Spy Rock

Spy Rock needs to be at the top of your list if it isn't already. This is the only hike that I've done twice this summer. Both times I did it as a sunrise hike. I know I've recommended other hikes to see the sunrise or sunset, but this is by far the best candidate for either.

Can you spy the sunrise?

Spy Rock offers complete 360 degree views of the mountains. The top of the mountain is a bald spot, a giant rock that you must climb up to see the views. The rock is very large and flat, making it the largest summit I've stood on. At the top, before you climb the rock, there is a really large, flat, grassy area that I have seen multiple people camping at. If you want to make this an overnight hike, I can only imagine what star gazing would be like at the top of Spy Rock. The first 3/4 of a mile is up a steep gravel road. There are about three or four driveways bearing off to the right but stay left up the trail. In the dark it was hard to identify the roads as driveways, but I'm sure it is a lot more obvious during daylight. After the 3/4 of a mile hike you will reach a gate. The gate welcomes foot travel beyond that point but no vehicles, go around the gate and continue on for another quarter of a mile. This part of the hike is now on a rocky trail that travels through the woods. You will approach a sign in a quarter of a mile. Stop at this sign and pay close attention to which path you take. There are about four different options of where to go. You want to take the first path from the left, it should have a sign on it that says Spy Rock. It will be a pretty sharp left that's easy to miss. The first time I went, my friends and I completely missed the Spy Rock trail and took the straight path.

We ended up traveling about 2.5 miles out of the way, almost missing the sunrise. (We were forced to sprint back, which was an experience that I want no one to have to go through) From the Spy Rock sign you only have .5 mile until the summit. This trail is pretty steep (just be thankful you won't have to run up it). Once you get to a wooden fence you are about .1 miles away. The ground at the top flattens out and the rock is to the right. The climb up the rock itself is somewhat challenging, but knowing the spectacular view that awaits should get your adrenaline pumping. Since this hike is only 3 miles long I would recommend this to anyone. The amount of space at the top is perfect for kids to run around and play, or for a nice picnic lunch at the top. If you haven't hiked Spy Rock yet I suggest you do it real soon.

Directions: Fish Hatchery Lane: George Washington National Forest, Tyro, VA 22976
*to get to this location I just open Maps on my phone, type in Spy Rock and it takes me right to it

Mount Pleasant

The name gives it away, it truly is a pleasant hike. Altogether, the trail is about 5 miles roundtrip. The first mile is completely flat. I would recommend running this if you want to, it would be a beautiful run. Although, the people I was with for this hike were not up for a run through the woods. About a quarter of a mile into the trail we came across a nice vine to swing on. Not many trails have vines sturdy enough to hold you up right along the trail.


This may either be my sister or Tarzan.

 After a mile, the hike gets steeper, but it's never anything too daunting, as long as you keep a steady pace you probably will not even need to stop for a break. We did this hike as a sunset hike. The length was short and the various descriptions said that it was suitable for all fitness levels. I found that to be completely accurate. Since the hike was so easy and not a very popular hike, I imagined the views to be average at best. This was one of the few times I'm glad that I was completely wrong. At the intersection we headed toward the west summit. A short walk later the trees opened up to the best view I've seen. There are mountains upon mountains for miles. We arrived just in time for the sunset.

         

Sunset over the land of the free

Before the hike back down we did visit the east summit. The views are somewhat obstructed by trees but they are still good. You have a nice view of a valley below and some of the town. The hike back down was interesting because it was done in total darkness. At least when you do a sunrise hike you have about 40 minutes of dawn before the sun actually rises. Well after the sun sets it gets completely dark. Thankfully I had stopped at 5 Below and bought some head lamps. (Surprisingly they worked really nice and were much brighter than the flashlights we brought)  

It is somewhat eerie walking back down in the dark, so I would make sure you have a boy hiking with you. Scratch that, make sure you bring a man with you. Although we thought the hike down was going to be shorter, because return hikes are always shorter, this hike is flat enough where it is hard to make it back in less time unless you run it. Running in the dark just felt like we were being chased and it added to the eeriness, so we chose to maintain a steady yet calm power walk. It was one of those hikes where I've never been more happy to see my Volkswagen at the end, yet I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would recommend this to anyone, it's a great hike for families and it is so rewarding. If you are up for a challenge do this as a sunrise or a sunset hike. There is also great places to camp at the top.

Directions: Wiggins Spring Rd, Amherst, VA 24521

*After turning onto this road follow the Mount Pleasant signs. In about a mile you will enter the George Washington National Forest. The road becomes very rough here but if my Jetta can make it I'm sure your car can too. Continue on for another mile and a half and pass a small parking lot on your left. Go a little beyond that for the Mount Pleasant trail parking.

Dragon's Tooth

If you were ever scared of dragons as a kid you are probably going to be equally scared of Dragon's Tooth as an adult. This is an intense hike from start to finish. The first quarter of a mile is easy and a nice little warm up for what is in store. Once you get to the intersection of the Dragon Tooth and Boy Scout trail stay on the Dragon's Tooth trail (obviously). Now the trail gets a little more difficult but still a walk in the park compared to what is coming up. This part of the trail is 1.5 miles long and you can track how far you go by knowing you are going to cross 8 streams. (Most of them are dried up so keep your eyes peeled.) After 1.5 miles you will come across another intersection, stay on the Dragon's Tooth trail (obviously again). This is where the hike gets very intense, so pull out your sweat towel. The trail scenery is like nothing I've seen. Sometimes you feel like you are walking through the rainforest and other times you feel as if you are walking through Jerusalem. Most of the path is sandy and their are multiple rocks to climb over. (The rocks are sandy causing them to be slick so be careful.) At one point you literally have to scale about a 7 foot vertical rock wall with some foot holes. Toward the end there are even handle bars on some rocks to aid you in climbing. If this last leg of the trail doesn't make you feel like spiderman climbing up walls, I don't know what will.

            

Scaling the wall

Using the handle bars

Once you reach the tooth, go around to the right side and begin climbing up it. The climb is somewhat of a challenge so only go as far as you feel comfortable going. The views are fantastic, you can see multiple mountain ranges including the McAfees Knob mountain. At the top we met a flute playing thru-hiker who had set up camp next to the tooth. 

         

Climbing the tooth

The top of the tooth or the top of the world?

The trek down is not any easier, mostly because rocks are usually easier to climb up than down. Just a warning, on the way down we did see a giant black snake a couple feet off the trail. This is the only time I've seen a snake on a hike. The snake did wrap its body around my friend and did begin constricting her leg to the point where we thought she was going to lose it. Just kidding, from what I've read, black snakes are harmless. In a little less than a mile, when the the trail meets back up with the intersection at the Appalachian, I would recommend you take the Appalachian trail back down. The trail is very narrow, but it gives you a completely different view of trail scenery. It is a very narrow path  with odd, rainforest looking plants on either side. Make sure you follow the white marks on the rocks or the trees to make sure you are on the right path.

Some walk down the trail, but we swung down from tree to tree, averaging great time for the return trip.

It will add about a mile and over a mile to your hike but its well worth it. There are two incredible over looks, one less than a quarter of a mile from the intersection and a few more about half a mile beyond that.

               

 The trail meets back up with the intersection of the Boy Scouts Trail. Take that trail for .3 miles until it meets back up with the Dragons Tooth Trail for a .25 mile hike back down to your car.

Directions: 6128 Catawba Valley Drive

*There will be a big sign on your left that says Dragon's Tooth.

Humpback Rocks

Humpback Rocks was an all around nice hike. To get there you have to drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and pass some amazing overlooks. Although it was a very cloudy and foggy day, I couldn't help but to stop and look at some of them.

The entire mile long hike is very steep. The first half of a mile features a wide gravel road to walk along. Pace yourself and break as often as you need to. Only about a tenth of a mile into the hike my friends and I ran across an older couple coming down the mountain. The lady warned us that she saw a a little cub up the trail along the right. She said we should be fine and instructed us to make a lot of noise in case we came in contact with the bear. Thankfully we saw no bear. Probably because the only food we had on us were fiber granola bars, and I don't even know too many humans who enjoy fiber bars so the bear probably was uninterested in us. So for safety reasons, I recommend carrying pepper spray and fiber. In half a mile from the start of the trailhead you reach an intersection. Keep straight walking along the trail marked with blue blazed trees. If you are going the right way you should pass a series of wooden stairs as well as some rock stairs. (Even in nature you can't escape stairs, I recommend taking them two at a time for half the work.) It gets pretty steep towards the end where you are literally climbing up rocks along the trail. When you reach the top bear to the right of the rocks and enter from that side. Most people take pictures from the right set of rocks. The left side looks just as cool, but also more dangerous to climb and not as easy to walk along. Once you are there, enjoy taking multiple pictures. At the top there were only two other groups of people but there is plenty of room for everyone to spread out and check out the incredible view. I can only imagine what this looks like on a clear day. The views are about 270 degrees all the way around.

I would love to do this hike at sunset. I have seen multiple pictures of people that have done this as a sunset hike and they are incredible. I would recommend this to anyone looking for either a sunset hike or an easy day hike that is short with amazing views. On the way back down the hike it did start to rain but we didn't even notice because the trees provided nice coverage.

We tried to take a picture of us with humpbacks on Humpback Rock. Considering I look like a Ninja Turtle I would add this picture to my many reality fails. 

Directions: (As much as I hate to admit it I did get lost trying to find this one.)

Humpback Gap Overlook, Afton, VA 22920

Don't turn into the picnic area at Milepost 8 keep going down to Milepost 5. There will be no sign just a  a road that veers off on your right

Flat Top

I did this hike yesterday as a 5.5 mile out and back hike. Flat top is a part of the Peaks of Otter and is the sister mountain to the much more popular Sharp Top. My friend and I decided to hike Flat Top because honestly, we felt bad for it. Living only 30 minutes from their location in Bedford, VA we can see the mountains from our homes and it's always seemed like Flat Top is the forgotten mountain. From what I read online the views were just as good, but the hike just was not as steep as Sharp Top. From the reviews, I thought I had found a hidden treasure in Flat Top that no one knew about. Well after a long 5.5 mile hike I soon realized why everyone favors Sharp Top.

Before beginning the hike I stopped at the visitors center to get some information on the mountain. A ranger gave me a map and told me there were two different parking spots.

I decided to park at the lot between Milepost 83 and 84 because that path took me past Cross Rock and the Pinnacle which is what I really wanted to see. The ranger also informed me that trail had multiple switchbacks which makes the hike less steep. The first half mile is straight with very little elevation gain. When you arrive at the first switch back is when it gets a little steep, but you can still maintain a good pace of about 2 mph. This hike seemed long and uneventful because there are no overlooks along the way. The most exciting part is when you get to a new switchback. The trail does get pretty rocky through the 8 switchbacks, but when you reach the 8th one you will arrive at a sign pointing you either to the summit or down a .1 mile spur trail to Cross Rock. The trail leads to a giant rock formation in the shape of a cross. The trail, although its only .1 miles long, is very steep and overgrown.  The rock formation is cool, but if you would rather your calf muscles not burn immensely I would forgo this spur trail. 

From Cross Rock the summit is half of a mile upward. The Pinnacle isn't far from Cross Rock but we completely missed it on the way up. The trail up gets steep and rocky, but it is not too far until the summit (by now your legs are screaming but I found it easier to run sections at a time to get it over with). There will be a trail on your left at the top that leads to a rock with an overlook covered mostly by trees. 

At first, I was disappointed to say the least, thinking this was the summit, but don't drink all of your water and eat your snack just yet because it is not the summit. You must continue along the trail (even though it goes downhill) for a couple more yards. You will reach a fork in the road (bear right) to reach the summit sign and overlook. The views are great, well worth the hike, but not nearly as impressive as I've seen. The most rewarding part of this hike is knowing that you are 4,000 feet high. Flat Top is the highest of the mountains in the Peaks of Otter. You are so high above every other mountain in sight, making you want to stand on the rock and scream "I'm king of the world!"(I may or may not have done that.)

 On the way down we did manage to find the Pinnacle where the views are much better. I would recommend to do this hike in the fall while the leaves are changing because the views are only of mountains. Since the trail is flat we ran most of the way back down the trail and managed to make the hike back in around 45 minutes. All in all, if you are looking for a peaceful hike and some solitude I would recommend Flat Top. I only saw one other person along the whole hike and no wildlife. 

Something I did want to do but ran out of time was combine this hike with the 1.6 mile loop hike Falling Water Cascades just across the street. 

Directions: 85919 Blue Ridge Parkway, Bedford, VA 24523

 I took Peaks Road to the Visitors Center in the Blue Ridge Parkway. I turned right at the center and past Abbott Lake on my right. I drove 2 miles down to the trailhead parking lot on the right just passed Milepost 84.

Devil's Marble Yard

The first and by far the most fun hike that I've ever done is Devil's Marble Yard. It's a completely different hike compared to anything else in Virginia. If you are looking for a fun adventure and your favorite words and rock and scramble, I would immediately recommend this one. After a little over a mile hike (this is the easy part, pace yourself and save your energy) you reach the foot of the marble yard.  Along the trail you will cross a stream. I did run out of water during my second time hiking this and used this stream to refill my water bottle on the way back. Although, I lived to tell about this experience I still advise that you use caution if drinking from this, make sure the water is flowing. From the end of the trail you can begin scaling the boulders up however far you may want to go. Surprisingly, with the amount of rocks, I have never seen a snake or any wildlife along the trail. As far as scaling back down the mountain, you have a few different options. The first time I went I came back down the rocks and took the trail back to my car. That was a fairly easy method although it does take a long time, and you will be forced to practically slide down on your buttocks the whole way. The second time, I went I stayed to the right of the boulders and took a "trail" back down that ran parallel to the boulders. This was very steep, and you are still forced to slide your way back down. The only difference is this path does not have boulders but it still ends up at the foot of the hillside where you can take the trail back to your car. Honestly, I would just recommend to take the rocks back down. There is another option if you go all the way to the top of the boulders to take a trail down the backside of the mountain. I've never done it, mainly because it adds extra miles to your trip and my knees already feel early stages of arthritis after just climbing the rocks. Overall, anyone looking for a hike where you can climb rocks without needing cables or harnesses, do this one. This hike is like those movies that you can literally watch again and again without ever getting tired of them. Unlike most hikes I would do this over again in a heartbeat. Not to mention the view behind you gets more rewarding the higher you go up. I would not recommend this hike for families with small children.

Directions: This hike is located near Natural Bridge. Since I'm not familiar with major highways I'll only give the exact location for hikes. That way you can just plug it into your phone or GPS and hit the road.
Petites Gap Rd, Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579
*The parking lot is on your left and it is small (only 5 cars)