A Hike on the Appalachian Trail - A Search for Wildflowers - 7 Miles - Mod Stren

It's the Spring season - and the ideal time of the year for a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our hike on this day will cover an approximate distance of 7 miles. It will be originally scheduled as out-and-back hike along the Appalachian Trail in Nelson County - possibly converted into a circuit hike. The one-way drive time is about a 45 minute drive South of Charlottesville. The total elevation change will be approximately 1000 to 1200 feet. We will initially start off with a steady 2 mile uphill section - followed by a 1 mile downhill stretch. We will then either hike this in the reverse direction or take an alternate route back to the starting point - where our vehicles will be parked.

The trailhead is where the Appalachian Trail crosses Route 56 in Nelson County in the vicinity of Tyro, VA. We will hike from this location heading North on the Appalachian Trail to the Harpers Creek Shelter. Along the hiking route, there will be a swinging bridge that crosses over the Tye River - and there should also be visible signs / viewing of early blooming wildflowers.

At the conclusion of our outing, and for those that are interested, we can hang out at Blue Mountain Barrel House 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)
> up to 1.5 liters of water and/or an electro-lyte replacement drink
> snack food
> Most Importantly – Lunch – which will most likely be eaten at the Harpers Creek Shelter

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