Shenandoah NP in June

[stag3]

Small group of us from Houston are going to SNP the week of June 17. Central region starting at Swift Run Gap. Looking to rent a PATC cabin, and do some overnights and day hikes. We are looking to add 4 more hikers.

[neo]

Small group of us from Houston are going to SNP the week of June 17. Central region starting at Swift Run Gap. Looking to rent a PATC cabin, and do some overnights and day hikes. We are looking to add 4 more hikers.

i really enjoyed my hike thru snp in may 2003 neo

[stag3]

Neo,

We are going to hike White Oak trail past the 7 water falls, and then Old Rag Mt. Did you do these? Are they worth the blue blaze effort?

[Cookerhiker]

Neo,

We are going to hike White Oak trail past the 7 water falls, and then Old Rag Mt. Did you do these? Are they worth the blue blaze effort?

IMO, definite yes! There are several waterfalls in SNP with White Oak - IMO - the best. And Old Rag is a cool climb; all the rock scrambling make it unique. Watch out for snakes. Another circuit you shold consider is Jeremy's Run Trail which begins in the Elk Wallow PIcnic Ground. This trail takes you down criss-csrossing the creek about 12 times. You return via the Neighbor Mt. trail to the AT and back to Elk Wallow.

Depending when you hike in June, you'll find azaleas and laurel in bloom and probably wild geraniums. The trilium and phacelia will already be spent.

Skyline will probably give your some helpful advice also. He lives around there and hikes a lot in the section where you're hiking.

Have a great hike.

[Mountain Hippie]

White Oak Canyon, Old Rag , Robertson Mt., and Hawksbill, among others, are all trails in that area that can provide a multitude of circuit hike options. You could also make one monster of a loop out of these as well. The only negative I can think of is some of these trails are quite heavily used so you won't find alot of solitude. However, they are still worth the hike.
Two other short hikes in the Central section would be Bearfence mt. and Dark hollow falls. Bearfence can be combined with a short section of the AT to make a circuit hike.
The area around Hazel mountain,(Futher north in the cental district) also has many possibilities that would allow you to begin and end at Skyline drive. Throw in the AT and you can make some rather impressive circuit hikes that would offer views, Runs and even a small water fall. I have seen more bears in this area than any other in the park. My last trip there, last week, yielded a bobcat siteing as well.
If you are into flora, you should spend some time around big Meadows. In June the meadows will be "alive" with an seemingly endless selection of wild flowers. This area was recently burnt and I suspect it will be a good year for th flowers "if" we get a decent rainfall. Late in the evening you will also be overrun by deer and perhaps an occasional bear or bobcat as well.
Get the Central district map (#10) from the PATC to help you with your planning. The hardest part may well be trying to decide which of the many possibilities you wish try. Good Luck with your trip and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[teachergal]

I HIGHLY recommend going down WhiteOak Canyon! It's a spectacular trail! When you get to the bottom though go back up Cedar Run - look on a PATC map you'll find it. When you get to the top of Cedar Run you can then climb another mile to the top of Hawksbill and you will have almost climbed the highest mt in the park from top to bottom! You can then take the AT back to the "Limberlost" trail to complete the loop. The Limberlost trail used to be one of the neatest places in the park - virgin Hemlock - only the wooley agelid got them and now it's mass destruction...."Timber"lost as we call it now. It's quite sad and looks quite different. I did the whole loop - including the side trip up Hawksbill last Spring and it was spectacular!

I'm not a big fan of rock scrambling so didn't enjoy Old Rag as much - also it was Jan and quite icy.

I did however enjoy Robertson. You will probably find solidude over there....it's an enormous climb up, very steep and seems to go on forever. However the downhill is gentle....again check out a map....I prefer Roberton over Old Rag.

The AT in SNP is nic, but the blue blazed side trails are nicer!

[fredmugs]

I am interested in learning more about your trip if you are still looking for additional people. How many miles a day do you intend to hike?

[Alligator]

Just did that section the weekend before last. From an outside perspective, the Pocosin Cabin was better situated. The Rock Spring Cabin has the Rock Spring Hut right behind it, and firewood was very limited there.

[teachergal]

Look into Coribin Cabin - would be accessible for Old Rag and Robertson....would be tricky to do Whiteoak....

[View]

If you link a few of these together, can you tent that near to the drive?

[stag3]

thanks for the heads-up on cabins.

[LostInSpace]

If you link a few of these together, can you tent that near to the drive?

There is no camping within ¼ mile of a paved road, park boundary, or park facilities such as a campground, picnic area, visitor center, lodge, wayside or restaurant. http://www.nps.gov/shen/1e2d.htm

It is possible to find tent sites off a lot of the trails. However, finding them near a water source is often a little more difficult.