3 Ridges / Mau Har overnight

[FloydBanks]

Taking my daughter for her annual birthday overnight trip, 8 year old. We go every year together and have been ramping up the mileage and difficulty every year. I am playing with the idea of taking 3 days/2 nights for the 3 ridges/Mau Har trail. Just want to make sure I am not pushing it too far. She is an athletic 7 capable little girl, and I figure spreading it out to 3 hiking days should be pretty doable if we take it slow.

I've done the AT stretch on a section a few years ago and remember it being pretty moderate, but some great views and awesome camp spots by the rivers. I have never been on the Mau-Har trail though.

Planning to go during the week as the one thing I do remember was the Mau Har shelter being slammed as I passed it on a Friday evening.

Any thoughts or recent trail info?

Thanks

[chef4]

I completed the loop in a day about 2 weeks ago, going 'clockwise' starting at the approach trail beginning at the Reid's gap parking lot. It is a great hike with excellent ridge views and then along a stream with waterfalls, for an 8 year old 3 days sounds reasonable, it was a challenging one day 14 mile hike for me. There are 2 AT shelters and multiple camp sites along the trail, including some nice ones next to the stream and waterfalls on the mau-har. The shelters also have a large number of adjacent camp sites. The Mau Har part is a fairly steep climb with some modest rock scrambling along multiple waterfalls including some branch stream crossings. There was more water than usual on 3 ridges due to the rain, but you probably need to plan to bring enough, while on the mau har there is plenty.

[chknfngrs]

A beautiful hike and sounds like the right pace...

[TNhiker]

I agree.....

good hike over 3 days....

i did it counterclockwise by climbing up the ridge and tenting up there and then there is a really nice campsite down on mar hau near the waterfall.....

she'll dig it I would think...

[Skyline]

I should think two days and one overnight could do it but you'd be wise to allow for a Plan B of three days, two nights in case you have unexpected issues.

[Crushed Grapes]

I did this trail this past weekend as a 3 day 2 nighter. Although I really only hiked maybe half a mile Friday night as I got in really late, then set up at one of the first sites on the left.

Your pace sounds good. I did this counter-clockwise, and many people on the trail that I passed asked me why I did. Mostly to save the views on the AT for the last day. I found the AT North from Harpers Creek to be pretty tough (also tons of downed trees, but I talked to members of the local club who were out scouting, they are planning on doing trail maintenance this upcoming weekend).

Tons of great campsites no matter which way you go. I camped on the creek just down from the Harpers Creek shelter. I'll also note the water is flowing VERY nicely right now. You don't need to carry much water on the Mar Hau, but stock up for the AT. After leaving Harpers Creek, I only found one water source, and it was a tiny stream coming out of a tree right on the trail. Overall, this is a great hike. If you have time (and energy), I can also recommend hiking down to the Tye River from the AT/Mau Har junction. The suspension bridge is awesome and a great place for lunch. Enjoy!

[Huntmog]

Mau Har section essentially has same amout of elevation change as the AT half, but in 3 miles instead of 6. So as long as you know what you're in for as far as up and down it is managebale. As a plus, it has a waterfall side trail , a couple "islands" to play around on, and it runs along the creek for a long ways to keep a kid entertained.

Do watch for snakes along the MH piece, iv seen rattlers and copperheads on that trail.

[JPritch]

Thankfully, I've only ever encountered a black snake on the Mau Har.