Virginia - Appalachian Trail from Ashby Gap (Rt. 50) to the Shenandoah National Park (I. 66)

 

Maps:

• Software - Topo! Mid-Atlantic

• PATC Map 8

• http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/sky.shtml - see the *.pdf map of the park
• http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wmas/detail.asp?pid=31 - same as above

Books:

• Circuit Hikes in VA, WV, MD, PA.  Ed. 5, 1994. Ed. 6, 2000

• Appalachian Trail Guide to MD and Northern VA with Side Trails, PATC.  Ed. 16, 2000

• Cabins, PATC, 2004

• Enjoying VA Outdoors.  A guide to Wildlife Management Areas, Bob Gooch, 2000

• 50 Hikes in Northern VA – Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Allegheny Mtns to the Chesapeake Bay, 2d ed., Leonard M. Atkins, 2000

• Hike America: VA – an Atlas of VA’s Greatest Hiking Adventures, Bill and Mary Burnham, 2001

• The Trails of Virginia, Hiking the Old Dominion, 3d ed., Allen de Hart, 2003

Note: Appalachian Trail is always blazed White!

            Hikes in this section are sorted North-to-South and then by date

 

 

Hike 1.  AT: Ashby Gap to and in Sky Meadows State Park

 

 

Club: my scouting and then leading for MWROP

Date: 02/19/2005; 09/24/2005

Parking: parking at Ashby Gap is not that great - I scratched the bottom of my car there.

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_AshbyGap_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20050219.tpo; AT_AshbyGap_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20050924.tpo

GPS TrackMaker Trace: AT_AshbyGap_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20050219.gtm; AT_AshbyGap_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20050924.gtm

Photo Album: AT_AshbyGap_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20050219; AT_AshbyGap_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20050924

Notes: Sly Meadows State Park has 2 parts: main and equestrian.  We covered them both. Sky Meadows State Park has the best views of the Piedmont.

Warnings: Between the first and the second hike 2 things changed: AT got relocated and a couple new trails were added to the Sky Meadows St. Park.

 

Hike 2.  AT: Red Bud Hike

 

 

Club: Chris Nolen and Tuesday Group Hikers

Date: 05/26/2003

Parking: first not that great, second - don't know, probably good.

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_RedBud_OldDogwood_GPS20030526CNolen.tpo

Description File: AT_RedBud_OldDogwood_GPS20030526CNolen.doc

Notes: Snickers Gap to High Knob Mtn inside the SNP.  This Long Distance Hike Eventually Was Renamed Dogwood Half Hundred.  Every few years its route was changed

 

Hike 3.  AT: Snickers Gap to I-66 Including Sky Meadows State Park

and Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area.

 

 

 

Club: Jack's traces

Date: 01/10/2006; 01/10/2006 merged

Parking: Ashby Gap has bad parking, don't know about I-66.

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_Rt50_I66_SkyMeadows_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060110JThorsen.TPO; AT_Rt50_I66_SkyMeadows_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060110Merged_JThorsen.TPO

Notes: Great Views at Sky Meadows.  Huge number or flowers at Thompson WMA in the Early May.

 

Hike 4.   Sky Meadows State Park and AT

 

 

Club: my scouting with Andrew

Date: 03/18/2007

Parking: Ashby gap has bad parking

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20070318.tpo

Description File: AT_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20070318.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: AT_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20070318.gtm

Garmin MapSource Trace: AT_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20070318.gdb

Google Earth Trace: AT_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20070318.kmz

Photo Album: AT_SkyMeadowsSP_GPS20070318

Notes: We did this trip right after the ice storm.  Spectacular views. New trail.

 

Hike 5.  Thompson Wildlife Management Area and AT

 

 

Club: Chris Nolen and Tuesday Group Hikers; me scouting; me leading a couple of times, last time with a little extra out-and-back on the AT; Jack trace

Date: 05/26/2003; 04/03/2004; 05/01/2004; 05/06/2006; 08/01/2006

Parking: Good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20030526CNolen.tpo; AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040403.tpo; AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040501.tpo; AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060506.tpo; AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060801JThorsen.tpo

Description File: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040403.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040403.gtm; AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040501.gtm

Garmin MapSource Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060506.gdb

Photo Album: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040501; AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060506

Notes: One of the best places to see Large Flowered White Trilliums in the beginning of May, as well as Yellow Lady's Slippers, Showy Orchises and lots of other flowers.

 

Hike 6.  Thompson Wildlife Management Area and AT

 

 

Club: Chris Nolen And Tuesday Group Hikers

Date: 05/04/2004

Parking: good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20040504CNolen.tpo

Notes: a little different trace - two loops - more on the OHV roads, probably less exciting than above.

 

Hike 7.  Thompson Wildlife Management Area and AT

 

 

Club: my scouting

Date: 03/18/2006

Parking: Good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060318.tpo

Photo Album: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060318

Notes: this hike includes an extra stretch on the AT to the south.  Final destination there was supposed to be a good overlook, which was overgrown.  On the way back we went on an old road and found a brand new hunting lodge (I think).  Bushwhack along the Wildcat Hollow.

 

Hike 8.  Thompson Wildlife Management Area and AT

 

 

Club: Jack's trace

Date: 04/25/2006

Parking: Good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060425JThorsen.tpo

Notes: bushwhack along the Wild Cat Hollow.  OHV road to the at on the North.

 

Hike 9.  Thompson Wildlife Management Area and AT

 

 

Club: Jack's trace

Date: 07/28/2006

Parking: Good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: AT_ThompsonWMA_GPS20060728JThorsen.tpo

Notes: incomplete trace.  Bushwhack along the Wildcat Hollow