Northern Virginia Hiking Club (NVHC)

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

Come join me on this lovely 9.7 mile hike in Sky Meadows State Park with 1,348 feet of elevation. We will wander up and down over grassy trails to reach the Lost Mountain section, do some sustained climbing, maybe see some horses, and then have a brief lunch at the picnic tables near the beginning of the Hadow Trail. After lunch we will mosey for a bit, then do another sustained climb up to enjoy the spectacular Piedmont Overlook before heading back down to our cars.

We will hike at an average moving pace of 2.5 miles per hour and stop at all intersections. While this hike is rated B, the combination of distance and elevation makes it very close to an A hike, so please plan accordingly. .

The park opens at 8:00 a.m. and there are restroom facilities at the trailhead. The park fee is $10 unless you have a Virginia State Park Pass or an REI receipt with a coupon for one day of free parking in a Virginia State Park. If you need to pay, bringing cash is most convenient.

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://drive.google.com/file/d/10TK3WUZt86QCViPsF8jO39s5rVbgEymD/view?usp=sharing. If you plan to bring a dog on this hike, please contact me about the dog’s prior hiking experience.

Leader: Becky Reickel 301-471-3641 Note: I am unlikely to have cell service at the Visitor Center.

Carpools: Meet at the Centreville Park and Ride at 7:45 a.m. to leave by 8:00. Suggested carpool fee is $5.00 per rider. The leader will not be at the carpool location and will meet the group at the trailhead. Anyone intending to carpool may want to post a message to the group to be sure someone else will be there. GPS coordinates for Centreville Park and Ride: 38.836080, -77.455327. https://goo.gl/maps/hc3LRG7Hsy2wMJs18

Trailhead: Meet at the Sky Meadows State Park Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. for our 9:00 a.m. start. GPS coordinates for the trailhead: 38.9919027532781, -77.96586075880815
https://goo.gl/maps/NvZbneCJwbnuD8mw9

Park entry fee: $10

Rating: B

Map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/sky-meadows-9-7-1bc0249?u=i

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

This hike is an ~8 miles’ loop with an elevation gain of ~2000 ft., featuring a beautiful initial hike up the steep Little Devils Stairs Trail canyon, one of the most scenic canyons in SNP. Most of the elevation gain is in these initial 2 miles up the canyon. However, there is another climb toward the end of the hike of 485 ft, starting at the 5½ mile mark where we climb the Hull School Trail from the Piney River up to the Keyser Run Rd to see the Bolen family Cemetery, before descending back to the parking lot.

Trail maps
pdf map:
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/092HM0dNKDqTu8UpB6TGyilBQ#Little_Devils_Stairs
Shenandoah NP Keyser Run Area map
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0dagfKAPUnQSGKiNVAD0_73-A#MP_20-26_KeyserRun_RoadTrail
GaiaGPS map:
https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=12.0/-78.2750/38.7326&pubLink=xA0EAZRxueR8HYrfmAfgaVHh&trackId=2fb9893f32358b49ab587cb3aae7fe37

Difficultly Rating: A
At 8 mi + 2000/400 =13 mi, this makes this on the border of hard B-hike or easy A-hike. So treat it as you will, but I've listed it as an A-hike. The only thing that makes this hike more difficult is the initial climb of the canyon pictured above.
https://nvhc.com/hikeinfo/ratings/

Pace: 2 – 2½ mph on average.
We'll go as slow as 1 mph up the canyon, and as fast as 3+ mph for the easy hike down the Piney River trail with an average of 2 - 2½. In past trips this hike has taken from 4⅓ hrs to 5hrs.

Trailhead: We'll meet at the Little Devils Stairs Parking Lot which is at the end of Keyser Run Road. To get there take US 211 west to Gid Brown Hollow Rd (Rt 622), then 1.9mi to Keyser Run Rd.
TH Coordinates: 38.7305, -78.2583.
It's a 65 minute drive from Centreville Park & Ride.

Dogs permitted per NVHC Dog Policy: https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

This is a relatively flat five-mile hike with two short hills, elevation gain is 50 feet. Hiking pace while moving is between 2 and 2-1/2 miles an hour. Part of the trail is paved. Sneakers or hiking boots, some mud on the trail. Bring water. Great hike for a beginning hiker. Optional lunch at the Swiss Bakery. Please arrive a few minutes early to take attendance.
No park entry fee.

Leader: Stuart Shlafer 703-517-3490

No dogs permitted on this hike.

DETAILS/DIRECTIONS: We will start near the first ballfield as you enter Wakefield Park, which is the first left (following a service road) after you drive off of Braddock Road into Wakefield Park. We will meet just off the parking lot for the ball fields, on the left side. Restrooms at this parking lot should be open. There also are restrooms 1/4 mile further down the park road at the Audrey Moore Recreation Center. We will walk to and around Lake Accotink with a stop about halfway at the marina where there are restrooms and water sources. Good place for a snack, if you want to bring one.

GPS Coordinates: 38.814247, -77.224871

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.

Meetup date/time: November 15 at 8:15 a.m. (carpool location) or 9:30 a.m. (trailhead location)

Distance and Elevation Gain: Approximately 10 miles and 2.200 feet. You should have prior, recent experience with "A" level hikes.

Description: This is a circuit on Massanutten Mountain in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests. The hike is predominantly on the Massanutten (orange blazed) and Tuscarora (blue blazed) trails, and includes great views from Buzzard Rock Overlook, Fort Valley Overlook, and Signal Knob. Signal Knob's historical significance stems from its use as a lookout point during the Civil War by both the Confederate and Union troops. We hike at a pace of ~2.5 mph while moving, slightly slower on the uphills and slightly faster on the downhills.

Carpooling: For those wishing to carpool, the suggested carpool location is at the Centreville P&R (38.836080, -77.455327). The driving time from there to the trailhead is about 1 hour. Please arrive at the Park and Ride by 8:15 AM. Neither the Club nor the hike leader is responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Hikers are not guaranteed a ride to the trailhead from the carpool location; carpooling is organized by the participants and they participate at their own risk. Suggested carpool fee is $7. The hike leader will be at the carpool location.

Trailhead: Please be at the trailhead by 9:30. Signal Knob Parking Lot: 11263-, 11621 Fort Valley Rd, Fort Valley, VA 22652 (GPS: 38.934984, -78.319957).

Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy

Leader: Jolie

Park Entry Fee: $0.00
Rating: A

Hiking Map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/signal-knob-loop-trail-fb4c835-2