Crabtree Falls: Nelson County, VA

An arching bridge over the River Tye.

No lack of waterfall related infrastructure here.

As one of the east coast's highest waterfalls Crabtree Falls is a popular attraction.  It's a developed trail: stairways, handrails, and fencing make the trail accessible to almost everyone, but they also mar the natural beauty of the falls.

Shadow the Dog loves ascending mountains, and we found plenty of climbing here.   We started from the Route 56 parking area and made our way to the Meadows Lane parking area, where this trail meets up with the Appalachian Trail.  Our route took us up about 1400 feet in three miles.  You can see our route here, and there's an interactive map below.

Crabtree Falls is a series of cascading waterfalls that tumble down the rocks.  The whole extent of the falls is never visible all at once and it's surprising to see how many huge cascades make up the falls.


There are many overlooks alongside the falls.  As we climbed the 1000 feet to the top of the falls we found ourselves rejoining Crabtree Creek no fewer than seven times as it fell.  Basically each switch back is anchored in a viewing platform of some kind.

Nice tree, Shadow.

Because of the cold winter, the falls were covered in ice, with the rushing water cutting a path through the thick icy coating.  That also means there was lots of slippery ice on the trail and the overlooks.  Shadow and I each walked away with souvenir bruises due to the extreme slipperiness.

The terrain is beautiful: rocky and wooded.  It's a great route for trail running; relentless climbing and obstacles characterize the first two miles, giving way to rolling woodland hills for the next two miles and finishing up with two miles of steep descent.

By far my favorite part of the hike was past the top of the falls, where the woods opened up and we left the stairs and fences behind.   Some of my favorite plant life is on display up here.  River birch populate the forest and there's a nice crop of running cedar covering the ground.

The trail goes through this little cave.

Be prepared to pay $3.00 per vehicle to visit the falls.  This is becoming the norm for many of the area's popular trails.

And popular is a good word for this trail.  It was in the mid 30's today with occasional sleet and the trail was pretty crowded.  A large proportion of the hikers also brought their canine companions, so Shadow the Dog enjoyed exchanging sniffs with dogpassersby.

Douthat Bike Trails: Bath County, VA

I had the chance to visit Douthat State Park before the January snow melted and found the park completely empty with the exception of the park rangers and a few folks meandering by the lake.

The lake, along with the surrounding streams, was frozen over with a coating of fresh snow on top. The trails were also covered with a few inches of snow, adding an extra challenge to biking in the park.

The park is best experienced by bike and is, in fact, an IMBA Epic Ride.  The system of trails amounts to over forty miles of terrain to suit any rider or ability.  I traveled on the intermediate trails, which were almost unclimbable for me because of the added resistance of pushing through the snow.

All those steep climbs allow you to gain the tops of ridges pretty often, offering views of the surrounding landscape.

The trails are all blazed with metal strips; in addition there are guide posts placed at regular intervals along the trails.  I'm planning on visiting again and doing some greater distances once the trails are clear and the temperatures are warmer. 

There are several campgrounds along the main road that offer access to the trail heads.  The park is fairly developed, with a restaurant, store, visitor center, etc.  However, once you get away from the campgrounds, the wilderness areas are remarkable.  The snow made animal tracks clearly visible, evidence of the rich and varied wildlife in this isolated part of the state. 

Jump Rock: Rockbridge County, VA

Shadow the Dog and I headed out from the swinging bridge trailhead on a route that took us over Round Knob and up to Jump Rock which offers commanding views to the north and east.  You can see our route here.

The swinging bridge itself is a bit wobbly, as a swinging bridge should be, but it seems sturdy and has fencing
 along the sides to prevent falls.


The route to Jump Rock takes you through wilderness areas where, as you get further from the  trail head, the paths are little used and are not clearly marked.  Look out for improvised trail markings such as stacked stones and bits of flagging tape left to mark the way. Today the trails were even harder to find because of the snow cover, but even on a good day it's easy to get lost, so it's a good idea to check your position regularly.

The route goes through mature forest and over rocky terrain.  There are steep grades throughout the hike, so be ready for some climbing.

The final approach to Jump Rock is a steady grade, but not particularly steep, and if approaching from Round Knob, you'll see the distinctive silhouette of Jump Rock to the east.  The vegetation changes drastically as you approach Jump Rock, as the exposed ridge line creates an environment best suited to shrubs and gnarly trees.  Look carefully and you'll see a few short American chestnut trees as you approach the summit.  Only a few feet high, these trees are somewhat isolated from the blight that devastated the species and even bear fruit in the fall.

It's nice to spend some time at the top of Jump Mountain, taking in the surroundings.  Often you'll see vultures and hawks making their rounds at eye level as you look out from the precipice.

There's also this, about halfway up the mountain.

The way down is fairly quick.  Shadow the Dog and I took the northern path down, which took us along the banks of the Maury River for a muddy slog to reach the swinging bridge.  I hadn't been this way before, but because of the snow, I was able to follow some fellow hikers' tracks back down and easily found the way, which is now captured in this GPS track.

The trail is best in the spring and fall when the leaves are coming in or changing color.  Winter offers its own advantages, though.  The views are clearer in some places because the trees are bare, especially as you look west towards Lake Merriweather.

There's a boy scout camp at Lake Merriweather, and this is  private property, so be sure to stay clear of the lake and the trails surrounding it.  Because of new regulations, you'll need a hunting/fishing licence or a special permit to access these trails.

Glenwood Horse Trail: Rockbridge County, Va.

The Elk Creek crossings are challenging after heavy rainfall.

  

The pond at Locher Tract spills over
 into the adjacent fields.

Locher Tract is an excellent starting point for all sorts of trail adventures.  The area is convenient to the northern end of the horse trail system in the area.  The area includes a spring and pond, and several wildlife viewing areas.

Today I set out on a mountain bike ride from the parking area that included Hellgate Horse Trail, Glenwood Horse Trail, and Petites Gap Road.  Both Hellgate and Glenwood Trails are blazed in orange.

Hellgate Horse Trail is a wide, well-kept path with a total length of about two miles. Glenwood Horse Trail picks up where Hellgate ends and continues for over 65 miles.


There are several climbs where sandy surfaces combine with steep grades to provide some truly challenging hills.  There are several shallow streams which cross the trail that are fun to ride through.


GHT crosses Elk Creek, which was about three feet deep today,  I crossed it without trouble, but there is a bridge over the creek on Belfast Trail, which isn't far from the GHT.



The GHT gets progressively narrower and rougher further south.  By the time it intersects the Belfast Trail, it's rocky singletrack, and it remains that way until it intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The view from Petites Gap towards Arnold's Valley.

While it's possible to hike up to the parkway on the GHT, regulations prohibit the use of bicycles in designated wilderness areas.  The trail goes through the Thunder Ridge Wilderness area as it approaches the parkway.  The border is well marked, and Petites Gap Road is close by.  It is also, however, on the other side of Elk Creek, so you'll have a second chance to ford through.

Petites Gap Road is narrow and somewhat rocky.  It's manageable on a road bike, but a mountain bike handles the rocks a little better.

The ride back is quick, almost all downhill, with only a few short climbs approaching Locher Tract.  The well-known Devil's Marbleyard is close by and accessible via Belfast Trail.

The GHT exits the Thunder Ridge Wilderness Area at the Blue Ridge Parkway, so I plan to explore that segment of the trail next.

This article provides some more information on the GHT, its history and planned improvements.
  

Panther Falls: Rockbridge County, Va.

Several deep pools form Panther Falls.

The lower pool is deep and ideal for swimming.

 Panther Falls, a well-loved series of swimming holes, is located on Panther Falls Road east of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Panther Falls Road is rough and narrow, but the hike to the falls is short and easy.

The falls are a popular destination for locals in the summer, but are a secluded spot once the temperatures drop.

Trout are plentiful around the falls and the water is frigid all year round.  Stay safe by swimming only in the lower pool.

Apple Orchard Falls: Botetourt County, Va.

Apple Orchard Falls is a spectacular 200' waterfall.

Shadow takes a well-deserved break at the base of the falls.

Apple Orchard Falls is among the most impressive and easily accessible waterfalls in Virginia.  Only a 1.5-mile hike from the Sunset Fields parking area of Blue Ridge Parkway, the falls are a popular destination.

Looking for more of a challenge, Shadow the Dog and I took the Cornelius Creek loop.  We began at Sunset Fields, traveled downhill heading northwest alongside Cornelius Creek to North Creek, and finished by regaining the elevation to reach Apple Orchard Falls.  Our route, along with a .gpx file can be found here.

All in all the loop is 7.3 miles with approximately 2,500' of total climbing.

Nearly all of that distance is close by deep, crystal clear creeks with their own small waterfalls. They're so clear, in fact, that Shadow the Dog badly misjudged the depth of one crossing and sank down to her ears.

The trails are well marked and well maintained, and the area around Apple Orchard Falls is quite developed with wooden stairs and a massive viewing platform at the base of the falls.
 

Needle ice covers the ground when the weather is right.

One of the interesting things about this area is how quickly the weather can change and how different it often is from the valley below.  Apple Orchard Mountain is the most topographically prominent mountain in Virginia, rising from the banks of the James River at 650' to a height of 4,224'.

On this day, much of the trail was covered in needle ice, which is formed by capillary action when the ground is warmer than freezing and the air is below freezing.

Cornelius Creek features several nice opportunities
 for a quick swim.

Parts of this trail are excellent mountain biking routes.  The Cornelius Creek Trail is great intermediate mountain biking consisting of mixed singletrack and doubletrack trails.  It's a good area for exploring on the bike, and I plan to explore it thoroughly this spring. Many of the trails in this area are multi-use and mountain bikes are permitted to use them as long as they yield to horses and hikers.  Also there are two wilderness areas in which bikes are not permitted: Thunder Ridge and James River Face.

A thick coating of ice forms on rocks and branches nearby the stream.

Cascade Falls: Giles County, Va.

Cascade Falls freezes each winter, creating a small mountain of icicles rising from what is in summertime a deep pool.  

Icicles line the 2 mile route to the falls during the winter months.

An impressive sight at any time of year, the 69-foot cascade falls is located in Giles County, Va.

Located 20 miles west of Blacksburg, the falls are a worthwhile side-trip for anyone visiting Virginia Tech or traveling on Interstate 81.
It's a two mile uphill hike to reach the falls.  There's about 800' of total elevation gain from the parking area to the falls.  The trail is generally well-kept and follows the trout-filled Little Stony Creek. 

Located away from major population centers, the area is rich in wildlife.  Deer often browse alongside the trail and owls hunt along the stream in the evening hours.  Black bears are also a common sight in the area; in fact, Blacksburg is home to the Black Bear Research Center.

Swimming in the pool at the base of the falls in warmer weather is great fun, and the water is quite cold all year round.

Viewing platforms constructed alongside the falls provide an easily accessible way to view Cascade Falls from multiple angles.

Parking is $3.00 so be sure you have some cash before driving out to the trail head.

The sun sinks below the horizon early here; much of the trail is shaded by the surrounding mountains.