Hike Schedule
Upcoming Events
We are planning to host some upcoming hikes and work trips. Hopefully, our hikes will include enjoying spring wildflowers. Watch your email for upcoming hikes for the week.
We are planning to host some upcoming hikes and work trips. Hopefully, our hikes will include enjoying spring wildflowers. Watch your email for upcoming hikes for the week.
Saturday, April 3: Furnace Mountain Trail, 7.8 miles, strenuous.
We will hike the entire Furnace Mountain Trail beginning at the boundary off Madison Run Fire Road. This includes hiking the spur trail to visit the summit. This trail is a rocky and steady climb. There is also a water crossing near the boundary that we will cross at the start and end of our hike. Please be aware of your physical limitations before signing up to participate. Contact our hike leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Millie Davis:
540-292-0869 or pisgahdavis@gmail.com). Millie will be leading this hike as part of her hike leader training and will be assisted by Pam Heinrich. Pam can be contacted at 540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com.
April 6, 8 and 10: Work trips on Crawford Knob Trail. See below for more information. Leader: Jim Fye (jfye40@icloud.com or 540-830-2023).
The Virginia Bluebells are emerging. This is a nice easy hike around Shenandoah River State Park. Elevation change is less than 400' over the entire hike. All Virginia State Parks require an entrance fee, and for Shenandoah River, that fee is $10 per car. We are working with the park to give us a group discount and will have a better idea about the cost per person after everyone has signed up. From the parking area, we will take the Bluebell Trail over to Culler's Trail, up Big Oak Trail, circling around on Tulip Poplar Trail and then return. This will give us two opportunities to see the bluebells. To reach the parking area (Bluebell trailhead parking): Take the main road through the park until it comes to a "T". Take a left and head straight back to the end of the lot. Contact our leader for more information and to register for the hike. Leader: Kathy Dickenson (540-421-7410 or kathy.dickenson@comcast.net).
Sunday, April 11: Shenandoah Mountain Trail from Confederate Breastworks to Sexton Cabin, 6 miles, easy. We will start at the Confederate Breastworks and follow the Shenandoah Mountain Trail to the remains of Sexton Cabin and return. There are several small stream crossings, but elevation changes are very gentle. For more information contact hike leader Jean Stephens at jtstephens12@yahoo.com or 443-986-5649.
Wednesday, April 14: Madison Run, 4-5 miles, out and back, easy.
Join Karen and Mike Waterman for a hike along Madison Run. We will hike out/back along the river, and hopefully spot some spring wildflowers. Hike is limited to 6 hikers. Contact our leaders for more information and to register for the hike. Leader: Karen and Mike Waterman (home phone 540-337-1273 or karenswaterman@gmail.com).
Saturday, April 17: Mill Prong Loop, 8 miles, moderate. This will be a circuit hike using Rapidan Fire Road, Mill Prong Horse, Mill Prong, and the Appalachian Trail. We will stop by to visit Rapidan Camp along our way. Contact our hike leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Pam Heinrich (540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com).
Sunday, April 25: "Humpback Mountain and other Viewpoints along the AT",
Starting from the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area we will use a spur trail to reach the AT. Then head north to the summit of Humpback Mountain (NOT Humpback Rocks). Then we reverse direction and hike the AT and cross the Blue Ridge Parkway. We can proceed for several miles and enjoy numerous viewpoints facing west before turning around and heading back to our vehicles at the Picnic Area.
Meet at the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area milepost 8.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Find a parking spot in Loop 2 where we will start from the Blue blazed trailhead. NOTE the Humpback Rocks hiking trail is at milepost 6. Do not park here but go another 2.5 miles down the Parkway. Contact our hike leader for more information about this hike including meeting time. Leader: John Kolp (JLKolp@yahoo.com or 540-887-1235).
Thursday, April 29: Mau-Har Trail, approximately 7 miles, moderate. This will be an out/back hike starting at Love Gap to view some of the waterfall cascades and wildflowers along the trail. Contact our hike leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Pam Heinrich (540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com).
Wednesday, May 12: Chessie Nature, 4-5 miles, out and back, easy.
Join Karen and Mike Waterman for a hike along the Chessie Nature Trail in Lexington. Hike is limited to 6 hikers. Contact our leaders for more information and to register for the hike. Leader: Karen and Mike Waterman (home phone 540-337-1273 or karenswaterman@gmail.com).
Saturday, May 15: Work trip on the club's section of the AT
Leader: Jeff Bolander (jblndr@hotmail.com)
We will hike the entire Furnace Mountain Trail beginning at the boundary off Madison Run Fire Road. This includes hiking the spur trail to visit the summit. This trail is a rocky and steady climb. There is also a water crossing near the boundary that we will cross at the start and end of our hike. Please be aware of your physical limitations before signing up to participate. Contact our hike leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Millie Davis:
540-292-0869 or pisgahdavis@gmail.com). Millie will be leading this hike as part of her hike leader training and will be assisted by Pam Heinrich. Pam can be contacted at 540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com.
April 6, 8 and 10: Work trips on Crawford Knob Trail. See below for more information. Leader: Jim Fye (jfye40@icloud.com or 540-830-2023).
- Crawford Knob Trail (#487) may be the closest GWNF trail to Staunton but one of the least used. The east access is complicated by the fact that FR#1269 is gated. The west access requires a hike in on Crawford Mt Trail (2-1/2mi) or Chimney Hollow Trail (3-1/2mi). As a result the trail is greatly in need of clearing. On a recent snowy day hike to Crawford Knob by way of Crawford Mountain, Jean Stephens and Jim Fye had a brainstorm that we should put together a work trip before it’s too late. FR#1269 will open April 1 for Youth Spring Gobbler season and remain open until May 16. It will most likely take several trips. The first will be April 6 (Tuesday), the second trip will be April 8th (Thursday) and the final trip will be on the afternoon of April 10th (Saturday). We will need to start in the afternoon on Saturday due to hunting being allowed until noon that day.
The Virginia Bluebells are emerging. This is a nice easy hike around Shenandoah River State Park. Elevation change is less than 400' over the entire hike. All Virginia State Parks require an entrance fee, and for Shenandoah River, that fee is $10 per car. We are working with the park to give us a group discount and will have a better idea about the cost per person after everyone has signed up. From the parking area, we will take the Bluebell Trail over to Culler's Trail, up Big Oak Trail, circling around on Tulip Poplar Trail and then return. This will give us two opportunities to see the bluebells. To reach the parking area (Bluebell trailhead parking): Take the main road through the park until it comes to a "T". Take a left and head straight back to the end of the lot. Contact our leader for more information and to register for the hike. Leader: Kathy Dickenson (540-421-7410 or kathy.dickenson@comcast.net).
Sunday, April 11: Shenandoah Mountain Trail from Confederate Breastworks to Sexton Cabin, 6 miles, easy. We will start at the Confederate Breastworks and follow the Shenandoah Mountain Trail to the remains of Sexton Cabin and return. There are several small stream crossings, but elevation changes are very gentle. For more information contact hike leader Jean Stephens at jtstephens12@yahoo.com or 443-986-5649.
Wednesday, April 14: Madison Run, 4-5 miles, out and back, easy.
Join Karen and Mike Waterman for a hike along Madison Run. We will hike out/back along the river, and hopefully spot some spring wildflowers. Hike is limited to 6 hikers. Contact our leaders for more information and to register for the hike. Leader: Karen and Mike Waterman (home phone 540-337-1273 or karenswaterman@gmail.com).
Saturday, April 17: Mill Prong Loop, 8 miles, moderate. This will be a circuit hike using Rapidan Fire Road, Mill Prong Horse, Mill Prong, and the Appalachian Trail. We will stop by to visit Rapidan Camp along our way. Contact our hike leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Pam Heinrich (540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com).
Sunday, April 25: "Humpback Mountain and other Viewpoints along the AT",
Starting from the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area we will use a spur trail to reach the AT. Then head north to the summit of Humpback Mountain (NOT Humpback Rocks). Then we reverse direction and hike the AT and cross the Blue Ridge Parkway. We can proceed for several miles and enjoy numerous viewpoints facing west before turning around and heading back to our vehicles at the Picnic Area.
Meet at the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area milepost 8.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Find a parking spot in Loop 2 where we will start from the Blue blazed trailhead. NOTE the Humpback Rocks hiking trail is at milepost 6. Do not park here but go another 2.5 miles down the Parkway. Contact our hike leader for more information about this hike including meeting time. Leader: John Kolp (JLKolp@yahoo.com or 540-887-1235).
Thursday, April 29: Mau-Har Trail, approximately 7 miles, moderate. This will be an out/back hike starting at Love Gap to view some of the waterfall cascades and wildflowers along the trail. Contact our hike leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Pam Heinrich (540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com).
Wednesday, May 12: Chessie Nature, 4-5 miles, out and back, easy.
Join Karen and Mike Waterman for a hike along the Chessie Nature Trail in Lexington. Hike is limited to 6 hikers. Contact our leaders for more information and to register for the hike. Leader: Karen and Mike Waterman (home phone 540-337-1273 or karenswaterman@gmail.com).
Saturday, May 15: Work trip on the club's section of the AT
Leader: Jeff Bolander (jblndr@hotmail.com)
