to the district!

Name: Travis
Hike:
Old Rag
Date: ?
Rating: 5
Critique: I have hiked this mountain over a dozen times starting
from when I was just a kid. I absolutely love it and never get tired
of it. There is always something to see when you're: there, bear,
deer, and of course the scenic overlooks. If you're into landscape
photography like I am I highly recommend a fall/winter hike. You can
get some really great shots during the winter season even though the
hike is a little more treacherous due to snow and ice.
All in All a must hike for any outdoor enthusiast.

Name: somewhere
Hike:
Chimney Rocks
Date: 11/02/2008
Rating: 4
Critique: We did the 6.8 miles hike. The colorful mountain top view
from Chimney Rocks was splendid. The stream on the way down was very
pleasant as well. We really enjoyed the day. Thank you very much for
the information!

Name: Shari
Hike:
Cowan's Gap-Tuscarora Trail
Date: October 12, 2008
Rating: 4.5
Critique: This was a really great trail with some fabulous views and
lots of variety. The changing leaves were beautiful (and there were
lots of them!). It was a fairly challenging hike that covered
several miles and had some steep uphill and downhill sections. It
was worth it though!

Name: Charlie Hike:
Piney Ridge - Piney Branch Loop
Date: 11/02/2008 Rating: 3.5
Critique: We did this hike starting from the parking lot at Little
Devil's Stairs, and followed Piney Ridge up and Piney Branch back down.
This was a very nice hike with changing terrain. The stream crossings
weren't bad, though would be challenging with higher water. We also saw
two bears. The hike doesn't have sweeping vistas but offers quiet
solitude with a very nice workout.

Name: Brad
Hike:
Hog Camp Gap to Reeds Gap Shuttle (modified)ate: 10/10-10/12/2008
Rating: 5
Critique: Started this hike on Friday evening at Hog Camp Gap
after sunset. Hiked up the Tar Jacket Ridge in the dark and made
camp at the top. It was a cold and windy night, but very clear
with a bright moon.
The next day we awoke at sunrise and got warm by the fire, ate
some food, and then headed northward. Many great vistas along
this stretch of the trail and overall this part of the hike was
not too difficult with gradual ascents and descents. The fall
colors had begun to show on many of the trees and temperatures
were in the 70s with bright sunshine. We did see a bear about a
mile before crossing the North Fork. It took off running from
the left side of the trail; not full-sized but not a cub either.
We stopped by the Seeley-Woodworth shelter and took a break for
lunch. We then continued northward. Beware of the yellow jackets
about a half mile beyond the shelter heading northward! There
are several nests in the ground around a stretch of the trail
that goes through a small grove of apple trees. We had to walk
quickly through this area to avoid being stung.
We then continued on and made camp at Spy Rock. A few others
were camping at the campsite below us, but we actually made camp
up on the rock and had a good fire going to stay warm. It became
very windy and cold up here at night. Some of the other hikers
came and hung out around our fire for a while. The sunset, and
sunrise the next morning, at Spy Rock were amazing! This has to
be one of the best vistas I have ever seen!
After getting warmed up in the morning by the fire, we continued
northward on the AT and climbed over Maintop Mountain and then
continued toward the Priest. The climb up the Priest from
Crabtree Road was the hardest part of this trek so far, but
still much easier than climbing up the Priest from Rt. 56 would
be. We stopped at the top of the Priest for lunch and enjoyed
the overview to the west from boulders to the left side of the
trail.
We then began the steep descent of the Priest which became
difficult for me after pulling a tendon in my left knee earlier
in the day on some rocks. We had left our second vehicle at the
parking area by the Tye River and not at Reed's Gap as we had
decided that we may not want to do Chimney Rock based on time
restrictions. By the time I got to the base of the Priest I
could not bend my left leg, so we decided we made a smart move
in leaving the truck here.
Overall this hike was a 5 for the views and the overall scenery
of the woods. Spy Rock and the Priest were the highlights of
this hike for me and I plan to complete the last portion of this
hike at a later time.

Name: Marty
Hike:
Patapsco Valley SP
Date: 10-04-2008
Rating: 4
Critique: The State Park is heavily wooded with lots of trails
with a mixture of streams, forest, pasture and respectable
hills. It's easy to get to, but the drawback is that there are
lots of people hiking and biking - not enough to be truly
annoying, but you are never totally alone.
We picked the area because our son is going to the Naval Academy
and is severely limited in the range he is allowed to travel. We
were pleasantly surprised at the area, which was especially nice
in fall weather, and will go back. Even better, entrance to park
is free for parties with service people.
We didn't have much difficulty following the trails although
they could be better marked.

Name: Leslie
Ann Jones, DVM
Hike:
Mount Pleasant Loop
Date: 10/4/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Wonderful, but a bit challenging. We really enjoyed
the Mount Pleasant 6+ mile loop, however, we found out the hard
way that the road from 60 that should take us up to the trail
head (North Fork Road- VA Rte 635) has been washed out about 4
miles up. That left us to hike in an additional 2.5 miles to
just get to the trail head! Now that we've done some serious
Google-Earthing of the region and the topography, I think we
have figured out how to get to the trail head off Wiggins Road,
but DON'T try to get to the trail head from North Fork Road, as
what should have been about a 3-4 hr hike was the bulk of 6 hrs
and we almost got lost after dark! yikes!
Looking forward to trying some more of these hikes soon, but
need to recover from Saturday first!

Name: John S
Hike:
Mt. Pleasant Loop
Date: 9/27-9/28/08
Rating: 5+
Critique: An absolutely fantastic, excellent hike. I think Mt.
Pleasant might have the best vistas of any hike I've done to
date. I believe it blows other hikes I've done, i.e. Gregory
Bald and Mt. Cammerer (in the Smokies), out of the water, and
it's a much easier, more rewarding hike. I'd highly suggest this
hike for those fellow backpackers who find it impossible to get
a significant other to tag along or find it hard to find a nice
hike because of their dogs; it's not terribly difficult (but no
spring chicken) and it's incredibly rewarding. Hike this one as
suggested - starting towards Pompey mountain first. Once you
head down Mt. Pleasant, you'll understand why - the trail is
pretty demanding in the opposite direction.
I would highly suggest that anyone wishing to do this hike
consider doing it as an overnight. It is short, but there are at
least four EXCELLENT campsites at the summit of Mt. Pleasant.
The trail summary here and on hikingupward.com make it seem as
if there is only one campsite at the summit, but there are
indeed four! Some reviews have said that the campsite along the
sister hike to Mt. Pleasant, Cold Mountain, is the best site in
GWNF, but I think I disagree. We stayed at an awesome site just
below the east vista. There were two sites near the west vista
and two near the east vista. All sites had their own fire pit,
and enough room for a 2/3 person tent + fly.
When the weather finally cooperated, the vistas were amazing.
The west vista is slightly better, but the sunrise can only be
seen from the east vista, and it was fantastic. Make sure to see
all of the west vista, as there are a couple extra trails in the
area to other rock vistas. The east vista is about 180° and the
west vista is about 270°. There is plenty of room at both vistas
for people and animals - it is impossible to hog these vistas
(contrary to the other review) so don't worry about this. The
only better vista I can remember better than this one might be
atop Flat Top at the Peaks of Otter (and only because it is
360°). Again, I can't express the beauty of the vistas, they
were fantastic. I am a backpacker/hiker that enjoys mountain
hikes to good vistas, and this one is the cream of the crop!

Name: Matt
Hike:
Laurel Fork
Date: 9/20/2008
Rating: 4
Critique: Great hike. The last part on Buck Run is challenging
but really nice with the beaver pond and the Red Spruce stand.
The fords of Laurel Run provide some great options for camping.

Name: Michael
Eckert
Hike:
Signal Knob /Meneka Peak loop
Date: 9/19/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Great hike with nobody on the trail but me and
squirrels. There is a bear around Signal Knob, per tree
scratches, fresh scat and large rocks overturned, but did not
see him/her. Good elevation gain but very, very rocky. Not a
good hike for trail shoes. I would not go without hiking boots
that give you ankle support, and bring walking poles for
stability coming downhill.

Name: Sonya
Hike:
AT-Sunset Rocks Circuit
Date: 9/20/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Against the advice of the author, Fido and I took this
hike on this past Saturday. I have to agree with the comments
that the first 4 miles are pretty dull. There was quite a bit of
road walking. On a positive note, I only passed one other group
of people on THE ENTIRE HIKE! I couldn't believe it since it was
a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. It was so quiet my footsteps
seemed to echo through the forest. That made up for the
dullness. If a hike is crowded, it doesn't matter how pretty it
is, it takes away from the entire point of hiking - to get away
from people!
Other than the rock scramble and the knee popping descent, the
hike would be classified as easy as the trail really just
rambles along. The scramble definitely added an element of
difficulty. My dog has climbed Mt. Washington without problem
but I had to pull her up at a few spots on this one. Also, as an
avid solo hiker, I really wish I had brought someone along since
the chance of taking a fall or twisting an ankle is pretty good
up here. You have to posses good balance and flexibility to
maneuver across the boulder field. I would not attempt this hike
with small children, someone in less than good shape, or with
dogs that can't jump 3+ ft.
I will definitely do this hike again in the fall and will
probably bring the dog and another person along.
p.s. Watch where you put your hands/feet.. this place is prime
ground for sunning snakes.

Name: Larry
Hike:
Jeremy's Run/Neighbor Mountain
Date: 9/21/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Varied inclines, declines and flat. Neighbor Mtn.,
Trail, a bit overgrown, and some branches. Streams easily
crossed today. Few hikers. Time 4 3/4 hrs. with short breaks.
Directions generally good, except that you turn right onto
Neighbor Mtn. Trail from AT.

Name: Paul
Denbow
Hike:
Fair Hill NRMA-2
Date: Sept. 21, 2008
Rating: 3.5
Critique: I thought this was a good hike, but being a sunny,
warm day ( near 80 ), that you spent too much time in the open
with the sun beating down. This would probably be better in the
late fall or early spring. The hike directions were very good.

Name: Alia
Hike:
Ironhorse Trail
Date: 30 August 2008
Rating: 3
Critique: The hike is better done clockwise than anti-clockwise:
clockwise means the return trip is easier and very flat and
pleasant.
2 comments from
hiking the trail anti-clockwise: 2 main areas need better trail
markings: where the trail continues after Epy's cemetery as well
as as the section of the trail that goes on the dirt road where
it seemed part of the old trail has become private property. It
looked like the trail has been maintained as we did not have
problem with overgrown bushes.

Name: Laurie
Hike:
AT/Bluff Trail Loop
Date: 9/13/08
Rating: 3
Critique: Hiked this loop and as suggested by the Park Ranger to camp
near the entrance to Big Devil Stairs where there are a couple sights
already cleared for tents. Saw lots of animal droppings and only sighted
1 deer. Not much for views, might be more scenic after leaves fall.
Trail was pretty rocky and it had rained Saturday night which made for
slippery walking.

Name: CRaig
Hike:
AT- Mau-Har Trail loop
Date: Aug 10-12, 2008
Rating: 5
Critique: This was a great experience! MY brother and I hiked it (began
mid-day Sun and ended mid-day on Tues) and broke it up over 3days and
two evenings. This allowed us to stop when we wanted to and enjoy the
incredible views and scenery. This also allowed us to go hit the "hay"
early and wake up late each morning (later than a work day). Like the
other postings here, it is a tough workout on your legs (I couldn't
imagine doing it in a single day, unless you are hiking for a
workout/exercise and not for pleasure.
All the trails were marked well and all but two places were difficult to
maneuver due to a downed tree.
We took the AT trail first then met up with the Mau-Har Trail the second
part. The toughest part of the trail was between Harpers Creek Shelter
and second Campbell Creek campsite, then it leveled out on the way back
to Maupin Field Shelter.
We saw deer our first morning at the Maupin Field Shelter area (lots of
separated camp sites) and then in the same area the next afternoon.
Plenty of wild animals passed by during the night at Campbell Creek camp
site. Possibly due to Campbell Creek actually having cascading water for
us and the local inhabitants to drink from. My brother's dog alerted us
during the evening.
Due to little rain the previous weeks, Harper's Creek was virtually dry
except for a small pool of water due to light rains on our first
evening. IF the area doesn't get much rains you may want to stock up on
your water supply for the Hike along the AT.
IF you are allergic to bees, don't stop at Bee Mountain to see the
views, You don't want to have any medical conditions while on the trail.
Enjoy your hike!

Name: WaldoAR15
Hike:
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Date: Sept. 8-10 2008
Rating: 4.5
Critique:
Nice hike!
The rocks were kind of hard on the old ankles though. ;) Saw a few deer,
kicked up a grouse, coyotes at night. No Bears, but quite a bit of scat
on little Stonecoal as the white oaks were dropping acorns. Good mast
crop in that area. If you want to see bears, this is where to go right
now as they will pretty much forego anything else for the acorns.
The upper end of Big Stonecoal was still loaded with ripe blueberries
everywhere you look.
No water crossing problems.

Name: John S
Hike:
Cowans Gap SP - Tuscarora Trail
Date: 9/9/2008
Rating: 4.5
Critique: I did not do the hike along the ridge that overlooks
the scenic lake at Cowan's Gap SP - I did a shuttle along the
Tuscarora Trail. I did this hike during a Tuesday just after a
heavy rain. It was absolutely deserted, and I assume in the fall
that this hike is rarely traveled. I was the only person out
during the entire 9 mile hike along the Tuscarora Trail to the
overlook on Big Mountain and back. There are two great overlooks
on the Cowan's Gap SP side of the Tuscrarora Trail, and the
overlook at Big Mountain is incredible. I was highly impressed
that a trail in PA would have as great an overlook as this. I
wish I could have done this later in the Fall, as the changing
leaves will provide and absolutely incredible scene from each of
the overlooks and I'd highly recommend this hike to everyone who
enjoys ridgeline/overlook type hikes.
Note: Be careful along this trail, on the way up to the crest of
Tuscarora Ridge, the rocks can be incredibly slippery,
especially after a good downpour. There are several rock
scrambles and I'd advise you to bring hiking poles or pick up a
walking stick at the trail head for insurance during your hike.

Name: Matt Reeser
Hike:
Chuck Keiper East Loop
Date: 8/30/08 to 8/31/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Excellent trail notes! One correction is that the last
wet campsite you refer to is also illegal as it is in the Renovo
watershed (this is not clearly signed off; there is a sign at
the top of the last incline by the jeep road). We also never saw
the campsites at Cranberry Swamp. We hiked it in two days in
counter-clockwise direction and saw a tremendous amount of
wildlife (bear evidence all over the trail, two cubs in a tree,
porcupine quills on the trail, pileated woodpeckers, newts,
turkeys and grouse by the dozens). You could subsist on the
blueberries alone on the first half of the loop! This is an
excellent hike about one hour from State College- highly
recommended.

Name: Barry
Wolfe
Hike:
Iron Horse Trail
Date: Many between 1977 and 1983
Rating: 5
Critique: Iron Horse Trail was laid out and constructed between 1977 and
1980 by two crews of United States Conservation Corps (YCC) led by
Charlie Krout and John Sanderson. The crews worked out of the Bryner
Ranger Station, Tuscarora State Forest and I was their Project Director.
It was an interesting project as it involved research into the two
railroads. The Path Valley Railroad came first and was to include the
tunnel but trains never operated on the line. Later, the Perry Lumber
Company ran their railroad on the Path Valley grade from New Germantown
to the Briner Farm (now the Ranger Station) where it left the Path
Valley Grade and followed Shermans Creek to what is now Big Spring State
Park. The YCC crews were comprised of local high school students whose
names were drawn from a hat. Each crew had four boys and four girls and
worked for eight weeks each summer. It was a great project for them.
Until I left the area in 1983, Iron Horse Trail, along with the Tunnel
Trail, was one of the favorite hikes for family and friends when they
came to visit us at our home at the Bryner Ranger Station. Barry, Kathy,
and Jenny Wolfe.

Name: Carol Branscome
Hike:
Overall Run Hike
Date: 8/1/08 Rating: 3.5
Critique: Started at the parking lot at the entrance to Matthews
Arms Campground and did the long loop counter clockwise. Falls were
very low and most of the creek was dried up. It was a hazy day so
views of the valley were limited. Also agree on Heiskell Trail -
basically an old road with years worth of leaves on it. Saw lots of
bear scat. Would not recommend this hike for mid-summer. Take lots
of water.

Name: Carol Branscome Hike:
Neighbor Mt - Jeremy's Run
Date: 7/18/08 Rating: 4.5
Critique: On a beautiful summer Friday, did the longer loop
clockwise as a day hike. Saw only 4 other hikers all on the AT
section and a bear on Neighbor Mt. Loved the Neighbor Mt. ridge part
of this hike and plan to do it as an out and back during fall
foliage. Definitely rated as one of our top hikes in Shenandoah.

Name: S. Helberg
Hike:
Bull Run Mountain Conservancy
Date: August 2, 2008
Rating: 5
Critique: This hike is very scenic with much history behind it.
Located in the Thoroughfare gap, it was the site of Civil War
battles and staging. Mountain Rd that traverses the 800 acres also
has a rich history associated with it.
Downsides include the restrictions placed on pets, and an extensive
waiver that you are requested to sign before hiking if you are not a
BRMC member.
The trails are lightly used as you would imagine for a park that has
no roadway signs that would indicate you are near the trail head, or
that you have arrived until you reach the stone house at the dead
end of the road. Keep searching, the hike is worth it! You will
enjoy mountain views without wasting a drive to the Appalachian
mountains for a several hour nature outing.

Name: Matt
Hike:
AT/ Bluff Trail Loop
Date: 08-02-2008
Rating: 4
Critique: I didn't do this entire loop. I only hiked the first
section of the Appalachian Trail up to Mt Marshall and back as a
short day trip. I just wanted to note that I encountered 3 bears
while hiking this short section. There was lots of evidence of
recent bear activity along the AT (scat, berry bushes, overturned
rocks, etc). I just wanted to make a note of the recent bear
activity in that area for anyone considering this hike.
Even though I didn't do the entire loop, I enjoyed this portion a
lot. The views from Mt Marshall are great. I hope to go back and do
the entire loop sometime later this year.

Name: Natasha
Hike:
WORNT-North River Gorge
Date: 8/02-03/08
Rating: 4
Critique: Due to time constraints we did this hike in reverse, so we
had the first day along the river and the second day on the ridge.
The water level was low and many times didn't seem to be moving,
which made the stream crossings very easy. We found the campsites
under the pines and fortunately found plenty of water nearby, with a
nice pool to freshen up in. There were some good sized fish in there
that were very interested in us. With the exception of a few loud
passing cars on FR95, it was very quiet. We had a couple camp nearby
that night, otherwise we hadn't seen anyone that first day. The
second day we headed up the ridge and saw a lot more people
(mountain bikers, horseback riders, and fellow hikers). The climb to
the ridge was definitely a workout and required a few stops to catch
our breaths. We only wished there was a really nice view at the very
top to reward us for the grueling climb. The descent was nice though
a bit cumbersome with a few blowdowns. By the time we made it to the
car our legs felt like Jello. We finished the day with ice cream at
the Tastee Freeze outside Churchville. Yum! Not sure this hike would
have been any less grueling in the other direction. Either way, one
needs to climb about 1000 ft.

Name: Faye
Hike:
Old Rag
Date: 7-29-2008
Rating: 5
Critique: Loved this hike...but very strenuous. I would not
advise for a person out of shape. The rock scramble was a great
challenge. There are some nice shady areas to enjoy your lunch.
A lot of different areas to look out over. Once you get to the
summit its all worth it. It was very breathtaking.
On our way down it was nice to stop at the two shelters to take
a breather. It does seem to take a while to get back to the
parking lot... It was the easier way to go but a little longer.
We did see one bear cub on the side of the fire road. So so
cute. We were sure the mother was close so we kept a steady
pace.
I'm happy to say I hiked the Old Rag.

Name: Richmond
Hiker
Hike:
Big Run Loop Trail
Date: 7/ 27/08
Rating: 3
Critique: This is a nice short day hike. The uphill portions were not
bad at all. The only reason I did not give this hike a 5 would be a lack
of a lot of nice vistas or waterfalls, although there were tons of wild
blueberries to eat. The biggest problem I had with this trail was the
large number of black bears I encountered. Within 20 minutes of leaving
the overlook, I stumbled upon a black bear 20 yards away. 30 minutes
after that I came across a much larger bear who stood up on its hind
legs. That absolutely terrified me. Would make a great winter hike with
the leaves off the trees and bears hibernating.

Name: Dave Watts
Hike:
Cranberry Backcountry backpack
Date: 7-19 to 20-2008
Rating: 4.9
Critique: This hike is exactly as described and just incredible for a
mid-summer venture. The temperatures were quite comfortable for a
mid-July hike. I am not sure I have ever seen a prettier hike than the
Kennison mountain trail. Numerous blow downs made for some extra work
but it is worth it. My only nit and reason for not giving a perfect
rating is the stinging nettles are quite bothersome on the South Fork
trail this time of year. Overall I would rate this hike a MUST DO. I
plan to repeat it with friends.

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.
Hike:
Ironhorse Trail
Date: 01/20/08
Rating: 4
This is a great winter hike. The length is right for short days
and all but the last few miles of the drive are on highways. The
trail does need a little maintenance. A short stretch of trail
parallel to the road immediately after leaving Eby cemetery is
impassable. It is best to take the road for a few minutes and
regain the trail when the thorns thin out or at a clearing 5-10
minutes up the road. On the return leg, the blazing is unclear
when you get to the snowmobile trail. There are some tape flags
which are not the trail. Turn right at the snow mobile trail
intersection and continue uphill for 5 minutes or so until the
iron horse trail splits off to the left. The neat old cemetery
with headstones from the 1860's is definitely a bonus. Thanks
again, Mike.

Name: Terri
Hike:
Hemlock Natural Area
Date: 1/13/08
Rating: 4
Critique: This hike combines moderate hills, flat stretches and nice
views. It is easy to get to, yet we saw no other hikers. The trail is a
bit overgrown and thorny vines may require long pants in the summer. For
the bushwhack, after hiking along the stream for about 10-15 minutes,
the terrain to the right flattens out. If you angle to the right, you
will hit an old road, which goes out to Hemlock Rd., across from the Big
Round Top trail intersection. Turn left to the parking area. Thanks,
Mike!
PS - Steve: Did you say "you" had the PATC map?

Name: Steve
Hike:
Hemlock Natural Area
Date: 1/13/08
Rating: 5
Critique: Your trail notes were fantastic. I had the Tuscora Trail map
from the PATC, but most of the trails in the Hemlock Area aren't on this
map. I should have printed out your map. The hike was great and offered
a variety of terrain. I'm thinking of doing this again as a backpacking
trip and doing several of your hikes in that area. Thanks for the
invaluable service you do for the hiking community.

Name: Karen
Hike:
Big Schloss
Date: 1/12-13 2008
Rating: 4
Critique: Did this hike over the weekend and camped. Great hike, camp
site we found was perfect, note that while it looks like there is a lot
of dry wood lying around, its not after 2 days of rain!!
Along the orange trail heading towards Big Schloss Cutoff there is a
trail off to the right(west) marked with white paint, this is very
confusing if you are reading the map and think you have passed the
cut-off trail. No where on the map do you see another white trail so
needless to say we back tracked and then went back and decided it must
be some error.
I would have to agree with Nicholas, the descent on Big Schloss is quite
steep, you drop 1,000 feet in 1.71 miles and if we had been to this
website BEFORE heading out we would have hiked up Big Schloss to the
camp sites!!
No worries though, it was a great hike, great weekend and now we know
for next time.
MRHyker Note: The white trail is only about 30 feet long. It leads to
a vista that can be seen from the main trail. I had it marked with a
camera. I added a white trail segment to it on the large map.

Name: Natasha
Hike:
Big Run Loop Trail
Date: 1/13/07
Rating: 4
Critique: An excellent afternoon hike. Took about 2 1/2 hours with a
steady pace and a few stops. I found the descent to be on the
steeper side and wouldn't want to try this hike in reverse. The
climb out of the valley wasn't bad at all. It did get the heart
pumping but the long switchbacks made it a nice steady climb.
Because we did this hike with the leaves off the trees, there were
plenty of nice views to be had of the ridges up around you as you
hike. It was neat seeing the overlook where we parked and just how
far down into the valley we went. One could make this hike longer by
heading down to the Madison Run Fire Road and the Browns Gap Parking
area and then taking the AT from there to the Doyles River Parking
area. Overall, a nice hike, easily done in a few hours that is
definitely more secluded with nice terrain.
Note to MRHYKER: The directions to the trailhead are incorrect. They
are to another trail. But your directions in the description to the
overlook were correct and the trailhead was easy to find.
MRHyker Note: Oops! My bad! That was the waypoint for the Doyle
River Loop trailhead I did on the same day. It's fixed now.

Name: Galen
Hike:
Overall Run loop
Date: 1-13-08
Rating: 2
Critique: This hike deserves its strenuous rating, mostly for its steep
sections and rocky paths. Pretty hard on the feet. Did this one
clockwise, with the falls first. The hard ascent is worth the view from
up top. You can see mountains and the falls from high above, on a rock
ledge of your choosing. From there, it's pretty much over as far as
scenery goes. Maybe it's because the streams were dry or that all the
wildlife was on vacation or that every 30 feet there was a tree laying
across the path, but I didn't see much redeeming value in the Heiskell
trail. Nothing but trees and knee-pounding, leaf-covered rocky trail. In
my opinion it's not a particularly bad hike, but there are other, more
appealing hikes nearby.

Name: ThatGuy
Hike:
Billy Goat Trail Section A
Date: 1/10/8
Rating: 5
Critique: It is a great trail but some people are intimidated by the
Traverse (the cliff in the middle). It is a very heavily used trail, so
the park encourages people to stay on the marked footpath and not
venture into the middle of the island. Also they like to encourage
people to also visit Billy Goat Trails B and C. The B section is just
down stream from Angler's Inn, the C section from Carderock.
Sorry to be 'that guy', but the reason dogs are banned from the Billy
Goat Trail Section A is because it is such a heavily used trail and they
tend to get in the way. Also it is on an island (Bear Island) and the
presence of dogs freaks out the animals and they don't really have any
place to go. Despite people saying how well behaved their fido is, I
have seen them chasing animals and getting into fights with other dogs.
Not to mention they are tick magnets.
People with dogs that can't handle the traverse or other rocky parts of
the trail tend to make their own path through the middle of the habitat,
which doesn't help with the whole animals on an island thing.
Dogs are allowed on Sections B and C, which are much more suited for
them I think.

Name: Nicholas
Hike:
Big Schloss
Date: 1/5-6/2008
Rating: 4.5
Critique: The description of the hike is perfect, except as to what
the most difficult part was, in my opinion. The gain in the first
four miles was significant, but not unreasonable. The difficult part
of the hike was the descent from Big Schloss back to FDR 92. Losing
a bit over 1000 feet in two miles, it felt like we were rolling
downhill at times.
Regarding water, there was plenty of it in a number of places. To
update the Sandstone Spring report from November, it seems to have
recovered - we had no water worries while camping there for the
night.
The camping near Sandstone Spring was a little difficult to find -
having them marked on the map was necessary to know where to look,
as they were not right near the trail.
For those with sore feet who might consider skipping the trip up Big
Schloss - DON'T. The views were spectacular. It was a cool morning,
a bit cloudy, and you could see for miles in every direction.
Thanks for the website - I just found it, and this was my first hike
I found here, but it will definitely not be the last.

Name: B. Gordon
Hike:
Trayfoot Mt/Paine Run Loop
Date: 12/28/2007
Rating: 4
Critique: I did my best to dodge rain all day on this hike with rain
beginning literally as I was putting my gear in the car around 3:40.
As stated this is a pretty strenuous hike with many great views
throughout other than the hike up Paine Run Trail. Pay special
attention to the directions staying straight on the A.T. so you
don't miss Blackrock Mt. There are great views there along with some
wild rock formation/shapes. There are many good places to eat lunch
on the Trayfoot Mt Trail but save a little snack and water for the
last .84 mile of the Paine Run Trail as your thighs will be burning
and need just a bit of energy to make that last lunge to the parking
area. Directions for this hike are excellent. This is a great hike
if you are looking to burn off a few calories and you have about 5
hours to spare.

Name: Larry
Hike:
Laurel Run-Falls Ridge Loop
Date: 11/24/07
Rating: 4
Critique: Trail: Nice strenuous hike, of 4-5 hours duration, with
good views near top. Good boots mandatory, because of rocks,
sometimes covered with leaves. Hunters out at this time.
Ride to trailhead: First bridge on SR 675 functioning at this time.
Do not take trail up to left from parking area, but walk forward on
road for ~ 100 yds., and you'll see trail sign.

Name: Josh Vaugh
Hike:
Old
Rag
Date: 11/23/07
Rating: 5
Critique: I live in Luray. My brother and I ran this with a kid from his
school, and it was really fun. We ran most of the way to the top, walked
the top, and then ran most of the descent. From the lower parking lot
and back, we completed it in 3 hours, .5 of which were sightseeing. Not
the best trail for running though.

Name: Peter Fleszar
Hike:
Big Schloss
Date: 11/18/07
Rating: 4
Critique: Water report from November of dry 2007. Sandstone Spring was
not running, just a fist-size pool of water that some unthoughtful
person had dumped orange peelings into. Spring by the PATC cabin was dry
but stagnant pool 100 yd. downstream was good enough for the cabin
weekenders.
For those interested, Mill Mountain Trail and the portion of Tuscarora
Trail north of the junction on this loop are considered now also part of
Great Eastern Trail, as of today on the GET's web site
http://www.greateasterntrail.org a photo of Big Schloss is on the
opening page.

Name: Ian
Hike:
AT/Mau-Har, 3 Ridges Loop
Date: 8/07
Rating: 5
Critique: A friend and I did this loop. We started at the Tye,
went north on the AT and came back vai Mau-Har the next morning.
This direction is extremely strenuous. Get your pack as light as
you can and get ready for lots of switchbacks, unending
relentless switchbacks. First hike I've been on where my calves
literally stopped working for a while.
The trail has great views. There were a surprising amount of
people on it the weekend that we went but I must say it was a
surprisingly beautiful weekend to go hiking.
We split the hike at the Maupin Field Shelter where the AT and
Mau-Har's northern most intersection is, 1.6 miles from the
Reed's Gap parking lot. Taking the Mau-Har back the next morning
was nice. Not nearly as painful as the way up and over the three
ridges.

Name: Galen
Hike:
Doyles River
Date: 11-10-07
Rating: 3
Critique: Did this one not as a loop, but as an out and back on the
Doyles River trail. Not especially long or strenuous but it was
meant for an outing with some hiking newbies that turned out pretty
good. The original hike was supposed to be down to South River Falls
but the Central district was closed due to ice and snow. In
November. Weird. Anyhoo, this turned out to be a great plan B. Even
with the rain deficit, the waterfalls were still chugging along with
some impressive rock formations that you can climb all over. Makes
for good lunch spots. Well marked trail with some loose rocks.
Foliage was nice even though it was past peak. It's a hefty
elevation change so we got a good workout on the way back. I'll bet
this would be a nice hike year-round but best in the Spring when the
streams are full.

Name: The
Fire Warlock
Hike:
Tea Creek/Tea Creek Mountain Loop
Date: 11/9/06
Rating: 5
Critique: We started at Tea Creek Campground and hiked the 3 miles
plus into the shelter. At this time of the year, it was VERY wet
footing and mostly streambed hiking. Thank goodness for XCR boots,
eh? The shelter was finally reached and luckily it was in fine shape
with a nice existing fire ring, including a huge piece of old iron,
which we put to good use as a semi-fire/wind shield when the rains
came on night two. We set up camp, though there was difficulty
finding room for our 4 tents. The next day we completed a 10 mile
day-hike loop (with some trepidation about leaving our tents and
gear), though this was to prove unfounded. This whole area is
completely untouched and pristine, with lots of evidence of
glaciated boulders, and the famous "ice tea" pools, formed by
conifer and mineral leachates leaking into the surrounding drainage.
Strange to see crystal clear water in pools, but the color of deeply
steeped tea. We tiredly reached camp and found that someone? had
left us a loaf of bread hanging in the shelter. A great trip for
sure. Sorry it took me a year to find this site. -The Fire Warlock
(Don't ask)

Name: Hitman
Hike:
Northern Section BFT
Date: 10/28/07-10/30/07
Rating: 4.5
Critique: Great hike! Went with my dog and followed your itinerary for
a three day hike. Got a little worried heading up to the trail on 44,
didn't think it was going to be that far on 44. Got a late start on
first day but made it to first campsite by dark (barely) Second day is
tough at the beginning and the end but got into camp at Foster Hollow in
the early afternoon thanks to the flat sections separating the tough
early and late sections. Great scenery. The large rock quarry was a
spectacular spot for lunch and I actually took a nice long nap there.
The last day was mostly just a walk out and the scenery was less
impressive though the descent over the boulders was fun. All in all a
great hike and I would highly recommend it in fall with the color
changes. Thanks for the recommendation.

Name: Brandon F.
Hike:
Shawl Gap/Sherman Gap Loop
Date: 11/4/07
Rating: 3.5
Critique: Slow day for a Sunday. Picnicking/cookout season is officially
over, apparently.
I decided to take a shortcut while going up the Massanutten/Tuscarora
Trail. After the rock field, there's a 4-way intersection with an
unmarked, but wide, trail: the old Shawl Gap trail. For being
unmaintained, it sure was in good condition - fewer rocks, wider, and
the only blowdowns were minor tree trunks that you can easily step over.
But it is steeper.
The biggest blowdown was at the intersection of the Mass/Tusc. Trail
with Sherman Gap. It's right at the intersection, and not as easy to
walk around (not that it's hard).
Also, I don't recommend walking to The Point, as the views aren't really
there. If you keep walking down the Mass/Tusc. Trail (maybe 0.5 mile
beyond The Point?) I think you'll come to an overlook and a campsite
that's normally arrived to via the Veach Gap Trail. I didn't go there
today as I wasn't sure how long it would take me and daylight savings is
gone.
This is mainly a walk in the woods, on and along a mountain. The views
you get are basically teasers and aren't very photo-friendly. Maybe
lesser hikers would give it a lower rating, but it takes a lot to make
it a bad hike for me.
3.5

Name: Bob Handelsman
Hike:
Laurel Fork
Date: 1978 and 1979
Rating: 5
Critique: Hiked in here twice almost 30 years ago. The first time, we
camped for three nights at the point where the Locust Springs and Buck
Run trails meet the Laurel Fork. There was a beautiful campsite there.
The second time, we took the Locust Springs trail down and hiked over to
Bearwallow Run where we camped right on the trail. It was during the
week and no one was around. The trail along the Laurel Fork from Buck
Run to Bearwallow Run was beautiful. Would like to do it again.
Discovered this trail system from the Wurtz-Scheafer book. I don't know
if it is still in print but I still have my copy.

Name: Jeff Slahor
Hike:
Roaring Plains Circuit
Date: 10/18-10/21 2007
Rating: 5
Critique: Gotten back into backpacking in the last decade and covered a
fair amount of the Mon Nat Forest along with other trips east of the
Miss. This was clearly one of the greatest I've done to date. It was
fairly easy to jump trail, miss connections, etc. but between the three
of us we were able to put one complete brain together and complete the
loop. Relatively short but a good work out both physically and
mentally. Kudos to the keeper of this website for extremely accurate
information. Thanks.

Name: Jeff
Hike:
Roaring Plains Circuit
Date: October 6, 2007
Rating: 4.5
Critique: My brother, son and I took the entire loop described here in
one long day hike. Although I consider our route finding abilities
pretty good we did manage to get confused a couple of times (not lost).
At first we missed the 'right turn and cross a small stream' and
started heading downhill before realizing our mistake. Soon after we
wandered away from the rim following a sort of trail then had a knock
down drag out fight with thickets to get back to the rim. My brother
climbed a tree to scout out the most feasible way through the thick
thicket. My brother led us through very nicely on the Teepee Trail. On
my own I think I would have gotten all mixed up here. The first large
flat rock with a cairn on it that we came to was not the place to turn
left on a sandy trail. A second large flat rock without a cairn was the
place to turn left. I was surprised how mucky this trail was during a
dry October, must be an incredible mess during a wet Spring. The
succession of viewpoints on this hike were fantastic. Only the short
ugly stretch on the Pipeline Swath kept me from giving a rating of 5.

Name: Kate
Hike:
Dolly Sods Circumnavigation
Date: 10/13-14/2007
Rating: 4
Critique: What an excellent place to go for an October hike. The
fall colors were spectacular. Bring your windbreaker and your boots,
because these trails are rugged, muddy, and very windy!
My group of 5 found these trails very easy. There was little
elevation gain throughout. A few sections were pretty much the
rockiest thing I have seen this side of the Mississippi, but they
won't wear you out. We turned this into an overnighter by shortening
the loop at the Lion's Head and taking the Rocky Point Trail. This
loop also can be modified to begin and end at the Red Creek
campground by taking the Blackbird Knob trail.
We did meet a lot of other hikers along the way, though. I was
hoping for a little more solitude.
Thank you for good trail notes and a fabulous map!

Name: Raven
Hike:
Oregon Ridge
Date: 10/14/07
Rating: 3
Critique: The trails are beautiful, but the left turn to stay on Ivy
Hill trail is not easily visible when there are leaves on the trees
-- a branch completely covers the sign until you're right on top of
it, and the side trail you must take looks like one of many, many
other adjunct trails not noted on the map. If you miss the turn,
you'll climb up a fairly steep hill, only to hit Ivy Hill Road
(paved), which is the park boundary. Then you'll have to turn
around and hike back down that steep hill.
In addition, when you get to the end of the loop and back on the
Logger's Trail, the "Turn left (uphill) and walk a short distance
before turning right onto orange blazed Lake Tr."... you'll see the
right onto Logger's Trail before you get to the Lake Trail. If you
take the Logger's Trail, there are a few steep descents and ascents
that might be challenging for some hikers. (There's a scramble
uphill where one is well advised to use handholds, for example.)
The one log bridge at the end of Lake Trail is currently two logs,
both fairly rotted, and a wobbly handrail. It's precarious, and I
hope they replace the logs with ones that don't crack under your
feet soon.

Name: Natasha
Hike:
Ramseys Draft
Date: 10/13-14/07
Rating: 4
Critique: We followed this hike as described above and found it a
very enjoyable overnight hike. Due to lack of rain, there was very
little water in the streams so crossing was very easy. Thankfully
there were some flowing pools so we did have some water available.
We decided to stock up on water before the climb to Hiner Spring.
That climb was definitely a workout- lots of big rocks, fallen
trees, and steep sections. We camped at Hiner Spring (the spring
itself was bone dry) and were rewarded with the place all to
ourselves. Herds of deer roamed around camp all evening. The next
morning a small herd decided to check us out and appeared not to be
afraid of people at all. We packed up and continued up to the
Shenandoah Mountain Trail and followed that south as described. The
ridge hike was a nice long stroll. Only disappointment was lack of
good views, but the pine needles were a nice welcome cushion under
our feet. The Road Hollow trail is definitely interesting. Very
rocky, and like described, can't seem to figure out where it wants
to go. Some fallen trees made travel a bit more difficult but
overall, a nice descent from the ridge back down to the car. The
weather was perfect, the trees beautiful (though not yet in full
color), and there was plenty of wildlife to enjoy. Lack of
dependable water sources and a recent fire ban put a damper on our
plans, but the hike overall was VERY enjoyable and I highly
recommend this hike for those looking for a refreshing over-nighter.

Name: Greg and
Sarah
Hike:
Plantation Tr/CLR 13 Loop
Date: 10/13/07
Rating: 5
Critique: This was a perfect fall hike. The leaves hadn't all
started to change in the Blackwater area but they were getting
there. I think next weekend they will be at their best. The weather
was perfect and the view from the Table Rock overlook was fabulous.
One thing to note is there are no signs for the Lindy Run Trail off
of CLR 13. We missed it and ended up doing the hike backwards, which
was just as good. M.R. Hyker
Note: The Lindy Run Tr from CLR 13 to the Plantation Tr has been
abandoned by the U.S.F.S. because the first 100 yards is now owned
by a lumber company. It is still in good condition and not posted
"Private Property", etc. It can be hard to find if you're not
looking for it. The Trail Notes have been modified to reflect this
change.
We decided to stay the night at the Blackwater SP campground and
head to the Purple Fiddle, based on your recommendation, for dinner
and to listen to the Farewell Drifters. The food was delicious and
the bluegrass was even better. The long black-haired waitress could
have been a little nicer though.
If you head out next weekend, the view from the Table Rocks should
be amazing.

Name: Jeff
Hike:
Neighbor Mountain/Jeremy's Run
Date: 09/2006
Rating: 4
Critique: Good, long hike. Great overnight trip along the run. Going
again tomorrow morning (10/13/07). Decent views on the mountain,
great views along the stream. Overall 4 out of 5.

Name: PowderKeg Hike:
Black Forest Trail - North
Date: 10/6/07
Rating: 4.5
Critique: Absolutely beautiful vistas and a spectacular hike.
A couple of items that might be helpful:
The parking area on Rt 44 is 2.3 miles past the driveway of the
Black Forest Inn. If you get to the God's Country sign you went just
a little too far. It's easy to miss as the trail indicator is just a
wooden post.
Also, a correction: after the unmarked trails to the table rocks,
where the Algernine trail goes off to the left, you want to make a
hard RIGHT to continue the BFT (directions above are mistyped, but
once on the trail it's quite obvious what you need to do).
(Correction noted and the change made.)
Also, the spring mentioned in the directions and on the map was dry
during my hike.
And, I'm a sucker for nice campsites. If you can manage it, I
recommend camping either at the second vista after the steep climb
that is supposed to start Day 2 (there are two campsites just a few
yards past the second vista). This is where I camped and the sunset
over the mountains was fantastic.
And the first quarry looks like one of the most gorgeous campsites
I've seen, at least in fall... maybe not shady enough for hot
weather. It would be tough to get there on Day 1.
Be warned, with the spring being dry, you really need to carry
enough water to last from the three "Day 1" campsites all the way to
to Slate Run... only an issue if you're planning to stay at one of
these alternate campsites.
The descriptions and directions in this guide
were spot-on. Thanks for such a fine job and such a great hike.

Name: Jeff
Hike:
Old Rag
Date: 10/07/2007
Rating: 5
Critique: Very challenging but beautiful hike. For those that do it
with kids like we did please be careful as you do the rock scramble.
My 8 yr old son began to gain some confidence/excitement as we
climbed but I felt more comfortable leading as we got closer to the
summit. Great hike.

Name: Clarkus
Hike:
White Rock Gap - Torry Ridge Loop
Date: 10/4/07
Rating: 3
Critique: Great hike... just wish there had been more water for the
falls!
A bit confusing when I got to the campsite at the lake... just walk
the main road till you hit the dam of the lake and its the first
gravel road on the left.
Great site and great instructions!

Name: Clarkus
Hike:
Devil's Marbleyard/Gunter Ridge Loop
Date:
1/20/07
Rating: 4
Critique: Took my dog hiking for a quiet day in winter. DO NOT
bring your dog into the marbleyard... he/she will get trapped in the
rocks. There is a trail to the right of the yard that can be easily
hiked with great views of the yard.
Helicopter pad off the AT is great, with wonderful views of the
valley to your right heading east.
Gunter Ridge is amazing on a clear day, as the fire has made the
view spectacular. It also makes for quick descent down the endless
switchbacks. I was glad I was going down and not up.
Dirt trail back your car is long, unscenic, but relatively flat.
Great day hike!

Name: Cham Green
Hike:
Rocky Knob Quarry Gap
Date: September 30, 2007
Rating: 3
Critique: There are advantages and disadvantages to Michaux. The
big advantage is that, as the crow flies, it isn't that far from the
Baltimore-Washington area, trails are well marked and you will never
get lonely in this forest. As more of a valley than a mountain
range, you don't get too many sweeping views. The AT here is
well-used, well-maintained and you get more of a sense that you are
walking on a road more so than trail. The biggest downside though
is getting there, The suburban sprawl between Maryland and this
region of PA has caused traffic to slow to a crawl along 97 and 30,
so plan accordingly and avoid rush hour.

Name: Kelly
Hike:
Little Devil's Stairs
Date: 9/23/07
Rating: 3.5
Critique: The hike will work your legs in the first few miles as you
ascend the stairs. The view of the rock formation was very cool as
the beginning of my hike there was little in the gorge. The hike
isn't difficult physically demanding but watch your footing, as the
rocks if damp can be a bit slippery. I took the short version and
found a rock outcrop that I was able to sit and enjoy my break while
taking in a view. The path is about 1/4 mile down on your left not
marked but was easily found. The cemetery was a look back into the
past of the Blue Ridge Mountains as there is a plaque in the family
cemetery. The plaque describes a bit of history of the Shenandoah
National Park and how it came to be. The overall hike was enjoyable
would visit again in the future.

Name: Pete
Hike:
Otter Creek-Mason-Dixon Trail
Date: 09/23/07
Rating: 3.75
Critique: Having lost a day on a backpacking trip that ended for me
too soon, I went down to Otter Creek to see one of PA’s most
beautiful streams, since I hadn’t been to Otter Creek before.
As in the other critique, the parking lot was gated shut so I parked
at the campground with their permission. A couple of local
bicyclists passing by as I pondered the map by the gate, said it’s
gated shut nearly all the time now.
Hiking during leaf-on sees many of the trail markings obscured by
branches, even on the Mason-Dixon Trail but especially on the
others. Urey Overlook is nearly totally obscured by saplings. It’s a
winter overlook now until someone gets there with a chain saw.
The lower trail at the end is signed “no trespassing” at the
campground stairs and “no trespassing” with orange snow fence at the
end facing the former parking lot. That’s too bad since I
unknowingly hiked it from the other end (marked with a high
concentration of “no swimming and diving, hidden rocks” signs on the
upper trail) and passed a couple of nice small falls and through a
curious rock cut.
Maybe when the electricity rate cap ends in PA then PPL will feel
rich enough to improve the trails here as they have at some of their
other sites across the river.
Speaking of the other side of the river, on another occasion I
lengthened a Kelly’s Run/Pinnacle hike by walking over to and around
the ghost town of Holtwood since I could see it on the quad. It’s
visible just on the bottom of the map for #96. You can see
foundations, front steps, etc. by following the curb lines of the
old streets through the overgrowth. It wasn’t posted against
trespassing when I was there (might be two years ago now). Just
follow the road over from the switchback in the “Kelly’s Run Return
Trail” down across Holtwood Rd and climb up the other side.
I wondered why someone felt compelled to demolish the homes until I
realized there are no cuts in the curbs for driveways. Maybe a
pedestrian village would have survived down DC way, but not in
southern Lancaster County after the dam workers moved away. (BTW,
Safe Harbor dam has a similar patch village initially built for dam
workers, but since that dam wasn’t built until 1930 they added
garages there.)
Thanks as always for the good stuff on your site.

Name: Cham
Green
Hike: Brown
Mtn Rocky Top
Date: 9/21-23
Rating: 5
Critique: This would do as a solid day hike, but I turned it
into a 3 day backpack just for sport. There are some good views
of the southern Massanuttens on this one, and if you camp on
Rockytop ridge you can see the lights of Harrisonburg. The
bears are fat right now and plentiful. Sleeping in the poison
ivy field down by Big Run was probably not one of my better
ideas. For more info and pics, go to blog write up
http://www.chamspage.blogspot.com
and look for September 23, 2007 entry.

Name: Bob
Hike:
Old Logger's Path
Date: 9/14 - 9/17/07
Rating: 4
Critique: We hiked this trail east out of Masten and did the
southern section first, as the trail guide is written. (If you
go the other way, there is a pretty large campsite within the
first 200 yards of the trail.) The first scenic overlook is a
short detour, but worth the side trip and a good place for a
break. We hiked a little over 8 miles on day 1 and found only a
dry/stagnate creek bed. Day 2 started with a short hike to
Pleasant Stream for water. The campsite here is really nice.
We hiked about 10 more miles without finding any more water.
The views from the mountain were great, and deer in the area
were comfortable with us around. Day 3 started with about 1.5
miles to the Yellow Run swimming hole. This was beautiful, but
it was about 45 degrees outside, and too cold to swim.
General thoughts: Arrive with plenty of water and be prepared
to carry a day's worth, plus cooking. Water was only available
in two places, and they're about day's hike apart. We crossed
what appeared to be several dry creek beds, so maybe it was just
unusually dry. The trail is very well marked, but there a few
railroad grades where the trail quickly heads back into the
woods. Pay attention. I know we missed one, and another hiker
got caught doing a loop - twice, because he missed a turn
marker. The campsites are nice and pretty well spaced. Some
are quite large, others are for one tent only. Wear long pants,
as much of the trail has high grass and other scratch-inducing
foliage. All in all, this is a great hike with frequent terrain
changes and enough scenery changes that it never gets boring. I
can see why this trail is recommended for a beginner backpacker,
but also why experienced backpackers return to it.

Name: Amy
Hike:
Neighbor Mountain/Jeremy's Run
Date: 09/15/07
Rating: 5
Critique: My daughter and I (and dog) hiked the Neighbor
Mountain trail as an out-n-back walk, from the Skyline Drive
down to Jeremy's Run, and back. Beautiful breezy weather; great
views of Page Valley and Massanutten off to the west. Not much
water in Jeremy's Run, but still a very pleasant rest stop
before beginning the walk back up to the top of Neighbor Mtn.
Along the way, we saw one person, two deer, two turkeys, and one
tiny little snake - - only about 3 inches long. Also plenty of
purple asters in bloom. Great walk!

Name: Kelly
Hike:
Old Rag
Date: 9/14/07
Rating: 4
Critique: My first visit to Old Rag and I enjoyed the hike. I
was there on a Friday morning early to be ahead of the any crowd
and was able to park in the small parking lot closest to the
trail head. The hike to the rock scramble has a few picture
opportunities. The rock scramble area was a great experience
very different from my other hiking experiences as you pull your
way up and boulder hop in a few places. After reaching the
summit the decent was uneventful on the fire/service road until
I spotted three bear cubs and bit further came upon a ten point
buck that was no more than fifteen yards off the trail.
I will return again during the week.

Name: Cory
Hike:
Prince William Forest Park Loop
Date: 9/16/07
Rating: 3.5
Critique: This wasn't too bad of a hike. The weather was
absolutely perfect and there were a few groups of folks out
enjoying the area so made for some friendly exchanges. The hike
started out pretty good but trail gets a little confusing up
near Geology Trail and am not sure what happened but I think I
missed part of it. Then again when hiking High Meadows Trail I
passed a few trail intersections that were not marked on the
hike notes nor are on the map. It's possible these notes/maps
haven't been updated in a long time. South Valley Trail is
closed from the intersection with High Meadows Trail and Scenic
Drive. Made for some annoying hiking as I humped it along the
street with the traffic. Would rather not do that again. This
would've been a better hike if I had known that trail was closed
and didn't have to backtrack 1 mile plus back to the road. Not
complaining but just would've enjoyed it more. Overall I
enjoyed the hike though and am glad I did it.

Name: Kris
Hike:
Falls Ridge- North Mountain loop
Date: 9/13/07
Rating: 4
Critique: I took advantage of a gorgeous September day to
complete this hike. I added a couple of miles to make it a full
14 miles. The hike description is right on. I did not give this
hike a 5 rating because the last section of the Falls Ridge
climb and first mile and a half of the North Mountain Trail is
so overgrown. It became quite annoying. The vistas were
beautiful. I was also surprised to see a fair amount of fall
colors along the hike. A sure sign of cooler weather. The white
blaze mentioned for the bushwhack was not spotted, though a
trail, also blazed yellow, took off to the left at about the
same spot. I followed this for a while, but became concerned I
was getting too far from my planned route. I also continued on
the North Mountain Trail past the towers for about a mile and
then turned around to tackle the descent of the pipeline. The
trek down the pipeline swath is brutal, and if you have
questionable knee problems, this decent will decide it for you!
The blue blaze on the left is fairly easy to spot. The rock pile
is not, as you are trekking through waist high brush. I had some
confusion finding the Fat Mountain Trail at the end due to
recent construction and/or because I was pretty tired. There is
a new post that is blazed blue on three sides on the Laurel Run
Connector. Take the right onto a trail that has a white blaze
and a National Forest sign that says "Foot Traffic Invited". It
is small and somewhat obscured, but just to the right of the
trail as you turn onto it. This ends up being the Fat Mountain
Trail. At this point you are only about 3/4 mile to the parking
area.

Name: Cory
Hike:
Sugarloaf Mountain
Date: 9 Sep 07
Rating: 4
Critique: I enjoyed this hike. I agree with Heather (Mar 06)
that the last part of the hike is a bit to steep for my liking
but that could be solved by simply doing the hike, as suggested,
in reverse. Aside from that I didn't encounter that many people
(though there were a lot of cars parked there...where were they
all at??) and the trails are well marked and maintained.
Overall, I think it's a great way to spend a few hours and plan
on going back later on in the fall when the leaves change color.

Name: Ryan Shaw
Hike:
AT-Sunset Rocks Circuit
Date: 08/18/07
Rating: 4
Critique: This is a hike of contrasts. The first 4 1/2 miles
are pretty peaceful and ordinary. Then you approach the rocks
and everything changes. All of a sudden you find yourself
jumping from rock to rock, scrambling around. Also, for the
record, this portion of the hike is closer to half a mile than
100 yards.
I would definitely recommend this hike because the rock scramble
is a blast!

Name: brad
Hike:
Old Rag Mountain
Date:09/01/07
Rating: 5
Critique: an astounding hike. I agree with my sister though, I
really just like the rock climbing.

Name: Peter
Schultz
Hike:
Laurel Fork Backpack (GWNF)
Date: 09-01-07
Rating: 4
Critique: I did the hike over Labor Day weekend with my wife,
11-year-old son, and his friend (all are in excellent shape). It
was stellar! The weather was superb, the river was low, no
bugs, lots of brook trout in the creek (very skittish though),
neat beaver ponds, etc.
We did the loop over two days, camping at the intersection of
Bearwallow Run and Laurel Fork. It's a beautiful little spot.
Fortunately, we always hang our food, trash, and the pack that
carries the food at least 10' off the ground since we were
visited by a small pack of coyotes at night. The burbling creek
at night was idyllic.
It was essential that we had the written description from
MidAtlanticHikes.com, since the trail blazes are crap for most
of the 14 mile loop. The blazes are so bad that one group we met
turned around when they got to Laurel Fork because they couldn't
find the trail. We muddled along OK because we very carefully
followed the written description, but we did go off course 2
times: once on Bearwallow Run and once on Buck Run (where we
initially missed the switchbacks). MY REQUEST TO ANYONE WHO DOES
THIS LOOP: PLEASE BRING SOME LIGHT BLUE PAINT TO RE-DO THE
BLAZES.
All-in-all, it's a wonderful trip.

Name: Larry
Hike:
Signal Knob /Meneka Peak loop
Date: 09/02/07
Rating: 4
Critique: First time on trail, used directions from this web
site, didn't get lost. Good parking. Intermittent incline and
declines. Some of trail signs missing or damaged. Lovely views.
~4 and 1/2 hours total, including 4 hrs. hike time, 30 min break
. time. Ride from D.C. area easy.

Name: Zeb Amoss
Hike:
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Date: 09/01-03-07
Rating: 3.5
Critique: This was a wonderful hike. Views along Red Creek are
spectacular. Although recent dry weather caused the waterfalls
to be rather small, they were great anyway. The breathed
mountain trail weaves in and out of the plains providing the
right mix of high level blueberry glades and conifer forest. I
did not visit the lions head. Somehow I missed the side trail
leading that way. Little stone coal was rougher than anticipated
and could be a real kick in the lungs if hiked in the uphill
direction. All in all a wonderful weekend.

Name: Mike
Hike:
Laurel Run/Falls Ridge Loop
Date: 09/03/07
Rating: 5
Critique: Great hike! Quite arduous but worth the pain. Strongly
recommend a walking stick because the entire trail is very
rocky. The trail notes are a must have. Going up Laurel Run is
very technical. Small rocks make long strides very difficult.
The clear views are few but absolutely beautiful. The trail is
fairly overgrown which merely adds to the mystique of it. I
didn't see a single person on my 4+ hour hike.
DIRECTIONS TO TRAIL from I-81:
The direction #2, is wrong now:
The bridge at Columbia Furnace is out. Follow detours, Veer
Right on 675 (at church right BEFORE Columbia Furnace- If you
see a convenience store after you go over a bridge, you've gone
too far), go down hill and make right onto SR 675.
TRAIL NOTES:
Stay on the North Mountain Trail a little bit longer to the
intersection with yellow-blazed Falls Ridge Trail on your Left.
Because the trail is so overgrown, the yellow-blazed trees can
be hard to see. Look for rock piles.

Name: I&K
Hike:
Blackwater Falls SP/Canaan Mountain Loop
Date: 8/25/2007
Rating: 3.5
Critique:
Good Hike thru some beautiful country. We always start the hike
at the stables even with the smells described in the trail
notes. When beginning here you expect to find a bridge over
Engine Run in about .2 miles, but it is now gone. Someone has
thankfully placed some rocks so the crossing is easy.
(M.R.Hyker Note: The
Davis/Allegheny Tr has been rerouted. It is now across the
stable drive from the Yellow Birch Tr, a few yards down from the
stable. It crosses Engine Run on one of the standard, well built
wood and steel park bridges.)
The climb
to the intersections with the Plantation Trail is scenic and not
difficult, but it has serious erosion.
The transverse of the Plantation Trail is beautiful and easy
walking as is the down hill on the Lindy Run trail albeit a
little soggy in places.
Be sure to make the side trip to Lindy Point. In previous trips
we did not and found that we were missing one of the highlights
of the hike. The views of the Blackwater gorge are amazing.
The remainder of the hike is pretty mundane; paved road for .6
miles and then a series of trails through the wood to the lodge.
From the lodge the Yellow Birch Trail is somewhat scenic but it
is so convoluted that you have to constantly look for the
numerous yellow blazes.
Time: 4 1/2 hours with breaks and lunch.

Name: Cory
Hike:
AT/Bluff Trail Loop
Date: 8/25/07 Rating: 4
Critique: This was my longest hike to date. The Shenandoah
National Park is quite a drive from Alexandria but well worth
it. I was surprised by the $15.00 entrance fee to the park
(gets you a 7-day pass) and wasn't too happy with the fact there
was no lower fee for day users. That makes it for an expensive
hike if you only go for the day like I did. Next time I'll stay
down and do a few hikes. The hike itself was great. While
hiking I came across a female black bear with two cubs. They
were very close to the trail (about 3 miles into it near
Marshall Mountain) but posed no threat to me. She simply walked
off when I froze. I saw bear scat (both fresh and older) and
signs of bears feeding on insects throughout the length of the
hike. Also saw some deer later on in the hike. Overall was
very exciting. I wouldn't recommend this hike to anyone who is
out of shape (like me) as the last 4 miles of the hike were a
challenge. I was very glad to have completed it and
will actually do it again. One note...make sure you bring
plenty of water. There is no source of clean water and I met a
trio of young hikers who were out. I ended up giving them some
of mine....later wishing badly I had not (it was 100 deg and
very humid when I went). It took me 5.5 hrs to complete the
base circuit.

Name: Dave Hike:
Dolly Sods North
Date: 8/17-8/19 Rating: 4
Critique: Warning! As of last weekend the rangers are warning
people not to camp in tents in the sods due to a "nuisance"
black bear that actually charged + attacked more than one person
and tore into a sleeping camper's tent! I only found out when I
arrived and laminated signs were hung from all trailheads. I did
the north of the sods as a day hike and saw fresh bear scat all
over the Bear Rocks trail (tr521). The place is the blueberry
capital of the USA so it is easy to see why so many bears.
Almost unheard of for one to become aggressive like this though.
Otherwise the Dolly Sods is one of the most beautiful places in
the country!

Name: Carol
Branscome
Hike:
Piney Ridge/Thornton River Loop
Date: 8/18/07
Rating: 4
Critique: Nice hike along a river (very low this summer) and
back along the AT. Vistas mainly confined to the AT. Beautiful
stand of Tulip Popular trees along the Fork Ridge Trail.
The Fork Ridge Trail section in particular is overgrown with
numerous trees across the trail. We only met 2 other hikers
during our 5 hours on the trail and it was a beautiful summer
Saturday.

Name: Matt
Hoffman Hike: Red Creek/Big Stonecoal Loop (modified)
Date: 8/11/07 Rating: 4.5
Critique: This was my first time in the Dolly Sods area and I
was not disappointed. Due to some time constraints I was only
able to do a day hike. I did an extended version of Red
Creek/Big Stone Coal circuit. I started by going up Red Creek
Trail. They had received quite a bit of rain during the past
week and the water levels were, from what other hikers told me,
at "normal" levels where the lower crossings of Red Creek were
not rock-hoppable. The waterworks along Red Creek were
wonderful. I went up to Blackbird Knob trail and took this
until Harman trail and then to Rocky Ridge trail. I then took
this down to Big Stone Coal and then back to Red Creek. The
views along Blackbird Knob, and Harman were awesome. For the
most part the trails were well marked and the recently added
trail signs were a big plus. Saw quite a few bear tracks and
scat long Blackbird Know and Harmen trails, but no bears. I
will definitely be going back to visit more of the north trails.
My camera decided not to work for me, so I have to re-visit to
get some pictures to show everyone else how nice it is. about
10-20% of the trails were very boggy, and it was definitely the
most rock-hopping I ever had to do while on the trail itself.
All in all a wonderful trip. The Smokies are my favorite place
to hike, but this is a close second.

Name: Teddy
Hike:
Lumberjack Trail/Seneca Creek Loop
Date: 8/4/2007
Rating: 5
Critique: A wonderful trail but very deceptively difficult. Once you
get into far back-country the signage can get worse and worse and
some of it looks decades old. The river crossings on Seneca can be
tricky to keep on the trail path and I ended up on the lumberjack
trail because I could not find my way easily to the Allegheny trail
from the Horton trail area (there's a low ropes-setup around there).
These trails are reasonably flat (beware that the Huckleberry trail
can be a fairly steep ascent) but they are very rocky and the
fording of the Seneca Creek can be difficult, but the scenery is
worth it.

Name: Ken Fillo
Hike:
Conestoga trail
Date: None
Rating: 5
Critique: If you notice something on the trail that needs attention,
blow downs, etc, you can contact me directly and we will get to it
as soon as possible. Ken Fillo ( |