Topic

Shenandoah NP Loop trip from Brown Gap


Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Home Forums Campfire Member Trip Reports Shenandoah NP Loop trip from Brown Gap

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1280973
    Peter Cruikshank
    BPL Member

    @pmcpmc01

    Locale: Westchester

    SNP trip

    Shenandoah National Park Trip Report May 22-25, 2011

    I selected this 37 mile loop trip starting at the Brown Gap parking so I would end the trip hiking past Doyle Run Falls late on my third day and Jones Run falls on my way out on Day 4. The loop took me over the following peaks: Trayfoot, Furnace, Austin, Lewis, Rockytop, Brown, Rocky, and Loft. The mountain laurels were in full bloom and I saw at least hundred different varieties of wildflower.

    There is a link to a 10 minute long video of my trip on YouTube at the end of this report.

    Swift Run Gap Entrance sign
    SGE

    I arrived at the ranger station at the entrance around 1 p.m. After filling out the permit form, I handed it back to the ranger to get signed. She scanned it quickly and said I had done a good job filling it out. She asked me 3 questions: 1) did I have a map of where I was going? 2) did I have something to bury my waste? 3) did I have water? I guess I was qualified to spend 4 days backpacking in the park based on my answers to her questions because she signed the form.

    Here’s a map of my route – the 1C, 2C, and 3C mini-Post-it notes mark my planned camping sites for each night.
    m

    Here’s a 4 x 6 index card showing the trails I would be hiking on and mileage between each major intersection
    t

    Brown Gap sign at my starting point
    b

    The trail intersections were marked with these concrete posts with trail information and mileage on all four sides.
    i

    Mountain Laurel lining both sides of the trail.
    mt

    Talus field on the northern side of Trayfoot Mountain
    tt

    View of Austin Mountain from Furnace Mountain
    am

    View the next morning looking back at Furnace Mountain from the side of Austin Mountain
    fm

    I had to cross Big Run multiple times. I made the mistake of crossing once across through the brown muck. I had to take off my shoes and socks and thoroughly rinse them out before I could continue hiking. After that crossing, I stayed on the gravel and rocks.

    The mosquitoes along Big Run were absolutely ferocious. They flew under my eyeglasses and tried to bite me on upper part of cheeks where there was no DEET. One successfully bit me on the palm of my hand while I was eating dinner. They literally swarmed on backpack when I took it off. Later in the trip I encountered some small biting small flies.

    Big Run
    br

    View of the Shenandoah Valley from Lewis Peak on the western edge of the park
    lm

    View of Skyline Drive while climbing Loft Mountain
    sk

    Doyles Run Fall
    dr

    Doyles Run and Jones Run converge
    dj

    My tent at the campsite across the junction of Doyles Run and Jones Run. Notice the trunk of the downed tree that definitely would have been a widow maker if it had fallen on a tent at this site.
    wm

    A swimming hole hiking up Jones Run before the falls.
    sh

    Jones Run falls
    jr

    There seemed like literally hundreds of species of wildflowers blooming alongside the trail. Two samples below:
    f1

    f2

    I really like to take photos of fungi. They don’t move like animals and insects and rarely sway in the wind like flowers.
    fun1

    fun2

    A massive, hollow tree that fell across the trail up Jones Run
    t1

    t2

    A huge tree – somehow, the settlers/loggers axes must have missed this one.
    ht

    I thought these arrow-straight trees would make terrific sailing masts in the days of wooden sailing ships.
    t3

    A spring someone had carefully walled up around a metal pipe to provide a good clean flow into your water bottles.
    sp

    Trip wildlife: a small, thin, bright green snack; a well-fed woodchuck crossed trail on way to its den inside pile of rocks; a ring-necked pheasant, many turkey vultures; Rufous Sided Towhees; orange spotted salamanders; about 12 ticks (2 had started to bite, but were easily removed); many centipedes; a whippoorwill (who started calling loudly at 5:30 am in the morning); and one fat toad. No bears.

    Trail wildlife – salamander, centipedes, butterfly
    c1

    c2

    c3

    I immediately thought "Lord of the Rings" when I saw this tree
    lr

    Traffic jam leaving the park held up by the paving crews.
    tj

    Link to ~10 minute YouTube video of my trip with videos of the falls; dozens more views; my workout on the trail and dozens and dozens of wildflower photos

    SNP Trip YouTube Video (~10 minutes long)

    #1794110
    Evan Parker
    BPL Member

    @ecp12

    Locale: Upstate NY

    Nice trip report! I loved the photo of Treebeard from Lord of the Rings. I went to Shenandoah a couple weeks myself and it was nice to be in the woods. If I ever get back to Shenandoah (I'm only in the DC area for 6 months) I will be sure to check out this loop.

    #1794178
    Warren Greer
    Spectator

    @warrengreer

    Locale: SoCal

    Peter, nice report. Neat to see your interests in all that surrounded you. Looks like you had a great time despite the mosquitos.

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Get the Newsletter

Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light!

Gear Research & Discovery Tools


Loading...