US 220 to VA 43 BRP section info
I'm heading up to hike this section tomorrow, any info would be helpful. Any road access between VA 43 and James River?
Five spots that I can think of. Rt. 614 (Jennings Creek near Arcadia) and two forestry roads (Parkers Gap and Petite's Gap). I can't remember the forestry road numbers off the top of my head. The Trail also crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway twice on Apple Orchard Mountain. This map isn't complete but you may find it helpful: http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisi.../blrimap-2.pdf
Thanks that was very helpful.
I've hiked a lot in that area and happened to have drawn-up a couple of maps highlighting the trails. The first is Mountain Pass Road (Va. 652) to Black Hore Gap and the second is from Black Horse Gap to Va. 43 (Bearwallow Gap). They may be helpful.
The second part of your question, about the James River, is confusing me since the James River crossing is not near that section. If you are asking about the closest James River access to that section, it is Va. 43 itself as the James flows through Buchanan. Buchanan is about 5 miles trail-west (actually north) of Bearwallow Gap. There is a swinging pedestrian bridge right in town.
Links didn't work...Here they are again.
Mtn. Pass Road - Black Horse Gap
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=211307452317382140470.0004d7621f2487be4ac7f
Black Horse Gap - Va. 43
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=211307452317382140470.0004d6d33263af956896b
Those are great maps/annotations Southerner! I haven't been down that far along the BRP so it's great to get some vetted info.
Thanks for the info. Just talked to my shuttle and was told there was a pretty good snow last weekend, so I'm going to wait a few weeks and then try.
Originally Posted by Deer Hunter
I assumed you were talking about the James River crossing in Snowden along Rt. 501.
@ OP: That's a real shame that you canceled your hike. There is a bit of snow, but nothing too heavy. In fact, the remaining snow probably would make most of the views better than usual for your section. I did Sharp Top today, and it was both easily passable (only about six inches of snow, and Sharp Top is 1,400 feet higher than the high point on your section) and gorgeous. I hiked about a half-mile north of Black Horse Gap on my way back to get a picture of the snow on the laurel thicket on Blue Knob, and there was maybe an inch of snow there (amazingly, the NPS even has the Parkway open -- I thought they would milk this snow for at least the working week). Then again, it is a nice section to do in the spring, also.
@ Mobius: Glad the maps were useful!
Nice job on the maps Southerner. There's a few on there that I haven't done. I see maybe two loop hikes in the future to get all of them.
[COLOR="Blue"]Hokey Pokey [/COLOR]
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