Picture of the Day
Farm near Seven Fountains VA
Today's Hike:
Distance: 8.64
Duration: 6:15
Ascent: 2318ft
PATC Difficulty: 200
Lee 333 Progress Summary:
Trails: 25 of 109
Trail Miles: 82.98 of 349.55 miles (266.57 miles to go)
Hiked Miles: 152.21 miles
Today's Track
Today's hike took me out to Milford Gap West. To get there, I took Seven Fountains Rd to Milford Gap Lane. Milford Gap Lane has a sign that says "Trail leads to private land". However, the road passes through the National Forest. I parked at the left bend in the road on forest land near Chalybeate Spring. There is a trail there and is posted "No Hunting". I guess the locals just put up whatever signs they want on public land. The trail had some horse prints. I decided to proceed since it's "Corona Lock down time" and I figured no one was going to challenge me and risk infection.
Just starting near Chalybeate Spring and looking back to Milford Gap Lane.
The car is just to the right out of view. There is room for two cars.
It was a quick hike up to the ridge (0.7 miles)
The final few yards to the ridge
This trail is the actual Milford Gap West trail and intersects Massanutten Trail at the same point as the trail I came up the ridge on (I'm calling it the Chalybeate Spring trail).
The Massanutten Trail heading south is flat and easy walking
Walking on moss at some points
A view west towards Seven Fountains
More easy walking on moss
A very nice day
An overlook just before the intersection of the Massanutten Trail and Indian Grave Ridge trail.
I took a work phone call from here, nice place for an office.
Nice easy going so far...
I passed a family with 5 or 6 kids in this section.
We kept or distance because of the Corona virus but exchanged pleasantries.
Massanutten Trail intersection with the Indian Grave Ridge trail
Looking down the Indian Grave Ridge trail
Indian Grave Ridge trail intersection
Indian Grave Ridge trail intersection
The Massanutten Trail gets really rocky and increasingly difficult just south of the Indian Grave Ridge trail intersection
A late lunch and a 30 minute break here before heading back
This is the place I stopped on an earlier trip when hiking north on the Massanutten Trail
As the sun started heading towards the western horizon the light changed making the photos better
Sunset, still a couple of miles to go!
Breakout the headlamp
There is a nice little warming oven built into the rocks.
This spot is at the intersection of the Massanutten Trail and Milford Gap Trail west.
This spot is at the intersection of the Massanutten Trail and Milford Gap Trail west.
I took an alternate route back to the car. At the end of the Milford Gap Trail west there is no parking and lots of private land and that prompted me to park down the road at the Chalybeate Spring trail. Now on foot, I took the Milford Gap Trail down to Milford Gap Lane then back to the car. On that last half mile in the dark I startled and a opossum by the side of the road....or did it startle me?
