Shenandoah National Park, VA - Hogback Mountain

ABOUT THE PARK:
Shenandoah National Park - National Park Service
Skyline Drive - National Park Service

DIRECTIONS:
 GPS Coordinates 38.761435, -78.282524

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Parking lot off of Skyline Drive just south of the Hogback Mountain overlook.

TRAIL MAP:
Matthews Arm and Elkwallow Area Trail Map - National Park Service
Shenandoah National Park Map 228 - National Geographic
Shenandoah National Park, VA - Hogback Mountain at EveryTrail


PEAK BAGGING
Hogback Mountain - peakery.com
Little Hogback Mountain - peakery.com

HIKE DISTANCE:  7 miles

THE DRIVE FROM SHENANDOAH RIVER STATE PARK TO THE HIKE:

Sunrise outside our cabin.

A state park resident eating breakfast on our way out.

Stopping to take in a view along Skyline Drive.

Skyline Drive

THE HIKE:
There is a 5 mile option for this hike and that is what I intended to do to keep the hike shorter for Shawnee since she had hiked 7.5 miles the day before.  I felt two 7-mile days in a row would be too much for her.

We headed south on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail from the parking lot.

About 1/3 of a mile along at this intersection I realized I had started on the 7-mile version, that I should have headed northbound on the AT for the 5-mile version so we turned back.

About half way back to the parking lot...

"Good Morning Bear! Lovely place you have here!" is what I said to make my presence known since we were too close to pretend we weren't there.

The bear looked straight at us ...

... ducked down ...

... and came up munching on whatever he was eating for breakfast.  Not wanting him to think we were trying to swipe his meal, the fact that he was too close to the AT for us to pass and the bear having made it very clear he was NOT moving for us to continue on, we had no choice but to turn back southbound and do the 7-mile version. 

Small overlook off of the AT.

The Appalachian Trail

An interesting old tree.

Directional posts at intersections.

On the Piney Brook Trail.

All hiking trails are blazed in blue (except the Appalachian Trail).  Yellow blazes indicate horse trails.

Crossing Piney Brook.

Piney Brook

Taking a break in the middle of the trail because, well, there was nobody else around.  We had the entire hike to ourselves, except for the bear.

On the Keyser Fire Road, a horse trail.

Back on the AT southbound heading towards Little Hogback Mountain.

Hogback Mountain from Little Hogback Mountain.

View to the west from Little Hogback.

Starting the switchback up Hogback Mountain.

Looking back down at Little Hogback parking.  The trail to the left of the parking lot is the AT where we just came from.

More switchbacks up.

Crossing the top of Hogback Mountain.

View at a power cut with a communications tower to the left.

The AT crosses Skyline Drive where you get the same Hogback Mountain overlook view as those who drive to it but from a level up.

Hogback Mountain view from the AT.

THE DRIVE BACK TO SHENANDOAH RIVER STATE PARK:

Driving northbound on Skyline Drive.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the trail from the corner of the parking lot a few steps then right on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail
[  0.45]  Turn left on AT at post where the Tuscarora Trail goes right
[  0.95]  Short side trail on right to overlook
[  1.10]  Cross Skyline Drive
[  1.40]  Turn left on the blue-blazed Piney Brook Trail when the AT continues straight
[  2.65]  Rock hop over Piney Brook
[  2.80]  Turn left on the blue-blazed Pole Bridge Trail
[  3.15]  Keep straight on the Pole Bridge Trail when the Sugarloaf Trail comes in at the left
[  3.60]  Turn left on yellow-blazed Keyser Fire Road
[  4.50]  Continue beyond gate, through parking lot and cross Skyline Drive veering slightly right to AT sign; turn left on the Appalachian Trail
[  4.95]  Overlook on the right when the AT makes a left turn
[  5.95]  Keep straight on the AT when a trail to the left goes to a spring
[  6.00]  Rock outcrop in power cut on the right with views
[  6.35]  AT turns left on gravel road briefly then crosses Skyline Drive
[  6.50]  Views on right over Hogback Mountain Overlook
[  6.75]  Cross Skyline Drive back to parking

Michaux State Forest, PA - Rocky Knob and Long Pine Run Reservoir

ABOUT THE PARK:
Michaux State Forest - Pennsylvania DCNR
Rocky Knob Trail - Pennsylvania DCNR

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.978227, -77.441316

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There are about 5 parking spots on the left directly across Ridge Road from where the trail starts.  The car on the right is parked blocking the barrier so probably not advisable to park there.

TRAIL MAP:
Rocky Knob Trail - Beaver Trail - Pennsylvania DCNR
Map 2-3 Appalachian Trail Pennsylvania - Applachian Trail Conservancy 
Michaux State Forest, PA - Rocky Knob and Long Pine Run Reservoir at EveryTrail



HIKE DISTANCES:
Rocky Knob Trail - 4 miles
Rocky Knob Trail and Beaver Trail - 7.5 miles but can be more or less depending on distance hiked along Long Pine Run Reservoir

PEAK BAGGING:
Sier Hill - peakery.com
Rocky Knob - peakery.com

THE HIKE:
This hike was done on the way to a hiking trip in Virginia.

The trail starts at the barrier directly across the street from the parking area.

A sign at the intersection where the trail crosses over the Appalachian Trail.

The Rocky Knob Trail is blazed in orange.

View of Long Pine Run Reservoir and Rocky Knob.  The April 1999 edition of Backpacker Magazine states "CAN'T MISS: The view from 1,930-foot Sier Hill, which takes in the Cumberland Valley to the west and Gettysburg to the east."  No such thing found - if there ever was such a view, it's overgrown now and this is the only view.

Descending Sier Hill and following the trail over to Rocky Knob.

Rocky Knob

At post #10 the trail splits.  Right completes the loop for the 4-mile hike.  Left connects to the Beaver Trail at scenic Long Pine Run Reservoir.

Taking a left down to the reservoir.

A rock hop over Birch Run.

Crossing Birch Run Road at the end of the orange-blazed Rocky Knob trail to the yellow-blazed Beaver Trail.

This is a very pretty pine needle covered trail along the reservoir.

Looking south at Long Pine Run Reservoir.

To the north, Rocky Knob.

The reservoir dam.

A very fresh ( looks like from the night before since wood chips are on top of leaves) beaver project.

Retracing on the Beaver Trail.

After crossing Birch Run Road, retrace on the orange-blazed Rocky Knob Trail.

Back at post #10, keep left on a long, gradual ascent.

Coming back to the intersection where the Appalachian Trail crosses over.

The Appalachian Trail

Back at the parking area.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Cross gravel park road and continue on trail beyond gate
[  0.20]  Cross over the white-blazed Appalachian Trail at the Rocky Knob sign and continue on orange-blazed trail
[  0.45]  Veer left at fork on footpath at post #1, right is the return route
[  1.45]  View of Rocky Knob and Reservoir at post #6
[  2.20]  Rocky Knob on left at post #8
[  2.50]  Turn left at intersection with post #10, right is return route
[  3.00]  Rock hop over creek
[  3.10]  Cross over gravel Birch Run Road then descend steps on other side on yellow-blazed Beaver Trail
[  4.00]  Turn around point but can turn around any place along reservoir
[  4.95]  Cross over gravel Birch Run Road back to orange Rocky Knob Trail
[  5.10]  Rock hop over creek
[  5.60]  Keep left on orange at post #10
[  6.95]  Turn left at intersection with post #1
[  7.20]  Cross over Appalachian Trail
[  7.50]  Pass gate and cross gravel road back to parking