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.

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.