Wild ponies

[mhaddon]

It is in Virginia they are seen right? Where is the best hike and time of year to increase the odds. How hard of a week section hike is this? Thanks!!

[wornoutboots]

The ponies are always there, it's a great section "the Grayson Highlands" 30-40 miles N of Damascus, amazing views & an easy week of hiking, park in Damascus & have Lone Wolf Shuttle you to Fox Creek @ 40 miles or Massie Gap @ 30 miles back to town

[mhaddon]

Thanks! I think that is the section I'm going to look into for our family hike . We are looking at a week or two.

[wornoutboots]

You can easily do it in a week at a lollygag pace. Great Scenery all the way to town!!
Enjoy!

[Rain Man]

It is in Virginia they are seen right? Where is the best hike and time of year to increase the odds. How hard of a week section hike is this? Thanks!!

Grayson Highlands State Park area. I've been there in summer and winter and saw them both times. Not really a hard stretch to hike. Depending on start/stop points, you could do a good portion in two days or a very leisurely longer week loop. It's a favorite area for many hikers. Enjoy!

RainMan

.

[mhaddon]

Sounds like I should have asked when a nice but uncrowded time would be lol. Luckily we homeschool!

[peakbagger]

The reality is that the ponies arent that particulary "wild". The herd is managed and the area has some fencing to keep them seperated from an adjacent farm. You really dont even need to climb the mountain, there is a road right to the top and with a bit of wandering around, you will usually encounter a pony. Many folks bring apples.

[peakbagger]

The reality is that the ponies arent that particulary "wild". The herd is managed and the area has some fencing to keep them seperated from an adjacent farm. You really dont even need to climb the mountain, there is a road right to the top and with a bit of wandering around, you will usually encounter a pony. Many folks bring apples.

[Ktaadn]

The ponies are always there, it's a great section "the Grayson Highlands" 30-40 miles N of Damascus, amazing views & an easy week of hiking, park in Damascus & have Lone Wolf Shuttle you to Fox Creek @ 40 miles or Massie Gap @ 30 miles back to town

Don't worry about getting a shuttle. Just park in Damascus and take the Iron Mtn trail north out of town. When you connect to the AT, take that back south to Damascus. It's a great hike.

[Creek Dancer]

Go through the main entrance to Grayson Highlands State Park and park at Massie Gap. (Ask for a map from the attendant when you go through the gate.) Find your way to Wilburn Ridge. This is the area where I most frequently see the wild ponies. Although the ponies seem tame, because some of them are used to people, they are nevertheless, wild ponies. Some will bite you if you get too close. Some will allow you to pet them. Some of the mother ponies are very protective of their young. The problem is that you don't know which is which. Enjoy their beauty and wonder, but please do not feed them anything, including apples. Have a great time!

[jlb2012]

+1 for Ktaadn

[Creek Dancer]

+2 for Ktaadn. The Iron Mountain Trail is a great trail. (This was part of the original AT, as I recall.) Less crowded than the AT and not very difficult. The shelters are still in good condition and there is good camping.

[WingedMonkey]

They are the a part of one the most over hyped sections of the AT. As others have posted they are not wild but a managed part of land management. They are culled and sold off yearly by the non-profit group that oversees the heard.
Their biggest health concern is the crap that hikers feed them. No matter how many notices are posted or guide book information written, hikers need for self gratification leads to them being feed garbage. That leads to them following you like any other shelter rat or squirrel.
Instead of feeding them your sugar loaded snacks, donate to the group that uses them to keep the boulder-land unnaturally groomed.

[mhaddon]

Thanks for the suggestions. And no feeding from us we own livestock and know how messing with feed causes harm. So sad that they will probably have to be contained more because of this issue . I know my daughter lit up at mention of this. Funny because moat of our family owns horses and they have a pony. But I figured if it gives her a wonderful memory on one of her longer hikes then what's the harm. Sounds like a fun section for us.

[Kerosene]

Definitely a destination point for a family of hikers. I went through in early June under perfect blue skies, covering 20+ mpd just because the weather was so perfect. A relaxing 5-day hike would be perfect if you have pre-teens along with you.

[Creek Dancer]

Definitely a destination point for a family of hikers. I went through in early June under perfect blue skies, covering 20+ mpd just because the weather was so perfect. A relaxing 5-day hike would be perfect if you have pre-teens along with you.

Agreed. A beautiful day on Grayson Highlands is like no other, but the weather can change rather quickly up there. The key is to be prepared. I always filter my water up there due to all the pony poop.

[rpenczek]

A trip report from this section:

Just back from a 4 day 35+ mile trip near Damascus with eight Boy Scouts and 6 Adults. (Add about 8/10 miles going all the way to Damascus (Southboud is easier than North IMHO)

We started out of Hurricane Campground on Sunday the 20th. Hiked to Fox Creek. Great water at Fox Creek and good campsites on the north side of the road in the trees.

The next day, Fox Creek to Big Wilson Creek (near Wise Shelter). There were lots of church groups camped here, but, there are tons of sites and good water from the Creek.

Tuesday we hiked from Big Wilson Creek to Elk Garden. A long day given the terrain, great views and ponys, but we had a very good day. On the way into Elk Garden we got water at the spring in Deep Gap (flowing well, but thin). We were prepared for no water at Elk Garden. We camped just in the woods near the Elk Garden parking lot. A local Boy Scout Troop dropped our Wednesday/Thursday food and also were kind enough to make us hot dogs, chips, juice, ICE, yes, ICE and little debbie cakes. They also left us with 2 gallons of water. Went to bed to the sounds of a huge thunder storm with lots of rain and a full belly.

Wedensday we decided to do all of our Wendesday and Thursday milage and go right to Beartree and end of our hike with a swim. There was a really good spring at the top of WhiteTop that was flowing like a fire hose and many good campsites near by. The spring at Lost Mountain Shelter was flowing slow, but the creeks about 2 miles South had plenty of good water and various camping spots near the water sources.

Our trip ended at Beartree with swimming, showers and a nice sleep before driving up to WVA to Kayak and raft on the New River on Friday and Saturday.

Note, you could add an extra day to your hike by going all the way to Damascus.

[rpenczek]

One other thing, our hike was late July. Looking back, I would have gone about one week later as the blueberries would be in full swing. We had blueberries, but I could see that a week or two, would provide tons. Yum Yum.

[Creek Dancer]

One other thing, our hike was late July. Looking back, I would have gone about one week later as the blueberries would be in full swing. We had blueberries, but I could see that a week or two, would provide tons. Yum Yum.

A week later this past year would not have made much a difference. The blueberry crop was terrible this year due to an early frost just at the wrong time for the bushes. I had a couple of local residents tell me that had not seen it that bad in years and years.

Just remember...only pick the blueberries that are higher on the bush than dogs can pee.

[Rain Man]

No matter how many notices are posted or guide book information written, hikers need for self gratification leads to them being feed garbage.

I've hiked there twice and never saw any such "notices" ... nor "guide book information." Where are they?

Rain Man

.