Trail Map: The Hike: Our friends Jim and Betsy are big fans of Lost River State Park. Located near Mathias WV, this park is a bit off the beaten path but is well worth a visit. Cranny Crow is the most popular hiking destination in the park. The trails are well marked and well maintained. […]
Cranny Crow Overlook Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: On our recent trip to Spain, we had an opportunity to visit Gibraltar and we jumped at the chance to hike “the Rock”. The classic view of the Rock is the sheer rock face of the northern end of this monolithic limestone mountain. The northern tip is too steep for a
Rock of Gibraltar-Mediterranean Steps Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This was our first visit to Hanging Rock State Park and we are already planning to return. We hiked on a cloudy day and some of the views were partially covered with clouds. Hanging Rock is famous for waterfalls and amazing views. The park has five vistas and this hike visits
Hanging Rock, Wolf Rock, and Cook’s Wall Loop Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: The Nature Conservancy protects more than 9,000 acres on and around Warm Springs Mountain—their largest preserve in Virginia. This easy loop hike has panoramic views to the east and west. Interpretive signs highlight the mountain’s diversity of wildlife species and habitats in addition to TNC’s efforts to restore the region’s fire-adapted
Trail Map: The Hike: This hike combines several trails with numerous trail junctions. We recommend downloading the AllTrails map to help navigate this route. We crossed Route 252 and began our hike counterclockwise on the red-blazed Mount Joy Trail. The Mount Joy trail loops through the forest and makes a steady, gradual climb past Mount
Trail Map: The Hike: We debated over including this hike. It’s mostly a paved road and even on “no car Wednesdays”, it’s very crowded. We finally flipped a coin, and here it is. Located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove is a scenic valley surrounded on all sides by mountains. A popular 11-mile
Trail Map: The Hike: Natural Tunnel is one of the six original Virginia State Parks. The park’s trails and facilities were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. This hike combines two of the park’s most popular (and short) hikes: Tunnel Trail and Lover’s Leap Trail. Both hikes begin and end near the
Natural Tunnel State Park Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This hike packs in a lot in just under ten miles: a waterfalls, mountain views, two lakes, and a ridge line. We hiked over Labor Day weekend so the water levels in the falls were a bit low and peak foliage is still weeks away—but this was still a great hike.
Torry Ridge & Sherando Lake Loop Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This hike in the George Washington National Forest is a nice walk in the woods with some nice river views. The trail is marked and maintained; however, there are many interconnecting trails and some of the junctions were confusing. We suggest downloading the AllTrails map in advance as cell service in
Jackson River Gorge-Hidden Valley Loop Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: The popular trails in Shenandoah National Park get crowded on summer weekends. This hike is a hidden gem. It has some solitude, lots of stream crossings, and great views from the summit of Turk Mountain. A cement post near Skyline Drive marks the trailhead. Pass through the yellow posts and chain
Jarman Gap-Turk Mt. Loop Read More »
