Love Gap to Hanging Rock via Three Ridges Wilderness – 7 moderately strenuous mi

I scoped this hike after Jere led it in May. We were there on a cloudy day and it was still beautiful. (With appreciation, I am plagiarizing Jere a bit in this description.)

We will meet at Love Gap, along the Blue Ridge Parkway between Mile Post 15 and 16. We will begin on a dirt road that is occasionally used by the Forest Service and Trail Maintenance Crews. After intersecting the Appalachian Trail, we will continue uphill on a narrower trail until reaching the panoramic view from the Hanging Rock outcrop. The elevation gain to this spot is 1,400 feet. We will stop here for a snack before hiking back down.

A bit more than half of our hike will be contained within the Three Ridges Wilderness. This area truly lives up to the definition of the word Wilderness - which is simply "a region where the land is in a natural state; where impacts from human activities are minimal". Groups in the Three Ridges Wilderness cannot exceed 10 people so this hike has that limit.

For those that are interested in a post hike sip or lunch, we’ll stop at Bold Rock Cidery in Nellysford. https://nellysford.boldrock.com/

A few notes:

• Leashed dogs are welcome.
• The sun and ticks are out. Please lather and spray.
• I am bossy about water.
• I don't hike in the rain and will cancel the day before if the weather is nasty.
• If you can’t make it, please don’t cancel at the last minute.