The Peak & Jordan River Falls – BUSHWHACK (Rating: A)

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 6½-mile HIKE & BUSHWHACK with an elevation gain of 2300-feet, and a trip up to one of the eastern most and least summited peaks in Shenandoah National Park. The hike starts at the Mt Marshal Rd Parking lot and heads up the Mount Marshall Road trail for 1.6 miles to Thoroughfare Gap where we'll bushwhack the abandoned "The Peak Trail" up to the summit of The Peak. On the summit we'll pause for the view then descend to Thoroughfare Gap and take the Jordon River Trail down to a point where we can bushwhack to Jordan River Falls where we'll have lunch.

Jordan River Falls, like most waterfalls in SNP, was formed by the Catoctin Formation, a series of 570 -590 million year old lava flows resistant to erosion, which can form steep cliffs causing waterfalls when streams pass over.

We'll return to the Jordon River Trail taking it back up to Thoroughfare Gap to join the Mount Marshall Road Trail where we'll descent back down to the parking lot.

The hike starts with a ~2000 ft climb from the parking lot to the Peak, with half the elevation gain in bushwhack. This elevation gain is obtained in a distance of 2¾ miles.

Note: the view on "The Peak" is quite nice in winter, and a way to get out and enjoy a section of SNP that is rarely visited. In addition we'll see the Jordon River Falls which is also not on trail.

Hike Grade: A
At only 6.5 miles, this hike seams easy at first glance. But add in the elevation gain 6.5 + 2300ft ÷ 400ft/mi = 12.25 equiv. miles which makes this a B-hike (between 10-13 miles). Although with the 2 mile bushwhack, I've added a grade to call this an A hike.

Hike Maps:
Pdf map showing: Parking, Mt Marshal Rd, Thoroughfare Gap, The Peak, Jordan River Falls, Mt Marshal Trail, Jordan River Trail, and the planned route:
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0ceU3Wr0EnbBk0P6EcfXFnOng#The_Peak/Jordon_River_Falls_2024

Pdf map from the 1980s showing: Thoroughfare Gap, The Peak, the abandoned The Peak Trail, and part of the planned route:
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0a6fr5_DLtUclHtUFFsgMVFcw#The_Peak/Jordon_River_Falls_1980s

GaiaGPS interactive map of the route:
https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=14.4/-78.1787/38.7669&pubLink=AFwnVUFkY0dWOrv54gRcw4np&trackId=6fd71eca1267352502e49dfea8664cc9

Driving Directions:
Take US 211 west to "Little" Washington, VA. Head west out of "Little Washington" on Harris Hollow Road to Mount Marshall Road. Take the road to the end where there is a parking lot. The Parking lot GPS is: 38.7477, -78.1940.

Park Entrance Fee: There is no park entrance fee as the parking lot is outside SNP.

Carpools: Please feel free to arrange carpools in the comment section below the hike leader will meet you at the trailhead.

Dogs: Dogs are not allowed on this hike as it's a bushwhack.

You should be experienced in bushwhacks to go on this hike. Don't sign up if you think this will be an easy 7-mi hike.