The short but steep hike to Millers Head in Shenandoah National Park’s Skyland area, while otherwise unspectacular, has one terrific payoff: excellent views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley, a particular treat around sunset. The out-and-back trail follows a snaking ridge out to a series of viewpoints, culminating in a partial panorama that …
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Although not the best waterfall hike in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park (see here and here for better ones), the Lewis Falls Trail offers a fine view of one of the park’s highest cascades, while a short jaunt on the Appalachian Trail (AT) completes the circuit and features fantastic views of the Shenandoah Valley. The loop …
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At 3,474 feet, Hogback Mountain is the highest peak in the North District of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Although the summit is not accessible by trail, the modest Hogback Mountain Loop offers fine vistas looking north across Shenandoah Valley to nearby Massanutten Mountain. There is also a pleasant creek crossing at Piney Branch to top …
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Mount Marshall—named for John Marshall, the famous 19th century Chief Justice of the Supreme Court—actually comprises two distinct peaks in the North District of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. North and South Marshall, as they are known, sport some of the best panoramic views in the park and, as an added bonus, are relatively easy to …
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Tibbet Knob (2,920’) is the slightly lower, less crowded cousin of nearby Big Schloss, situated along the Virginia-West Virginia border in George Washington National Forest. The summit offers sweeping views of Trout Run Valley in the heart of the Great North Mountain range, while a lower viewpoint ½ mile from the trailhead looks out across …
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Big Schloss, George Washington National Forest, October 2017 At 2,964 feet, Big Schloss is not the highest peak on Great North Mountain—which stretches for 50 miles along the Virginia-West Virginia border—but it is arguably the grandest. Named for the German word for palace or castle, Big Schloss offers panoramic views of some of the most …
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Buzzard Rock, situated at the northeast corner of Virginia’s Massanutten Mountain, is not a singular monolith as the name implies. Rather, it is a razor-toothed spine of sandstone more than a quarter mile long, perched high above Fort Valley and Passage Creek. While it lacks the heights of the nearby Signal Knob Loop, this 4.5-mile …
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Live and Let Hike 