View Full Version : Spy Rock, Va area trail info needed
Google shows me nothing and map 13 shows trail but offers no description. I would appreciate any info on the Lovingston Spring Trail between Fish Hatchery Rd heading south to Hog Camp Gap. Thanks in advance. Dale
Rain Man
01-13-2010, 10:41
I don't know that particular trail, but would recommend you contact the local maintaining club. They are "the horse's mouth" when it comes to local trail information.
Best to you.
Rain:sunMan
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Maybe this will help:
http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/r8/gwj/gp/pdf_files/pedlar-district-trails.pdf
FritztheCat
01-13-2010, 11:48
There's a dirt road that goes from the fish hatchery to private residences and can be used by hikers to get to the AT. The road is fairly steep and when I was there appeared to be used mostly by hunters in 4X4s. The AT crosses the dirt road (you should see some sofa sized boulders that have the white blaze painted on them) and if you bank a left onto the AT, you'll hike up to Spy Rock, or actually close to it. There's a wooden direction sign on the AT that points to Spy Rock.
Agree with Fritz, Fish Hatchery Road is the best way to get to Spy Rock. The Lovingston Spring Trail is more or less in the area but I wouldn't use it to get to Spy Rock, unless you just want to hike that way. A lot of old roads and railroad beds up there too, can be pretty confusing once you get off the AT. You could also come in lower down on Rt. 56 via Crabtree Meadows area to AT and walk the AT over Maintop Mountain and get to the rock that way. But the road off 56 to Crabtree Meadows is not great and is a borderline 4-wheel drive deal. So if your goal is to go to Spy Rock, just go to the Fish Hatchery and walk up from there, it's only a couple miles.
Hikerhead
01-13-2010, 22:26
There's a dirt road that goes from the fish hatchery to private residences and can be used by hikers to get to the AT. The road is fairly steep and when I was there appeared to be used mostly by hunters in 4X4s. The AT crosses the dirt road (you should see some sofa sized boulders that have the white blaze painted on them) and if you bank a left onto the AT, you'll hike up to Spy Rock, or actually close to it. There's a wooden direction sign on the AT that points to Spy Rock.
There's a nice large parking lot for hikers about 1/2 mile before you get to the trail on this road...on the left. And I remember the road being gated past this parking lot.
Talk with the folks at Dutch Haus. They know the area well and are very hiker friendly.
http://www.dutchhaus.com/hiking.htm
Once I climb to top of Fish Hatchery Rd, rather than turning right onto the AT (toward Seeley Shelter) or left toward Spy Rock, if I go straight I am pretty sure this loops back around to the AT. I was just curious oif it is a decent trail and how much mileage is eliminated.
Rain Man
01-14-2010, 23:34
There's a nice large parking lot for hikers about 1/2 mile before you get to the trail on this road...on the left. And I remember the road being gated past this parking lot.
It's more like a mile, or more. I hiked it last summer. But the Dutch Haus is well worth the hike from-and-to the AT.
Rain:sunMan
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bobgessner57
01-15-2010, 21:32
Not sure about the Livingston Spring trail but my son and I did a loop from Hog Camp to Porters Field (between Seeley-Woodworth shelter and the gap where the hatchery road comes up) then went east from Porters Gap down a marked trail that used some treadway, some old rail grades and I think some Forest Service road to get back to the AT north of Salt Log gap. The route is shown on map 13 as the Railroad Trail, #246. We did it at Easter several years ago and the route was easy enough to follow. I don't remember the mileage, I just scaled it off the map. The woods were nice enough and we did not see anyone else the entire trip. I don't remember there being any blazes, we simply followed the trail and consulted the map a few times.
As I recall the trail heading west from Porters Field down to the hatchery looked pretty open and easy to follow. I have not hiked that.
bobgessner57
01-15-2010, 21:41
There may be a loop from the Railroad Trail east of Porters Field to the hatchery road. I think there was a junction on the trail a few hundred feet below Porter's Field, the Railroad Trail goes south, the other branch may loop back to the road.
I second the suggestion of checking with the Dutch Haus folks.
from the PATC Hiking Guide to Pedlar District GWNF third ed. 2002:
Lovingston Spring Trail
5.9 miles
blue blazed
trail is not shown on ed 4 of map 13 but is maintained and blazed
from Fish Hatchery Rd trail follows an old road to just east of AT then crosses AT at Porters Field
trail then continues to follow old road west of AT
at 2.9 miles trail passes sign and a faint side trail to Seeley-Woodward shelter on AT
from this point the trail climbs toi top of unnamed 4000 ft. mtn. and runs along the ridge as AT runs along the shoulder of the same mtn.
5 miles from Fish Hatchery Rd. trail passes the spring for which it gets its name - a large volume spring creating a small stream
from spring trail climbs a short distance over a ridge and descends steeply to meet the AT
a circuit hike of 14 miles can be made with this trail and the AT
note wrt RR trail same book lists the RR trail as no longer maintained or blazed
spyrocklodg
06-15-2012, 22:22
Some additional info on lovingston spring trail. This used to be the old AT trail so you can still see some old worn out white blazes. The trail is marked blue south of the shelter spur trail only. However, you will not have any problem following it north from the shelter spur trail to Porters field. Once yor are at Porters field the trail shifts to the east of the AT trail and pretty much parrelles it until you hit the fish hatchery road. The best way to visualize this 14 mile loop is a figure eight with porters field in the middle. The 2010 AT map #13 only shows the west side of the trail (south of porters field). Hope this helps!
spyrocklodg
06-15-2012, 22:28
The route you are talking about is Brush Mountain trail. It drops off the ridge east of rhe AT at porters field and eventually meets back up with the trail just north of salt log gap. There are a few good campground areas at the stream crossings.
spyrocklodg
06-15-2012, 22:32
The route you are talking about is Brush Mountain trail. It drops off the ridge east of rhe AT at porters field and eventually meets back up with the trail just north of salt log gap. There are a few good campground areas at the stream crossings.
Sorry this post is related to an earlier post about another trail in the area, it is not part of the lovingston spring trail. It drops off well below the ridge line and connects up to a gravel ATV road. It is on the 2010 AT map.....
This past May,I hiked from Spy Rock Rd to HogCamp Gap and back - returning on the Lovingston Spring trail.I used the website Hikingupward.com for info- maps, mileage ,etc. see the Tarjacket Ridge hike listing. You save 2 miles taking the Lovingston Spring trail. Lots of flat areas to camp.You cross a few 4wd roads- looks like it could be busy during hunting season. Lovingston Spring was impressive, and 2 others were flowing strongly as well. The blue blazed trail is used quite a bit less than the AT, and demands more attention to follow. I recall thinking it would be challenging to night hike it. I preferred the 2 mile longer AT part which included Seeley- Woodworth Shelter,a sweet camp spot where the trail crosses the Piney River, and a nice view at a rock outcrop that had rhododendron blooming when I went by.
Deer Hunter
06-16-2012, 12:59
What scudder is talking about
http://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/TarJacketRidge/ (http://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/TarJacketRidge/)