The South's Hiking Alpine Paradise - High Open Mountain Summits
This gem in southwestern Virginia is the nearest experience
in the southern US you get to high open western
summits. This place is great for young family day
hikes to the serious overnight backpackers. By going
through Grayson Highlands State Park, the car
does most of the climbing to the trailheads while there is still
enough left over to allow you to sweat.
Typical
View Along Wilburn Ridge with "Wild" Pony
The southern half of the map
below is within Grayson Highlands State Park. Most of
the balance of the land is within the Washington Jefferson
National Forest. The state park is a great place to
start. It is clean, well maintained and offers many
services including camping, a visitor's center and a
campground store. Also
for those in the saddle, there are several miles of
horse trails and even a camping area specifically set aside for
horses and trailers. Plus compared to remote trailheads,
the state park trailheads are relatively more secure with higher
traffic volume including park staff and law enforcement.
Use the map below as a planning tool but for actual hiking
and navigating we recommend the Trails
Illustrated Mt. Rogers map.
About Grayson Highlands Ponies
There are many trails and many miles of trails.
Below we describe our three favorites.
1. Haw Orchard Mountain (Twin Pinnacles Trail)
This trail is relatively easy with a gentle slope
through the woods and a short climb to a rocky peak at the
northwest end. The trail is approximately 0.75 miles one
way to Big Pinnacle. Park at the visitors center
parking lot. If the center is open, make sure to
spend some time viewing the natural science and local
history exhibits on display. Admission is free.
The trail begins toward the left exiting behind the
visitors center. After a short distance the trail forks.
The trail makes a short loop so either direction will bring
you to the northwest end of the ridge near the side trail
(left) onto the rocky Big Pinnacle peak (5,050 ft
approximately). Return to the visitors center along same
route.
If you have a spare half hour, or don't have time for
any other activity in the park, at least visit the overlook
near the picnic area across the road from the visitor's
center. The view is an easy walk along a dirt path and is
spectacular!
Big
Pinnacle Peak; Azalea's Blooming in June Along Twin
Pinnacle Trail; View from Picnic Area
2. Wilburn Ridge This footpath begins at
the Massey Gap parking area and is approximately 2 miles in
length one-way to Rhododendron Gap (5,526 ft.), climbing
1000 feet. Although the climb is moderate and fairly
continuous throughout its length, it is full of
distractions to make the climb seem less arduous including
wide open views, wild ponies, clambering up rocky slopes,
flowers and even a cave. This is a great hike for kids and
can be lengthened or shortened depending on ability and
weather. None-the-less, it is still a wide open
exposed hike from the start subject to sudden shifts in the
weather so caution is advised.
Most of the views along this hike are toward the south.
However, from the "top" of the hike along Pine
Mountain at Rhododendron Gap, views open up toward Iron
Mountain to the north. For Peak-Baggers wanting a
greater challenge you can continue another 1.5 miles past
Rhododendron Gap to the wooded summit of Mt. Rogers (5,729
ft.), Virginia's highest mountain.
Massey
Gap Parking Area; "Cave" along climb; Near Top at
Rhododendron Gap
3. Scales This hike is a varied hike like
the Rhododendron Gap trail, though longer and seemingly
more laborious. None the less, a little less than
half the hike is out in the open with nearly continuous
views.
This footpath begins at the campground parking area
(~4,250 ft) as Wilson Trail. Make sure to bear left onto
the Wilson Trail (the right fork is the other end of this
loop trail and descends quickly). The trail shortly merges
with a horse trail just after a gray utility shed on the
left. A short distance later a bike path merges from
the right. Stay straight. After a little more than a
half mile, the Wilson Trail forks right into a footpath.
Stay to the left on the main horse trail (Seed Orchard Road
Trail). At about 1.25 miles, the trail emerges from the
woods and passes a Fraser Fir Seed Production Area as noted
on a sign to the left. For the next 2.5 miles this hike
remains relatively exposed. If the weather is questionable
then this would be a good place to turn around as we have
done when caught in a sudden afternoon thunderstorm.
Continuing, a short distance later the trail passes out
of Grayson Highlands State Park as noted by a sign and
crosses Wilson Creek From here stay to the right
following the Scales Trail. At about 1.5 miles, the
Appalachian Trail crosses. The loop described here
returns on the AT to the right (east). The trail climbs
moderately from here to Scales passing from fields and
meadows to low undergrowth wooded areas.
At about 2 miles, the Bearpen Trail merges from the
right. Stay straight. At about 2.6 miles the trail
reaches Scales which is a large level fenced pasture at the
height of the land, or gap along Pine Mountain. Entering
the pasture there is US Forest Service information kiosk.
On the West end of the pasture is a caretakers
camper. The exit to continue the hike is on the
opposite or east end of the pasture. Make sure to
follow the white blazed Appalachian Trail here because many
trails diverge from here.
From Scales, the Appalachian Trail (southbound) rises
moderately up on the meadows of Stone Mountain's southern
shoulder. It is a well marked narrow dirt surfaced
trail. This area is very scenic with continuous
views. The trail climbs over a small summit (~4,800 ft) at
about 3.2 miles. It then begins to descend and around
3.7 miles enters woods crossing Bearpen Trail and shortly
after enters the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness Area. The
trail continues to descend south and then turns to the
west. Eventually the trail emerges from the woods and
the Wilderness Area, and then shortly intersects the Scales
Trail at 5.0 miles. Turn to the left onto the Scales
Trail (downhill) and then along the Seed Orchard Road Trail
and Wilson Trail returning to the parking lot at 6.5 miles.
Storm
Clouds Near State Park Boundary; Scales; Horseback Riders
on Wilson Creek Trail
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