Shenandoah River State Park, VA - Allen's Mountain to Wildcat Ledge

ABOUT THE PARK:  Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River State Park

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 38.862148, -78.305338

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Parking at the Cottonwood Trailhead next to the Massanutten Picnic Shelter.

TRAIL MAP:
Shenandoah River State Park Trail Guide - Virginia State Parks
Shenandoah River State Park, VA - Allen's Mountain to Wildcat Ledge at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:  7.5 miles

THE HIKE:
Our video production of hiking at Shenandoah River State Park.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Start on the blue-blazed Cottonwood Trail from the trailhead opposite the Massanutten picnic shelter
[  0.10]  Keep straight on blue at the first post when the yellow-blazed Turkey Roost Trail goes right;  after a few steps at the second post, turn right on the silver-blazed Allen’s Mountain Trail
[  1.60]  Keep straight on silver Allen’s Mountain Trail when the magenta-blazed Campbell’s Jump Trail goes left
[  1.95]  Partial view of Shenandoah Mountain as power cut
[  2.65]  Keep straight on silver Allen’s Mountain Trail when the magenta-blazed Campbell’s Jump Trail goes left
[  3.25]  Turn right on the blue Cottonwood Trail then after a few steps turn right on the gold Point Trail
[  5.50]  Turn right on blue Cottonwood Trail then after a few steps turn right on the beige Wildcat Ledge Trail
[  5.70]   Bench
[  5.95]  End of trail at views
[  6.20]  Bench
[  6.40]  Turn right on the Cottonwood Trail then left at the fork
[  6.80]  Completion of loop back at fork, continue straight on blue Cottonwood Trail
[  7.50]  Back at parking lot

Shenandoah River State Park, VA - Bluebell Loop

ABOUT THE PARK:  Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River State Park

DIRECTIONS:
GPS coordinates to cabin trail head: 38.848503, -78.318693

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This hike started at the kiosk at the cabin access trail right outside of my cabin.  There is no parking if not staying in a cabin so this hike would need to start from one of the public parking lots below.

Parking at Culler's Overlook:  GPS Coordinates 38.8522,-78.30646
Parking at the canoe launch:  GPS Coordinates 38.8636,-78.309898

TRAIL MAP:
Shenandoah River State Park Trail Guide - Virginia State Parks
Shenandoah River State Park, VA - Bluebell Loop at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:  4.3 miles

THE HIKE:

Trail head at the cabins.

Descending towards the river.

At the intersection with the orange-blazed Culler's Trail, a jog to the left then a right turn on a mowed path cuts over to the green-blazed River Trail.

Turn right on the River Trail; there are several short side trails on the left to benches at the river.

Shenandoah River with Massanutten Mountain in the background.

Steps down to the river from the trail.

The River Trail ends and the blue-blazed Bluebell trail begins, continuing along the river.

Straight ahead is the canoe launch parking, an alternate parking spot for this hike.  Here turn right on the green-blazed Hemlock Hollow Trail.

A bridge over Hemlock Hollow,

Coming up behind the visitor center.

Culler's Overlook up above.

View from the trail under the Culler's Overlook deck.

View from the Culler's Overlook deck.  (The other parking option for this hike.)

Continuing on the blue-blazed Campground Trail from Culler's Overlook.

View of the campground from the trail.

A very short walk on Overnight Road ...

... to just beyond the trail crossing sign ...

... leads to the orange-blazed Culler's Trail.

There birds were having a blast splashing around in a puddle on Culler's Trail.

Waiting for me to pass so they could get back to bathing.

Culler's Trail along the fields.

Heading back up to the cabin.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take cabin access trail at trailhead kiosk next to cabin 6
[  0.20]  Turn left on orange-blazed Culler’s Trail briefly then right on unmarked mowed path
[  0.30]  Turn right on green-blazed River Trail (watch for multiple side trails to river views on left)
[  0.90]  Continue straight on blue-blazed Bluebell Trail
[  1.90]  Turn right on green-blazed Hemlock Hollow Trail
[  2.40]  Turn right on burgundy-blazed Overlook Trail behind visitor’s center
[  2.90]  At intersection continue straight to Culler’s Overlook; retrace
[  3.05]  Back at the intersection, turn left on purple-blazed Campground Trail
[  3.65]  Turn left on paved campground road then at the stop sign turn right on Overnight Road
[  3.70]  Turn right on orange-blazed Culler’s Trail just beyond “Trail Crossing” sign
[  4.15]  Turn left on unmarked cabin access trail
[  4.30]  Back at trailhead at cabin 6

Shenandoah River State Park, VA - Base Camp

ABOUT THE PARK AND CABINS:  Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River State Park

DIRECTIONS:
GPS coordinates to cabins: 38.848503, -78.318693

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HIKES:  
Michaux State Forest, PA: Rocky Knob and Long Pine Run Reservoir - 7.5 miles
Shenandoah National Park, VA: Hogback Mountain - 7 miles
Shenandoah National Park, VA: Rose River - 4.2 miles
Shenandoah River State Park, VA:  Bluebell Loop - 4.3 miles
Shenandoah River State Park, VA:  Allen's Mountain to Wildcat Ledge - 7.5 miles
Shenandoah National Park, VA:  Corbin Cabin - 4.6 miles

BASE CAMP:
I may be an avid hiker and love being in the woods but when it comes to accommodations, this is my idea of camping!  I stayed in this exact same cabin, exactly 3 years ago, also the last week of October.  The cabins were only a few months old at the time.  Now 3 years later, they still look brand new.  As an added bonus for me, Virginia State Park cabins are pet-friendly so my best ever hiking partner, my dog Shawnee, is welcome there.

Our arrival in Front Royal, Virginia.

I sometimes get to the trails in Shenandoah National Park before the booths are open so since there was a very short line and it's right on the way to the park I stopped to buy my pass for the week.

$15 pass allows for unlimited access for 6 days.

Since it was still light out, we took a spin on Skyline Drive.

A view from Skyline Drive to the east.  The sun was setting in the west so it was blinding on that side.

We arrived at Shenandoah River State Park just in time to stop at Culler's Overlook to watch the sun set behind Massanutten Mountain.

And here is our cabin, cabin #6, with a trail head just to the right.  We could literally walk out the door and start hiking.

Up the steps the door on the left leads to ...

the living room and kitchen.

The bathroom with a shower on the right.

The master bedroom.

The second bedroom.

And our favorite spot, the deck.

It's a great place for relaxing after a day of hiking.

If you sit very quietly reading or napping, you just never know who might drop in ...

I want to add, also, that when this happened to the almost new car...

 

I stopped in at the Visitor Center to ask if I could borrow a phone book to see if there was a Subaru dealership in Front Royal.  (No cell service or Internet in the cabins.)  The nice lady behind the desk chuckled, meaning no Subaru dealership, but she had me on the phone with her mechanic in seconds and while I was talking to him she had written down the address, phone number, everything I needed to get there and I was on my way.   I have always found state park staff to be very friendly and helpful and this was no exception.  (The car was a quart low on oil and Suburu says this is normal - in a new car ?!?!?!?!)