Appalachian Trail - McCormick Gap to Sawmill Run Overlook-7 Miles-Mod Stren

Please Note: A car shuttle will be required prior to the start of this hike.

For this group hike outing, we will traverse a rolling, scenic stretch of the Appalachian Trail within the South District of Shenandoah National Park. Along our route, we will pass over the summit of two mountains - Bear Den Mountain and Calf Mountain. Scenic views are the reward for reaching the high point of these two mountains. And a short side trail will also allow us the opportunity to visit a three-sided AT shelter located on Calf Mountain too.

In between our starting point - McCormick Gap - and end point - Sawmill Run Overlook - for this hike, there will be three separate ascents - each one requiring us to gain about 500 feet in elevation. Each ascent traverses approximately 3/4 of a mile in distance. Although the terrain is rolling in nature, it does not require us to cross any mountain streams.

At the conclusion of our point-to-point hike we will car shuttle back to where we started.

And for those that are interested, we can gather at a nearby brewery for a post-hike bite to eat and drinks.

What to Wear and Bring:

> hiking apparel should include moisture wicking clothing such as polyester and/or merino wool as a base/skin layer
> a light-weight rain jacket - just in case
> a good pair of broken-in hiking shoes/boots
> wool/merino hiking socks (such as Smart Wool)
> 1.5 to 2 liters of water and/or an electro-lyte replacement drink
> snack food
> Most Importantly – Lunch – which will be eaten at a tranquil location at approximately the mid-point of our hike

I look forward to the opportunity of enjoying this hike with you on what I hope will be a blue sky, sunny day.