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Ashman
06-19-2008, 14:24
I am heading up to Grayson Highlands next weekend with some buddies. We ar planning to do a loop from Massie Gap. We may however need to bring two vehicles so if we do would like to do a more linear hike with a car at each end. What is a good put in/take out route that will give us about a 15 to 20 mile hike. I appreciate your suggestions

Johnny Swank
06-19-2008, 15:05
One at Massie Gap, and one at either VA 600 or White Top Mtn Rd. Hike north on the AT from Massie Gap, swing back on the Pine Mtn trail to Rhododedron Gap, then hike South on AT to the other car.

That said, all that shuttling can be a pain, so why not just do an out and back (doing "The Loop") from either VA 600 or White Top Mtn road?

generoll
06-19-2008, 15:08
I'm headed to the same place this weekend. I'm planning on a dayhike up to see the ponies. Got any suggestions as to places to park or not park? We're planning on taking a lunch and making a leisurely day out of it.

While I'm on the subject, got any suggestions for fine dining in Damascus? Dots? The taco place? Cowboys?

Kerosene
06-19-2008, 17:04
A lengthy 24-mile option is to start at VA-603 (Fox Creek) and get out at US-58 (Summit Cut). That's a lovely section that hits many highlights of the area with the notable exception of the Virginia Creeper Trail.

You could cut that distance by 4 miles if you can get your SUV up to The Scales.

jlb2012
06-19-2008, 17:15
Scales is also a safer place to park than Fox Creek

Creek Dancer
06-19-2008, 17:23
HOI is right. Be careful parking at Fox Creek. Have a great hike!!

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.786991/

generoll
06-19-2008, 18:15
Scales? Is that something I can find out about in Damascus? My daughter has a cabin rented for us for the weekend which I'm assuming is somewhere along the road up to Green Cove. Am I getting warm?

max patch
06-19-2008, 18:19
Scales? Is that something I can find out about in Damascus? My daughter has a cabin rented for us for the weekend which I'm assuming is somewhere along the road up to Green Cove. Am I getting warm?

Its on your map (which you can buy in Damascus if you don't have one already).

If you want to see the ponies park at Massie Gap in the State Park. You'll most likely see them on the spur trail before you get to the AT (less than a mile).

Lone Wolf
06-19-2008, 18:19
Scales? Is that something I can find out about in Damascus? My daughter has a cabin rented for us for the weekend which I'm assuming is somewhere along the road up to Green Cove. Am I getting warm?

scales is a big corral up in the highlands you can drive to. it's at the end of a 4 mile forest service road. the road starts about 1 mile past the fox creek AT parking area. you'll need a high clearance vehicle

Lone Wolf
06-19-2008, 18:22
I'm headed to the same place this weekend. I'm planning on a dayhike up to see the ponies. Got any suggestions as to places to park or not park? We're planning on taking a lunch and making a leisurely day out of it.

While I'm on the subject, got any suggestions for fine dining in Damascus? Dots? The taco place? Cowboys?

the Old Mill sucks, Baja Cafe is closed, Cowboys doesn't have dinner. Dot's is it. Or Bellas pizza in Abingdon.

I would park at Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands state park.

J5man
06-19-2008, 19:46
Ashman, I did a 2 day loop with Hikerhead a few weeks ago there. We parked at Massies Gap; started there and ended there. We also did the side trail up to the top of Mt. Rogers (as you know, the highest point in VA - it doesn't look like it is). We saw upwards of 70 ponies in those 2 days. It is a rocky hike so be prepared but it has some outstanding scenery! A lot of it looks like the Ponderosa from Bonanza! You expect to see Hoss and Little Joe come riding across the horizon at anytime. We saw a lot of thru hikers. Enjoy!

generoll
06-19-2008, 19:51
the Old Mill sucks, Baja Cafe is closed, Cowboys doesn't have dinner. Dot's is it. Or Bellas pizza in Abingdon.

I would park at Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands state park.

Got it. Thanks for the info. Maybe we'll run into each other if you're in town.

Lone Wolf
06-19-2008, 20:26
Got it. Thanks for the info. Maybe we'll run into each other if you're in town.

i'm leaving for vermont in the morning so won't see y'all this weekend. if you go to grayson highland state park be sure to catch this. awesome little gathering. http://www.waynehenderson.org/

cutman11
06-23-2008, 00:54
By far the easiest loop is to park at the long term AT lot in the Grayson Highlands park, Hike up the AT spur trail to the AT, Hike south on the AT to Rhodadendron Gap (and on to Mt Rogers if you like, returning to the Gap), and then take the Pine Mtn trail, reconnect with the AT and then hike south again thru the little wilson creek area, past wise shelter, and up the hill to the AT spur trail which will take you back to your car. Almost exactly 15 miles, goes thru the prettiest parts of the grayson highlands, including scales.

J5man
07-08-2008, 21:36
So how was your hike Ashman? Which hike did you do?

Ashman
07-08-2008, 21:45
We took the Massie Gap spur to the AT, went South past Rhododendran Gap and around Mount Rogers. Took the Mount Rogers Trail to the Lewis Trail back to the AT at Hidden Orchard Shelter, then followed the AT back to Massie Gap about 24 miles. It was a good hike, we had a lot vairity in the weather and scenery department. It was an easy hike not a lot of climbing except the hump after Olrchard Shelter. I wanted a longer hike but this suited the group I was with better. In the end it was hiking and that was a good thing! Now I am just bummed because I don't have another hike on the horizon soon. Hope to change that! Thanks for asking!

J5man
07-10-2008, 23:15
We took the Massie Gap spur to the AT, went South past Rhododendran Gap and around Mount Rogers. Took the Mount Rogers Trail to the Lewis Trail back to the AT at Hidden Orchard Shelter, then followed the AT back to Massie Gap about 24 miles. It was a good hike, we had a lot vairity in the weather and scenery department. It was an easy hike not a lot of climbing except the hump after Olrchard Shelter. I wanted a longer hike but this suited the group I was with better. In the end it was hiking and that was a good thing! Now I am just bummed because I don't have another hike on the horizon soon. Hope to change that! Thanks for asking!


Sounded like a fun weekend. And I am sure you saw the 100 ponies running around too. I found hiking there (shorter route than yours) very diverse with rocky to flat terrain; woods to open prairie; all around good hike. Glad you had a good hike!

Ashman
07-11-2008, 07:12
I would agree, the terrain wan't varied in terms of altitude changes but it did have a lot of different types of ground cover. And yes saw tons of Ponies. I woke up our first morning because I heard one of the other guys taking a whizz, the power of suggestion was too much so I too got up for morning business. I climbed back in my hammock and looked in the direction of the sound and it was 4 ponies making there way through camp! Glad I was in a hammock!