Winter Trips (Experienced Level)

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Winter Trips (Experienced Level)

Nights	Miles	Trip Title	Description	District	Entry
1	9.80	Thompson Hollow and Beecher Ridge	Highest waterfalls in park (93'), cascades, swimming hole, and wilderness ridge	N	Rt 630
1	13.00	Keyser and Piney	Cascading mountain stream, small waterfalls, wooded ridgetop	N	Rt 614
1	15.00	South River and Pocosin from Swift Run	Waterfalls (83' high), park history, early spring wildflowers, early fall color	C	MP 65.5
1	16.00	Mount Marshall boundary, Bluff, and AT, 1 night	Flexible hike from the boundary, wilderness forest with many side trip options	N	Rt 625
2	16.00	Mount Marshall Boundary, Bluff, and AT, 2 nights	Flexible hike from the boundary, wilderness forest with many side trip options	N	Rt 625
2	16.00	Swift Run, Pocosin, and Dry Run	Waterfalls (83' high), Lost Cliffs, early spring wildflowers, early fall color	C	MP 65.7
2	20.50	Compton Gap, Bluff, and Mount Marshall	Views, outstanding geology, wilderness forest, flexible route with side trip options	N	Rt 610
2	25.00	AT: North District	Views including Compton Peak and Mt. Marshall, outstanding geology	N	Rt 610
2	25.70	Swift Run, Pocosin Hollow and Slaughter Ridge	Waterfalls (83' high), mission ruins, early spring wildflowers, early fall color	C	MP 65.7
3	16.40	Swift Run, Pocosin, Dry Run, and Saddleback	Waterfalls (83' high), Lost Cliffs, early spring wildflowers, early fall color	C	MP 65.7
3	34.00	Swift Run, Pocosin, Laurel Prong and Slaughter	Waterfalls (83' high), mission ruins, Bearfence Rocks, Rapidan Camp	C	MP 65.7
3	36.40	Winter Trip from Madison Run	See beautiful wilderness areas with outstanding views while staying dry.	S	Rt 663
4	30.20	Winter Trip from Simmons Gap	Use the AT to access the Big Run wilderness area while staying dry.	S	Rt 628
4	110.50	AT through SNP, average 22 miles per day	Entire Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah NP: Wolfe to Tom Floyd shelters	A	MP 105.4
5	34.90	Jones Mountain to South River, Staying Dry	Mostly mountaintop trek from boundary; also waterfalls and park history	C	Rt 662
6	121.10	AT through SNP, average 17 miles per day	Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah NP with Doyles and Jones waterfalls: Wolfe to Denton	A	MP 105.4
7	120.60	AT through SNP, average 15 miles per day	Entire AT through Shenandoah NP: Wolfe to Denton shelters	A	MP 105.4

 

*Road and trail conditions, boundary access and natural events such as wildfires or ice storms could close any trail at any time. Please have a back-up plan in mind if your particular route is inaccessible when you arrive.

*Number of Days - The top of each trip plan records the number of days for which the trip is specifically written. However, many trips have longer or shorter options at the end of the trip plan, under "options".

*Distance is always in miles.

*Entry Point – Shenandoah National Park has trailheads along Skyline Drive, intersecting roads, and the boundary. “MP” indicates a Skyline Drive milepost. The Skyline Drive has mileposts every mile along the drive, starting with 0 at Front Royal, proceeding to 105 at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro. “Rt” refers to a State Route number. While a few of these State Routes have highway signs directing you to a trailhead, the vast majority of the boundary trailheads have no signs. You will need a good map in order to find most route numbers and trailheads. Finally, “US” refers to a US Highway, if a trailhead is directly off of a US Highway (for example, Pass Mountain Trail on US 211). Click here to find more information on State Route and US Highway boundary trailheads.

*Districts - N is North District, between Front Royal and US Highway 211 at Thornton Gap; C is Central District between US 211 at Thornton Gap and US 33 at Swift Run Gap; S is South District, between US 33 at Swift Run Gap and US 250 at Rockfish Gap; A is all districts.