Virginia. Shenandoah National Park. North Section

North-East of the Gravel Springs Gap

Maps:

Software - Topo! Mid-Atlantic
PATC Map 9, 10, 11
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

Books:

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, 2^d 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. AT From RT522 - Dickey Ridge Trail to Front Royal

Club: I don't remember at this point, but most trips were done by Chris Nolen and the Tuesday Group Hikers

Date: 11/19/2002; 11/18/2005; 11/28/2006

Parking: don't remember

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_RT522_DickeyRidgeTr_GPS20021119.tpo; AT_RT522_DickeyRidgeTr_GPS20050118CNolen.tpo; AT_RT522_DickeyRidgeTr_GPS20061128JThorsen.tpo

Description File: AT_RT522_DickeyRidgeTr_GPS20021119.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: AT_RT522_DickeyRidgeTr_GPS20021119.gtm

Notes: This hike is best done in the winter when the snow is high. Dickey Ridge Tr. can be substituted with the Skyline Drive then

Hike 2. AT From RT522 Through Lands Run, Jenkins Gap and Back

Club: Chris Nolen And Tuesday Group Hikers; Jack's trace

Date: 03/08/2004; 01/24/2006

Parking: don't remember

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_RT522_LandsRun_JenkinsGap_GPS20040308CNolen.tpo; AT_RT522_LandsRun_JenkinsGap_GPS20060124JThorsen.tpo

Hike 3. The Peak

Club: Scott Wilson and me scouting

Date: 11/23/2002

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ThePeak_GPS20021123.tpo

Description File: ThePeak_GPS20021123.doc

Notes: the Peak doesn't have views from the top, but I do like the spring there

Warnings: bushwhacking climb to the Peak on the old overgrown trail. Saw tracks of bears and deer. Steep climbs

Hike 4. The Peak - Big Devil's Stairs

Club: my scoutings and leading

Date: 12/07/2002; 04/05/2003; 02/01/2004

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20021207Incomplete.tpo; ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20030405.tpo; ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20040201.tpo

Description File: ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20021207Incomplete.doc; ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20030405.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20030405.gtm; ThePeak_BigDevilsStairs_GPS20040201.gtm

Warnings: Big Devil's Stairs used to go all the way to the road, but the land owners next to the road don't let hikers pass through their property any more. They even put a fence.

There was a lot of construction on the stretches adjoining to the park. I wouldn't recommend following the same route because of that.

Hike 5. Skyline Drive - Big Devil's Stairs Falls - Jordan River Falls Compton Peak - Skyline Drive Shuttle