These white violets were photographed on our recent hike to Lower Cedar Run Falls in Shenandoah National Park.

Canada Violet

Canada Violet

It is National Park Week now, running through April 24, 2011. If you do not already have an annual pass to Shenandoah National Park, it’s a great time to visit now with the redbuds blooming and temporary free admission.

Black Bear in Shenandoah National Park

Of course, if you’re in east Tennessee or Western North Carolina, you can visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park for free 365 days a year…

The Hickerson Hollow Trail is relatively close to the northern entrance of Shenandoah National Park at Front Royal.  The trail begin at Lands Run Gap near Skyline Drive milepost 9.  The Hickerson Hollow Trail is fairly steep, like many other trails leading from Skyline Drive down the ridge to the edge of the park.  As the trail leads downward, little streams merge together to create a pleasant scene. In the winter, you may also notice old stone walls from an earlier time.

Horses are permitted on the trail, so be sure to yield the right-of-way to equestrians and watch your step.

Hiking Options

The trail is just a little over a mile long for a quick roundtrip taking about an hour or so.

Alternatively, a seven mile circuit can be made by continuing on Rte 600 at the bottom of the trail, taking a right on Rte 604, and another right on Rte 601 to a trailhead.  From the trailhead on Rte 601, a side trail leads to the Appalachian Trail.  A right turn on the Appalachian Trail takes you past the Tom Floyd Wayside (overnight shelter and campsite) and the scenic Possums Rest Overlook.  One more right turn on the Dickey Ridge Trail will take you past the Fort Windham Rocks formation and back to Lands Run Gap.

Resources

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club offers a detailed guide to the trails in Shenandoah National Park, which includes three maps covering the entire park.  These trails are contained in the North District of SNP, PATC Map 9.

This photo of Old Rag Mountain was taken from the trail up Robertson Mountain towards the end of last fall.  The tulip poplars were still in fall colors, but the leaves had turned brown or already fallen at higher elevations.

An Alternative to Old Rag

Old Rag is a spectacular hike, but it can be quite crowded.  It is common to have to wait several minutes for hikers to make their way through some of the trickier rock scrambling sections.

Robertson Mountain is a nice alternative if you are trying to avoid some crowds on the mountain.  The peak of Robertson Mountain is actually higher than Old Rag.  The trail lacks rock scrambling sections, but is very steep, challenging and rewarding.

Getting There

Old Rag Mountain is located near Sperryville, Virginia (U.S. Route 211). From Sperryville, take Route 231 South, make a right on Route 601, make another right on Route 602 and continue to the large parking lot on your left.  Note:  The road changes numbers a couple of times.

From the lower Old Rag Parking Area (fee charged), hikers continue walking 0.8 miles along State Road 600 to the Weakley Hollow Fire Road trailhead.  In Shenandoah National Park, trailheads are marked with concrete signposts containing trail name and distance information.  After about 1.5 miles of walking up the Weakley Hollow Fire Road, the Robertson Mountain trailhead is on the right.  Once the Robertson Mountain Trail climbs near the top of the mountain, there are some sidetrails that lead to nice views.

You can return the same way you came or make a longer circuit by continuing on the Robertson Mountain Trail, making a right on the Old Rag Fire Road, making a right on the Corbin Hollow Trail, and a left on the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.

Resources

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club offers a detailed guide to the trails in Shenandoah National Park, which includes three maps covering the entire park.  These trails are contained in the Central District of SNP, PATC Map 10.

For travelers entering Shenandoah National Park at Front Royal, the hike up to Compton Peak is an interesting short hike.

The Appalachian Trail and Sidetrails

My wife and I made the 1.2 mile one-way trip up on the Appalachian Trail from Jenkins Gap (near Skyline Drive Milepost 12). Alternatively, hikers can opt for a shorter 0.8 mile hike on the AT beginning the trip from Compton Gap (near Skyline Drive Milepost 10).

One at the top, there are blue-blazed sidetrails in both directions leading to nice views.  The sidetrail continuing uphill climbs over Compton Peak (elevation 2909) and leads to a nice view.  The sidetrail on the downhill side of the Appalachian Trail leads to the top of a small cliff, where the trail appears to end.  However, look for blazes and you will find that the trail continues to descend, leading to a display of columnar basalt.  The rock formation reminds me of The Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.

Wildlife

When hiking in Shenandoah National Park, you never know exactly what you might be lucky enough to see.  On our trip, we smelled, but did not see, a skunk.  We also saw numerous jewelweed/touch-me-not wildflowers along the trail and many bugbane/black snakeroot wildflowers near the parking lot.  Due to breezy conditions, I could not capture any good pictures of the flowers on our trip. Near the summit, I believe we found chicken-of-the-woods.

Resources

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club offers a detailed guide to the trails in Shenandoah National Park, which includes three maps covering the entire park.

I took this picture on a hike last fall up to Compton Peak in Shenandoah National Park.  Is it chicken of the woods?

Note:  Make sure you know what you’re doing before eating any mushroom.  I am NOT a mycologist.