Shenandoah, Official Map and Guide, NPS, free (good for finding campgrounds and to see the general layout of the park)
Nat. Geographic. Trails Illustrated map. #228 Shenandoah National Park, VA
USGS 1:62,500 maps: USGS Shenandoah North, Middle, South: 1: 62,500
Circuit Hikes in Shenandoah National Park, Ed. 14, 1996
Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park with Side Trails, PATC. Ed. 12, 1999 (sometimes includes PATC Maps 9, 10, 11)
Hikes to Waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park, 1997
Hike America: VA – an Atlas of VA’s Greatest Hiking Adventures, Bill and Mary Burnham, 2001
75 Hikes in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, 2d ed, Russ Manning
50 Hikes in Northern VA – Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Allegheny Mtns to the Chesapeake Bay, 2d ed., Leonard M. Atkins, 2000
Cabins, PATC, 2004
The Trails of Virginia, Hiking the Old Dominion, 3d ed., Allen de Hart, 2003
Waterfalls of VA and WV – a Hiking and Photography Guide, Kevin Adams, 2001
Hikes to Waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park, 1997
Historical books:
Shenandoah Secrets. The Story of the Park’s Hidden Past. Carolyn and Jack Reeder. PATC 1991
Shenandoah Vestiges. What Mtn. People Left Behind. Carolyn and Jack Reeder. PATC 1980
Shenahdoah Heritage. The Story of the People Before the Park. Carolyn and Jack Reeder. PATC 1978, reprint 2000
Memories of a Lewis Mtn. Man. John W. Stoneberger. PATC 1993
The Dean Mtn. Story. Gloria Dean. PATC 1982
Lost Trails and Forgotten People. PATC 1981. Ed. 3, 2004
Skyland. The Heart of the Shenandoah National Park, George Freeman Pollock, 1960
Notes: Appalachian Trail (AT) is always blazed White!
In the Shenandoah Nat. Park Blue blazed trails are for hikers only, and Yellow are shared between horse riders and hikers
The maps and books listed above are for the whole park, not just for this page
Hikes in this section are organized North to South and then by date
Hike 1. All Hikes Including the Big Creek Falls
Club: Jack's merged traces; Jack and William leading for the MWROP; my scouting
Date: 04/22/2006; 11/15/2003; 12/29/2003
Parking: when on Skyline Drive - good. Parking on the park border of the Meadows School Fire Road requires an SUV, parking in the valley - not recommended.
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: BigCreekFalls_BearfenceMtn_GPS20060422Merged_JThorsen.tpo; MillProngTr_LaurelProngTr_AT_BigCreekFalls_PowellMtnTr_GPS20031115.tpo; BigCreekFalls_MeadowSchoolFireRd_GPS20031229.tpo
Description File: MillProngTr_LaurelProngTr_AT_BigCreekFalls_PowellMtnTr_GPS20031115.doc; BigCreekFalls_MeadowSchoolFireRd_GPS20031229.doc
GPS TrackMaker Trace: MillProngTr_LaurelProngTr_AT_BigCreekFalls_PowellMtnTr_GPS20031115.gtm; BigCreekFalls_MeadowSchoolFireRd_GPS20031229.gtm
Notes: I typically put only very close traces under one hike. This is an exception. I decided to put all the traces involving the Big Creek Falls together. This way the user can see many options to see this spectacular waterfall. Since the bushwhacking is rather strenuous because the old trails have lots of blowdowns and are not always visible, the best option is MillProngTr_LaurelProngTr_AT_BigCreekFalls_PowellMtnTr_GPS20031115.tpo trace since it's using the Powell Mountain Trail as well as the Meadows School Fire Road for most of the uphill/downhill bushwhacking, making this trip easier. It also is covering the Bearfence Mountain which offers a great overlook.
Photo Album: BigCreekFalls_MeadowSchoolFireRd_GPS20041127
Warnings: strenuous bushwhack
Hike 2. AT from the Lewis Spring Parking Lot - Powell Mountain Trail - Meadows School Fire Road
Club: Jack's trace
Date: 06/25/2006
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_LewisSpring_PowellMtnTr_MeadowsSchoolFireRd_GPS20060625JThorsen.tpo
Warnings: strenuous bushwhacking as part of the hike
Hike 3. Devil's Ditch Falls - Slaughter Trail - Bearfence Mountain
Club: Jack's traces
Date: 11/18/2006
Parking: official road shoulder parking
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: DevilsDitchFalls_SlaughterTr_BearfenceMtn_GPS20061118JThorsen.tpo; DevilsDitchFalls_SlaughterTr_GPS20060218Merged_JThorsen.tpo
Notes: Waterfalls were not very impressive. Pre-park history is interesting. Bearfence Mtn is a good overlook.
Warnings: I didn't particular like road walking near private property with dogs and the deep wading at the beginning of the hike. Steep climb. Bushwhacking.
Hike 4. Hikes Including Slaughter Trail - AT - Pocosin Hollow Trail
Club: Jack's Trace; Chris Nolen and the Tuesday Group Hikers; my scouting
Date: 05/30/2006; 07/16/2003; 05/28/2004; 07/11/2004
Parking: official road shoulder parking
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: SlaughterTr_AT_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20060530JThorsen.tpo; SlaughterTr_AT_SouthRiverFallsTr_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20030716CNolen.tpo; SlaughterTr_AT_SouthRiverFallsTr_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20040528CNolen.tpo; SlaughterTr_DevilsDitchFalls_AT_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20040711.tpo
Description File: laughterTr_DevilsDitchFalls_AT_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20040711.doc
GPS TrackMaker Trace: SlaughterTr_DevilsDitchFalls_AT_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20040711.gtm
Photo Album: LewisMtnTr_DevilsDitch_GPS20041121; SlaughterTr_DevilsDitch_PocosinHollowTr_GPS20040711
Warnings: I didn't particular like road walking near private property with dogs and the deep wading at the beginning of the hike. Steep climb.
Hike 5. Pocosin Hollow Trail
Club: Jack's trace
Date: 02/04/2006
Parking: good
Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: PocosinHollowTr_GPS20060204JThorsen.tpo