Neighbor Mountain

Location: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Season Visited: Spring
Trail Length: Estimated 10 miles there-and-back, about 5 miles each day for two days
Time to Hike: 2 days
Difficulty Level: 2 on Day 1 (mostly downhill) and 4 on Day 2 (hiking back up)

Back in May I completed an accidental hike of Neighbor Mountain.  I say "accidental" because it was only due to a navigation error on my part that I ended up on this trail!  I meant to complete this hike, but a few intersections on the trail were overgrown and confusing, so my husband and I, along with Cleo the hiking yorkie-poo, ended up realizing our mistake two miles into the wrong trail.  The trail was so lovely, however, that we just kept going!  Although I had never been to the Neighbor Mountain trail, my map told me that it connected to Jeremy's Run Trail, and I remembered reading somewhere-or-other that backcountry campsites were abundant there.  So that's where we went, and, given that we had a spectacular time, the accident turned out to be quite fortuitous indeed.

We began our hike around mile 27 of Skyline Drive, in the Neighbor Mountain parking area.  Neighbor Mountain trail runs parallel to the Appalachian Trail for a short time, and then breaks off to both the left and the right!  Very confusing.  Apparently we went right when we should have stayed left, although given that I didn't know I was going the wrong way, I am only assuming that that is when we made our mistake.  Regardless, if you want to do what we did, I guess you stay to the right!  This keeps you on Neighbor Mountain trail, where you climb very slightly to the summit of the mountain.  The hike is moderately easy and there is not much scenery besides the tunnel of green.  Just FYI, I have never been to Shenandoah in May without seeing a bear, and this trip was no exception.  We saw a bear from our car on Skyline Drive before beginning this hike (sorry no picture this time!), and then heard what sounded very much like a bear right around the summit of Neighbor Mountain on both Day 1 and 2.  You should know this anyway, but always keep bear rules in mind when you hike in Shenandoah.  Hang your food, show no fear, and for the love of Mother Nature - DON'T RUN if you see a bear.

Cleo on Neighbor Mountain Trail.

Cleo: Did I hear a bear?!?!?! 

Post marking the summit of Neighbor Mountain.  Neighbor Mountain Trail totals 4.6 miles.  From the parking area, I estimate about .4 miles, which is how I'm getting the 5-mile total distance for this trail.  You also have to walk a very short distance on Jeremy's Run for the abundant campsites.

As the post indicates, once you reach the summit of Neighbor Mountain you have 2.6 miles to go until you reach Jeremy's Run.  This section of the trail is extremely enjoyable.  For starters, it is pretty much entirely downhill, which is always a plus in my book.  There is also a gorgeous section of mountain and valley views as you scale the lower ridges of Neighbor Mountain, leading to the wooded streams of Jeremy's Run.  I adore Shenandoah in May because everything seems to be alive.  The trees, flowers, bears, butterflies - everything has finally shaken off the last of winter's chill.

Hey!  No smartphones allowed in the wilderness :P

The water of Jeremy's Run.

Once you reach Jeremy's Run, all you have to do is find a campsite.  Paradoxically, this can be both difficult and easy.  It's easy in the sense that the ground is level and campsites are easy to spot; there are many large, preexisting sites.  It can be difficult, however, because Jeremy's Run is a very popular place to camp.  There were numerous families with large camping setups at the very beginning of Jeremy's Run.  Thankfully, Sean and I found a "secret spot" by the stream.  It must have been one of the lesser-known sites in the area, because we had to cross the stream to enter it as well as climb over some large fallen branches and pick our way through some stinging nettle (which I swear looks completely different in Virginia than it does in Jersey/Pennsylvania, or at least that's what I'll keep telling myself so I don't feel totally stupid for getting like four different nettle rashes on my legs).  I'm also not 100% positive that the site was legal.  It was kind of pushing the 10 yards from a stream rule and there was a fire ring (which of course we did not use because NO FIRES IN THE BACKCOUNTRY, DUH), buuuuuut it was pretty darn close and so secluded and nice that we just had to stay there :)

Sean before we set up camp.

Stream by our campsite.

It was SUCH a beautiful day/night, that the rainfly was not needed.

The night we spent at Jeremy's Run was perhaps the nicest and most comfortable night I have ever spent backpacking.  The weather was completely perfect.  The site was level and listening to the soft stream was exceptionally relaxing.  I fully intend to camp here again.

The next day is the hard day.  You can, of course, continue on Jeremy's Run and make a full loop, which I plan to do sometime.  But, since our trip was an accident, we decided to just re-trace our steps because we had no knowledge of how long or strenuous the rest of Jeremy's Run was.  The climb back up is moderately difficult, but we were honestly surprised that we felt so good during the ascent.  I guess getting a good night's sleep is worth its weight in gold!

Crossing the stream in the morning.

Headed back up from Jeremy's Run.

Everything considered, our accidental hike to Neighbor Mountain was a complete success.  This hike is lovely, especially the camping.  Enjoy it if you go, and keep wandering!

Laurel Prong and Hazeltop

Location: Shenandoah National Park, VA
Season Visited: Spring
Trail Length: 7.4 miles (about 4.3 miles on Day One and 3.1 miles on Day Two)
Time to Hike: 2 days
Difficulty Level: 2

I completed my first backpacking trip of 2015 back in the first week of April, and then had such a good time that I went back again two weeks later with my husband and my dog!  This hike is a great backpacking trip for beginners in moderate shape.  It's enough to give you a workout but not enough to exhaust you.  If I was ever taking a complete beginner on a trip, this would definitely be one of my go-to trails.

I used this itinerary and this map for my trip.

The hike starts at Milam Gap parking, between mile 52 and 53 of Skyline Drive.  It's a good-sized parking lot and finding a spot was not an issue at all.  Cross Skyline Drive pretty much immediately to head south on the Appalachian Trail.

AT post after crossing Skyline Drive.

Hike the AT for 2.6 miles and then turn left on Laurel Prong Trail, where you will be sleeping for the night.  Everything is well-labeled and easy to follow.  I always check the posts, even if I know where I'm going, to ensure I'm never lost.  There are some beautiful views of the mountains, if you look for them.  The first time I hiked this trail I totally missed an amazing viewpoint that my smart little dog scoped out the second time.

Cleo the hiking yorkie-poo is at it again!

Laurel Prong Trail turns sharply left at one point (you can see it on the map), taking you along a really neat ridge with rock formations.  Hiking for a while after the ridge you return to the woods, and if you're looking for it, there is a very obvious camping spot on the right-hand side of the trail.  It's just before a tiny creek crossing, so if you've come to that then you've gone too far.  This little creek beyond camp is where we filtered our water.

Ridge line - the first time.

Cleo on the ridge.

The campsite is spacious, but we did have to clear a bunch of fallen branches out of the way that were not there two weeks before.

Cleo by the creek.

The next day is exceptionally interesting.  As Sean said, the first day can be a bit boring if just walking in the woods isn't enough for you.  The second day features some awesome history at Rapidan Camp!

If you camped in the big spot on Laurel Prong trail you've got a little while before you see Fork Mountain trail go off to your right (which you bypass).  In the spring, the trail can definitely be wet, but if you're hiking this time of year you're probably already prepared for that, right?

Wet, early morning trail.

The intersection with Fork Mountain.  You can't camp past this point.

Follow Laurel Prong along and you will come to the really cool Rapidan Camp.  Explore the area!  There are neat historical buildings, both a wooden and metal bridge, and a waterfall.  During normal hours I think they have rangers and exhibits there, but I was either way too early in the morning or too late in the evening when I went.  Personally, I very much enjoyed the solitude.

There's also this little trail called Five Tents Trail that spurs off of Laurel Prong.  It's really short but steep if you're already a little winded, and to be honest there's really nothing there but an old foundation.  I guess if you're into foundations then, by all means, go check it out, but there's nothing you didn't already see at the Camp itself.

When you've had enough, find Mill Prong trail.  It was a little hard for me to find at first but once I saw the post it was pretty obvious.  Just look for the metal bridge.  It's right around there.  FYI - there is an outhouse past the metal bridge (which I did not take a picture of, sorry).  That outhouse was NOT stocked with toilet paper at the time I went, even though it had a dispenser.  And that was really unfortunate, because the second time I went I ran out of toilet paper.  And had to use a leaf.  So yeah, just so you know.

Post at the beginning of Mill Prong.

Waterfall on Mill Prong Trail.

Stones to cross, in front of the waterfall.

So, you may or may not know this, but one of Shenandoah's most magical features is the large-flowered trillium that blooms in the park between March and May.  It is the park's logo and is a spectacular flower.  The first time I made this trip in the first week of April, the trillium had not yet bloomed.  But in the middle of the month it was all around this waterfall.  Seeing trillium in Shenandoah is one of my favorite things and the blooms around the waterfall were just gorgeous.

Large-flowered trillium.

Past the waterfall a bit you will see the split for Mill Prong and the Mill Prong horse trail.  Be sure to stay left on Mill Prong, because the horse trail ends up very out of your way!  After that you will encounter two stream crossings, neither of which is daunting.  Finally, the brush will change and you will make your way up a small rise back to Skyline Drive and the parking area.

Mill Prong and Mill Prong horse trail split.

First stream crossing.

Second stream crossing.

Slight incline at the end of the trail.

And that's the hike!  Remember on your drive home to keep an eye out for deer on Skyline Drive.  They're EVERYWHERE.  And keep on wandering :)

South River and Pocosin

Location: Shenandoah National Park, VA
Season Visited: Fall
Trail Length: 8.6 miles (about 3.8 miles on Day One and 4.8 miles on Day Two)
Time to Hike: 2 days
Difficulty Level: 4

Shenandoah National Park in November is a VERY different place than it is in October.  If you recall from my previous post, the park is a zoo in October.  After the first week of November, it really felt like a ghost town.  It might also have had something to do with the fact that I went on a weekday and that it was raining, but I could not believe how few people I saw during my overnight backpacking trip.  Fortunately, that's just the way I like it.

I followed this itinerary and this map for my trip.

The hike starts at the South River Picnic Area.  This place has a ton of parking, so finding a spot is not a concern for this hike.  There are picnic tables and even a bathroom at the trailhead, so you can have one last snack and potty break before you start eating in the dirt and peeing behind trees.

On the day I went I was lucky enough to spot an absolutely amazing rainbow on Skyline Drive in between storms, so here are some pictures of that!

After taking in the views and parking, hike South River Falls Trail.  I've visited this trail before (twice, actually) and wrote about it here.  The part that leads you to the lookout is relatively easy, although of course it was muddy in the November rain!  The overlook for the 83-foot falls is one mile in to the hike.  You can get to the base of the falls by going a little farther.  The trek down to the base is steep and strenuous, especially on the way back up, and is not counted in the overall mileage. Due to this and the mud issues I was having, I decided not to make the trek.  It is absolutely worth it in nice weather and if you haven't seen it before, however.

Hiking to the falls.

A few fall colors left.

Looking to the falls.

Just past the lookout it went from cloudy to sunny, but then went right back to pouring rain after this.

After completing South River Falls Trail, turn left to connect to the South River Fire Road, and then turn right on the fire road.  I've written about how soul-crushingly awful this fire road is before, but I only had to hike a mile of it this time, so I made it through in relatively high spirits.  After this you turn left on Pocosin Trail and find a place to camp. The trail widens out before narrowing down again, and it is relatively easy to find a spot.

It's fun to see the falls, but I really found the second day of this hike to be the true highlight.  The rest of Pocosin Trail the next day is really interesting.  The trail is quiet and filled with history.  I came in close proximity to a beautiful deer, who didn't mind at all that I was in his foraging grounds.  The best part is the Mission Ruins at the end of Pocosin Trail, before you turn left onto Pocosin Road.  Sadly, my camera died that morning right after I woke up (I didn't realize non-lithium batteries couldn't survive near-freezing temperatures) and I couldn't get pictures of the ruins.  They are really neat, however, and are well-worth the trip. You can find some pictures of them on this site.

I did manage to take a few photos with my phone on the Appalachian Trail, however (not sure why I didn't think of that sooner), which is where you end up after Pocosin Road with a sharp left turn.  If you look up and to your left just before intersecting with the AT, you will see the PATC Pocosin Cabin, which offers a very slight short cut.  Even in the nasty November weather, there was a group of people relaxing in the cabin after an overnight stop, and there were actually quite a few people on the AT itself.  The AT continues back almost the entire way to the picnic area, before you make a quick right and end up right where you started.

Beautiful Appalachian morning after the storm.

A little climb on the AT.

Overall I found this to be a very nice overnight backpacking trip.  It's not outrageously strenuous but it certainly gives you a work out!  I must have a soft spot for the falls, because I seem to keep returning to them.  November in Shenandoah is a great time to find solitude, but remember to prepare for the weather.  November nights in the mountains are freezing - sometimes literally.  It is generally the last month I'll venture out into the wilderness without specialized, four-season equipment, and I'm always sure to have all the proper layers and gear.

Be prepared, savor the wilderness no matter what the weather, and never stop wandering.