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jeepcj258
09-04-2009, 23:37
All,
Need some help with a day hike. I have a flight landing around ~1030 am Tuesday morning at Washington National. Will have a rental car and would like to hike in the north side of the Shenandoah NP. Can any body suggest a good 10-15 mile loop in this area? I will not be camping, am in pretty decent shape. Looking for a good parking area and directions also. Thanks for your help.

Seth

Cookerhiker
09-05-2009, 09:44
Jeremy's Run. Start at Elk Wallow Picnic Ground a few miles north of Thornton Gap. Hike down to Jeremy's Run, follow the trail along the river, and return via the Neighbor Mountain Trail and AT. Wonderful hike, especially the way the Trail crisscrosses the run about a dozen times.

flemdawg1
09-05-2009, 12:40
Here's a page with lots of itineraries for different distances, skill levels, regions etc.

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/campbc_trip_plans.htm

Blissful
09-05-2009, 13:31
Agree with Cookerhiker - I've done that loop, good hike. No views really though but stream nice.

Also have done the AT / Bluff trails with the Marshalls - Nice views from the Marshalls. Circuit hike, roughly ten miles or so.

jeepcj258
09-05-2009, 14:49
Thanks for the input.
Blissful and Cookerhiker, do either of you have any more details you can share. The bluff trail sounds pretty as does the river .

Lemni Skate
09-05-2009, 15:00
I love the Little Devil Stairs loop, but you might need to add to it a little bit to make it the length your looking for. It's a great hike.

jeepcj258
09-05-2009, 18:02
Thanks for all of the advice and the great website. I am trying to plan based off of that site and your suggestions. Will post what I decide and let you all give me local info.

Thanks again.
Seth

Cookerhiker
09-05-2009, 19:51
Thanks for the input.
Blissful and Cookerhiker, do either of you have any more details you can share. The bluff trail sounds pretty as does the river .

With a 10:30 arriving flight, you won't get on the trail until at least 1:00 so you can decide if starting a 14 mile hike at that time is viable.

From National Airport, take the GW Parkway north and look for signs for Interstate 66. It's not a direct exit; you have to follow signs. Take 66 west. Beyond the exits for Gainesville, look for the exit for US 17 which you take south to Warrenton. From Warrenton, look for signs for US Rt. 211 west. Take 211 past Sperryville and up to Skyline Drive which you enter after passing through the Park entrance. You'll pay an entrance fee and receive a Park brochure.

Drive north on Skyline Drive about 8 miles to Elk Wallow picnic area on your left. You can park your car at Elk Wallow and follow signs for the Jeremy's Run trail. After a very short distance, you'll cross the AT which you'll return on from the left.

Continue on Jeremy's Run trail which descends and reaches the run which you cross about 12 times. After 5.8 miles you come to the Neighbor Mountain Trail on your left. After the descent, now the uphill starts! Take the Neighbor Mountain trail 5.6 miles up to the AT where you turn left and hike 4 miles north back to Elk Wallow.

The NPS brochure you receive when you pass through the entrance station isn't a trail map per se but it should have these trails.

Hope it works for you!

Blissful
09-05-2009, 20:10
You should get the PATC map for the northern section of the park - but I believe in maps. You will see where the AT and Bluff trail meet to form a circuit. I've done the AT here last fall but not the Bluff in a long time.

Little Devils Stairs is also a good hike, and you can lengthen it, but a map is needed. Again a stream, no views. I'd go up the Little Devils Stairs, personally, more interesting then down if you do go. So you could go down the Keyser fire road (which is not that exciting) and up the stairs.

jeepcj258
09-08-2009, 21:11
Just getting back from the trip.

Got the Elk Wallow picnic area around 2pm and started hiking. I took a turn on the Knob MT trail early by mistake and missed a good portion of the Jeremy's run trail. The Knob MT Trail was beautiful in its own right, and what a climb coming away from Jeremy's run to the top of Knob MT. From the Knob MT trail, joined the Neighbor MT trail, very nice, and then on the AT.

GPS showed 16.2 miles and took 4hrs and 45 mins.

Thanks you all again for the help and advice. Had a great hike.

Seth