View Full Version : AT Access From Herndon/VA
TomnJoan
02-06-2011, 15:14
I just moved to Herndon, VA (near Manassas). Can someone recommend a nearby AT trailhead for a 10-15 mile AT day hike ?
Megapixel
02-06-2011, 15:32
drive down 66 W to Linden or Front Royal and access the trailhead from there.
Cookerhiker
02-06-2011, 16:08
I just moved to Herndon, VA (near Manassas). Can someone recommend a nearby AT trailhead for a 10-15 mile AT day hike ?
Welcome to WB and to Northern VA. You'll find lots of nice hiking in Shenandoah National Park (http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm) where you can fashion loop day hikes involving the AT and side trails.
I encourage you to contact and join the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (http://www.patc.net/PublicView/) In addition to supporting the Trail, they have organized hikes and work trips. Their maps & publications are excellent; as a member you'd receive a discount.
You can take the Herndon Parkway west to US7, then go west on US7 about 50 miles and hike north or south from Snickers Ga, VAp.
Diatribe
02-06-2011, 18:36
Hello & welcome to WB!
Sky meadows state park is really nice; close, too
You could make your way into Shennandoah NP's northern section as well.
Happy hiking!!
naturejunkie
02-07-2011, 11:27
Another nice option is to head to Leesburg, VA, then pick up Hwy 15 North to the Harpers Ferry, WV or Frederick, MD area where there are a number of access points to the Maryland section of the AT. A bonus to Harpers Ferry is that is where the HQ for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is located.
Hikerhead
02-07-2011, 12:03
Buy the Delorean map for Va. It will show the trail thru the whole state with road crossings.
Firefighter503
02-11-2011, 08:15
Welcome to NoVA. I grew up in Herndon. Like has been said already, there are a number of options for hiking from NoVA. 66 west to Front Royal gets you to Shenandoah National Park, or hit 55 outside of Front Royal to get on the trail North of the park and hike into Sky Meadows. 66 W to 17 N will also get you directly to Sky Meadows. 15 to Harpers Ferry, etc.
Another option for some shorter loop hikes is to check out Bull Run, Hemlock, and Fountain Head parks (Fairfax/PWC borders). There are any number of trails through there that you can turn into day trips.
Cookerhiker
02-11-2011, 09:41
Another nice option is to head to Leesburg, VA, then pick up Hwy 15 North to the Harpers Ferry, WV or Frederick, MD area where there are a number of access points to the Maryland section of the AT. A bonus to Harpers Ferry is that is where the HQ for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is located.
Also slightly east of the AT in Maryland, there's some nice hiking in Catoctin Mountain National Park.
Both of the following sites are great references for hiking in the Mid-Atlantic (although not specific to the AT, they do include sections of the AT):
http://www.midatlantichikes.com
http://www.hikingupward.com