Massanutten Mountains: Above Rt. 675

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Maps:

Software - Topo! Mid-Atlantic
PATC Maps G and H
National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated Map #792 Massanutten & Great North Mtn, GWNF, VA/WV
George Washington National Forest, VA&WV, USDA FSM, AGO. 1989

Books:

Guide to Massanutten Mountain Hiking Trails. Ed. 1993. Ed. 2000. Ed. 3, 2004
Tuscarora Trail: Southern Half (VA, WV). Ed. 3, 1997
Circuit Hikes in VA, WV, MD, PA. Ed. 5, 1994. Ed. 6, 2000
Cabins, PATC, 2004
The Trails of Virginia, Hiking the Old Dominion, 3d ed., Allen de Hart, 2003
Hike America: VA – an Atlas of VA’s Greatest Hiking Adventures, Bill and Mary Burnham, 2001
50 Hikes in Northern VA – Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Allegheny Mtns to the Chesapeake Bay, 2d ed., Leonard M. Atkins, 2000
Hiking Virginia’s National Forests, by Karin Wuertz-Schaefer. Ed. 7, 2001

Notes:

Tuscarora Trail is always blazed Blue!
Massanutten Trail is always blazed Orange!
Maps and books are for the whole Massanutten Mountains, not just for this page

Hike 1. Sherman Trail East - Tuscarora Trail East - Shenandoah Crossing

Club: Jack and William leading for MWROP

Date: 07/17/2004; 07/15/2006

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20040717Incomplete.tpo; ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20040717SBurnsAndMe.tpo; ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20060715JThorsen.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20040717Incomplete_tpo.gpx; ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20040717SBurnsAndMe_tpo.gpx; ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20060715JThorsen_tpo.gpx

GPS TrackMaker Trace: ShermanGapTrE_TuscaroraTrE_ShenandoahCrossing_GPS20040717.gtm

Notes: we canoed in the last few miles on the Shenandoah River. I don't particularly care for this hike since it involves a lot of road walking and Shenandoah is a rather dirty river. Second trace is the combination of Shelley's trace and mine, since she forgot to turn the GPS on initially and I forgot to change the batteries before it ran out.

Warnings: trip requires chest-deep wading in the Shenandoah River. Saw a rattle snake.

Hike 2. Shawl Gap Trail - Elizabeth Furnace - Sherman Gap Trail

Club: Chris Nolen and the Tuesday Group Hikers

Date: 01/18/2005

Parking: don't know

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ShawlGapTr_ElizabethFurnace_ShermanGapTr_GPS20050118CNolen.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: ShawlGapTr_ElizabethFurnace_ShermanGapTr_GPS20050118CNolen_tpo.gpx

Hike 3. Powells Fort - Signal Knob - Mudhole Gap Trail

Club: Chris Nolen and the Tuesday Group Hikers; Mountain Club of Maryland with Karen Klindinst leading; Jack's Trace

Date: 01/18/2005; 09/10/2005; 08/29/2006

Parking: good. Instead of parking at the Fort, it's easier to park on the main road.

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20050118CNolen.tpo; PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20050910.tpo; PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20060829JThorsen.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20050118CNolen_tpo.gpx; PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20050910_tpo.gpx; PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20060829JThorsen_tpo.gpx

GPS TrackMaker Trace: PowellsFort_SignalKnob_MudholeGapTr_GPS20050910.gtm

Notes: one of the best hikes, particularly the Strasburg Overlook and the stretch approaching the Fort from the bottom. Notice that all the traces are a little different from each other.

Warnings: rocky for a while after Strasburg Overlook.

Hike 4. Scothorn Gap - Kennedy Peak - Camp Roosevelt