At 4,050 feet, Hawksbill Mountain is the highest peak in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. The summit offers panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as mighty Massanutten Mountain to the west. It’s a short, albeit steep, climb to the top, making Hawksbill a popular day hike destination; more ambitious hikers, however, can head …
Month: August 2015
Hazel Falls, Hazel Cave, and White Rocks Trail Loop (Shenandoah National Park, VA)
In terms of height, Shenandoah National Park’s Hazel Falls pales in comparison to its better-known neighbors, such as South River, Lewis Spring, or Dark Hollow Falls. But tucked away in a narrow, intimate gorge littered with caves, the multi-tiered waterfall is arguably just as spectacular. The relatively easy out-and-back to the falls (from Skyline Drive) …
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Haul Road Trail (Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, VA)
Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, like the much better-known Theodore Roosevelt Island ten miles to the north, is a living reminder of what the Washington, DC area looked like before it became the metropolis of today. In the days of the Founding Fathers, the Potomac River weaved through a swampy floodplain, a natural wetland habitat for …
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Piney Ridge – Thornton River Trail Loop (Shenandoah National Park, VA)
Shenandoah National Park’s nearly 11-mile Piney Ridge-Thornton River Trail circuit covers nearly 1,700 feet in elevation gain/loss—perhaps one of several reasons this loop hike is lightly traveled. On a hot Saturday in July, I encountered only one pair of hikers—on the Piney Ridge Trail—before descending through a remote pocket of Shenandoah so sparsely visited that …
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Potomac Heritage Trail – Theodore Roosevelt Island to Fort Marcy (George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA)
It is a roughly six-minute drive from Theodore Roosevelt Island to Fort Marcy along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a route predominantly used by commuters in the Washington, DC metro area. Most, however, are completely unaware of the charming underworld that lies just below—a sliver of lush greenery between the parkway and the Potomac, a …
Cathedral Falls (Gauley Bridge, WV)
For visitors to West Virginia’s New River Gorge National River, a stop at Cathedral Falls—located just outside the park near the town of Gauley Bridge—is a must. Presumably named for the Cane Branch Church situated just upstream, Cathedral Falls tumbles gracefully for more than 60 feet into a beautiful grotto. Better yet, it is visible …
Sandstone Falls Overlook Trail (New River Gorge National River, WV)
Sandstone Falls Overlook is an underwhelming hike in an otherwise overwhelming park. High above West Virginia’s gorgeous New River Gorge, the overlook offers only a sliver of a view, just enough to see 25-foot Sandstone Falls at a great distance. It’s probably better to venture down to river level and try the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk …
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Big Branch Trail Loop (New River Gorge National River, WV)
The Big Branch Trail at West Virginia’s New River Gorge National River treks through a peaceful, serene landscape of dense canopy and tumbling cascades, highlighted by a pair of waterfalls (15 and 30 feet). In winter, the ridge portion offers decent views of the gorge and Brooks Falls; in spring, the trail is dotted with colorful …
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Live and Let Hike 