SpooOOOooky!!! Little Devils Stairs (Moderate 5.6 miles, 1500' gain)
Details
Hiya!
WoooOOOOooooohhhHhhh did you see that?? Was it a ghost of a hiker long since departed? 👻 A wayward specter on their forlorn march to Calvary? ⚰️ Perhaps, even, the misty remnants of a trailblazer who didn't bring enough water??? 😱
Maybe! All this you might see on our SpooooOOOOooooky Halloween hike! This hike is a moderate 5.7 miles with 1500 ft of elevation gain in the area of Little Devil’s Stairs in Shenandoah NP. The hike begins at the Little Devils Stairs Loop Trailhead parking lot (located here: 38°43'50.1"N 78°15'29.4"W, or at https://maps.app.goo.gl/EXgywYygHFbebB8z7 in Google Maps) and ascends the Little Devils Stairs Trail for 2 miles. This is the fun part! Little Devils Stairs is a very scrambly couple of miles with frequent rock outcrops and stream crossings. Honestly, the trail itself is the stream in wetter weather.
But the rest of the hike thereafter is still fun too! From there, the hike slides down Keyser Run Road for the remaining 3.7 miles before returning to the parking lot. Lastly, along the way back, we will stop at a very spooky cemetery of some early settlers in the area 👻
Like any hike, we’ll take plenty of breaks for rest and water and snacks along the way, as well as a lunch break about halfway through the hike. We plan to move at a moderate pace around 2 mph. After the hike is done, we hope you join us for a beer at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run ( https://www.thefarmbreweryatbroadrun.com/ ), on the way back to DC.
We hope to see you on the trail!
HIKE DIRECTIONS:
CARPOOLING:
We encourage those with cars to carpool others to the trailhead - you're the ones who make LMH great!
If you're a driver that is willing to drive, please post a comment on the event page with the following information:
(1) Number of seats
(2) Meeting location
(3) Meeting time (recommended departure time from DC is 8:15 AM).
As a rider, please comment on the driver's post to take a seat or post in the comments that you need a ride so a driver can find you. Riders are encouraged to help their driver out with the cost of gas.
BACKGROUNG INFO ABOUT LMH: Please remember that this group is an informal group of friends and volunteers intitiating trips under the common adventurer model (http://www.ronwatters.com/CADefine.html). We do expect our members to be familiar with the best practices of hiking. This is not a group for first time hikers and is NOT a group for those seeking hiking instruction.
We are also not professionals, nor are we trained hike leaders, nor do we scout out hikes. We plan hikes for fun. You are responsible for your own welfare and safety at all LMH events. Be careful to choose hikes only within your own physical abilities and hiking knowledge; take maps, suitable clothing, provisions (at least two liters of water plus any food or medical supplies you might require) and equipment, and act responsibly and safely at all times.
LMH organizers and members shall not be liable for any injuries, loss or damage to persons or property, direct or consequential, arising out of any aspect of LMH activities. By attending this event, you represent that you have read, understand, and agree to the contents of our waiver of liability in the following link (https://www.meetup.com/Late-Morning-DC-Hikers-25-45/pages/12710332/Waiver_of_Liability/)