MO: Reddish Knob and Shenandoah Mountain (~35 miles)
Details
Reddish Knob, located on the VA/WV state line just west of Harrisonburg, is one of the highest points in Virginia. Rising to an elevation of 4,397 feet, it's a popular destination for spectacular vistas but is seldom hiked. The panoramic view from the summit is one of the best in Virginia, and the surrounding section of George Washington National Forest hosts scenic ridge walks, mountain streams, stands of virgin hemlock, and some welcome solitude on a few of the lesser traveled trails in Virginia. Join at your own peril for my first foray into leading trips as a newly-minted Assistant Organizer!
The rendezvous point on Saturday will be a small parking area at the Timber Ridge trailhead on Tillman Road, just after Hearthstone Lake (https://goo.gl/maps/ZfQMbduWp6beYF71A). We'll climb up the Timber Ridge Trail for at least 4 miles (or more, if we want to knock out more of the climb) until we find a suitable campsite, which will be dry.
On Sunday morning we'll finish the climb with an early summit of Reddish Knob. After taking in the view, we'll descend into the valley along a few forest roads and follow the North River Trail down to its terminus at Forest Road 95. We'll turn right and hike 2 miles up the road to the Shenandoah Mountain Trail, which we'll climb to the junction of the Ramsey's Draft Trail. We'll take a left and hike for about a mile until we hit Hiner Spring. There's an optional out-and-back to Hardscrabble Knob if we're feeling ambitious. After the spring we'll briefly hop on the Hiner Springs Trail until we hit the Wild Oak Trail, which we'll take down to our stop for the night at Camp Todd, with reliable water.
Monday morning we'll climb up Little Bald Knob on the Wild Oak Trail and then turn right, descending along Chestnut Ridge until we hit the Groom's Ridge Trail, which we'll take down to the cars. We'll decide whether we'd like to have lunch in Harrisonburg based on everyone's comfort level. I strongly advocate for Waffle House.
Splits are 4/19.5/11 with +3300/-4600 ft elevation on Sunday and +2700 /-3400 ft on Monday. CalTopo: https://caltopo.com/m/D53G
I recommend the NatGeo Trails Illustrated Map 791: Staunton/Shenandoah Mountain. You can get it from some DC area REI stores or from the NatGeo website: https://www.natgeomaps.com/ti-791-staunton-shenandoah-mountain-george-washington-and-jefferson-national-forests
I'm capping this trip at 6 due to limited parking at the trailhead.
DC UL COVID-19 Guidelines:
· Stay home if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, if you have been in close contact with anyone who has displayed such symptoms, or otherwise believe that you might have been exposed.
· No official carpool will be set.
· Consider your recent fitness level before participating on a trip, especially if you have not been hiking recently. The trip leader may reach out to discuss the trip in more detail with you to ensure you are prepared.
· We will follow state and local rules/recommendations and check for updates continually.
More information on the club's COVID-19 policy: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/
By RSVPing for this trip, you acknowledge that you’ve read our COVID-19 guidelines and that you agree to DC UL's liability waiver terms. (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver)