Sky Meadows

Sky Meadows is one of the closest places to get onto the Appalachian Trail from the Washington DC area, so the time spent driving to the trailhead is minimal. Let's enjoy a hike in the country on the first day of the New Year.

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The route: From the parking lot near the Park Visitor Center, we’ll start hiking at 10:00 am and head west along Piedmont Trail (Red, 0.61 miles) and Ambassador Whitehouse Trail (Light Blue, 1.1 miles) to the Appalachian Trail. We’ll walk south along the Appalachian Trail (White, 2.43 miles) and turn east to follow North Ridge Trail about 1/3 of its length (Blue, 0.5 miles) to where it intersects with the South Ridge Trail. From there we’ll follow South Ridge Trail (Yellow, 1.54 mile) as it loops along the south boundary of the park to Boston Mill Road (Green, 0.4 miles), which we’ll follow north back to our start point.

The hike is about 6.5 miles of smiles, moderate difficulty, and should take a little over 2 hours, with breaks. The surface is a mix of dirt, gravel, and mown grass.

Print trail map: http://tinyurl.com/cppxcg5

Google map: http://tinyurl.com/l66pmms

How to get there: Sky Meadows is less than an hour's drive from the I-495 Capital Beltway, just off I-66. From the I-495 Beltway, take exit 49A for I-66 W toward Vienna/Front Royal. Follow I-66W for about 42 miles. Take exit 23 to merge onto US-17 N/VA-55 W/Winchester Rd toward Delaplane/Paris. Continue to follow US-17 N/Winchester Rd for almost 7 miles. Turn left onto State Route 710/Edmonds Lane, drive 0.5 miles, and turn slightly right onto Winchester Road to enter the park. The parking lot is 0.7 miles further at 1124 Winchester Rd, Delaplane, VA 20144.

What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired (leashes please). Sunscreen, sunglasses, and snacks for halts are good accessories. Consider the layered look in order to adjust your temperature during the hike.

Weather: The forecast is sunny and calm, with a high of 42 degrees. Updates here: http://tinyurl.com/p234f9c

Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is permitted.

Cost: Parking is $4.00 per car on weekdays; pay and pick up a hangtag at the park gate.

Administrative stuff:

• The park office area has restrooms and drinking fountains.

• NB: There is a ranger-led 1.75- to 2.5-mile "First Day Hike" that starts at 11:00 am. We are not hiking with this group, but they may be starting to arrive as we are departing, so try to arrive early to make sure you find parking near the trailhead, and look for our Meetup sign to avoid joining the wrong group!

Notes:

• Sky Meadows State Park, 11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane, VA 20144-0710, 540-592-3556. Lat 38.988703 Lon -77.968913. http://tinyurl.com/2odpoq

• El Vaquero, 14910 Washington Street, Haymarket, VA, ‎(703) 753-0801, http://el-vaquerorestaurant.com/haymarket/