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 :)

Old Rag Mountain

Location: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Season Visited: Summer
Trail Length: 9-mile loop
Time to Hike: 6 hours
Difficulty Level: 5

I'll admit it: I was skeptical that Old Rag was the hike everyone said it was.  Let me just say that I am a doubter no more.  Old Rag is quite possibly the most fun hike I have ever done.  If you are considering going whenever this wonderful country of ours decides to get its ducks in a row and let its citizens back into our greatest national treasures - the National Parks - please allow my trail review to persuade you to go the minute they open the gates.

The hike begins at a parking area outside of Skyline Drive.  The free map provided at the Shenandoah visitor center includes directions from Sperryville.  The night before my hike I camped at Big Meadows Campground (unfortunately), and the drive took me about an hour.  The drive through the countryside is absolutely gorgeous, though.

Please be advised that you must get to the parking area early in order to get a spot, as this is an extremely popular hike.  It is apparently impossible to get a spot any later than 10 am, but I've heard it can be a hassle as early as 9:00.  I got to the parking area at 7:45 after a beautiful sunrise drive and found plenty of cars there already.  Fortunately I never found my hike to be overly crowded.  The earlier you go the more crowds you'll beat.

Sunrise over Old Rag at the Old Rag lookout on Skyline Drive, the morning of my hike.

Sun rising higher.  Still on Skyline Drive.

Deer in the morning light, just off of Skyline Drive on the way to Sperryville.

Right around 8:00 a Park Ranger shows up at the parking lot to make sure that everyone has valid park passes.  Be sure to have yours if you got it at the park, or you'll need to pay again here.  I believe the fee is $15.  The rangers are, of course, very friendly and love to give tips for your hike.

To reach the trailhead of Ridge Trail, you'll need to walk about a mile up a road that begins the way up the 3,284-foot mountain.  The road alone is enough to get your blood flowing.  If you're extremely tired before you even get to the trail, you may want to think twice about attempting the hike.  Fortunately, the mile up the road (and the mile back) is included in the total mileage.

When you reach the trailhead you will really begin the ascent up the mountain.  If you think it's a bit steep and rocky now, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Trailhead.

Not too far into the trail.  A word of practical advice: dress in layers.  8 am in the mountains is very cold, but 11:00 on a sunny late-summer peak is quite warm.  I stuffed the turtle-neck in my pack around 9:30.

Walking up the trail before you come out into the open is probably the hardest part of the hike.  Rangers warn you about the boulder scrambles, but I found them to be incredibly easy.  If you're like me, the unspeakable beauty of the mountaintop will send adrenaline coursing through your veins, and scrambling the boulders will be a breeze.  I find that uphill inclines without much change of pace are the hardest both physically and mentally.  So, just know that it gets easier about a third of the way through the hike, when you start to see the sea of trees beneath you and appreciate how far you've come.

Climbing higher...

Those of you who follow this blog regularly know about my spider obsession.  So please humor me while I extol the virtues of this spined micrathena.  Isn't she amazing?!?!  Okay, I'm done.

Few things are as beautiful as a green sea.

First of many moments of realization that Old Rag is everything it's cracked up to be.

And this, my friends, this is where it gets fun.  From the moment I stepped on the rock slab pictured above I began smiling uncontrollably.  And I didn't stop until the moment I crossed the Virginia/Maryland border on my drive home.  Seriously.  Forget any warnings you might have ever heard about Old Rag, like how you should ask for help if you're short and shouldn't hike it alone.  I'm 5'2'' and was hiking solo, and not once did I feel incapable or outside my bounds.  You can totally do this hike, and you will love it.  Most of the people I asked to take pictures of me on the trail had the same goofy smile on their faces.  We were all drinking in the splendor.

Then the boulder scrambles start.  And man, are they fun.

Helpful arrows pointing the way.  There was some wait time at small squeezes like this, which was a little annoying since I felt like I could jump around them like a mountain goat.  But every stop is a photo op, so who's complaining?

Lots of fun crevices to squeeze through.  Please note that you will have a lot of trouble on some of these if you are bigger.

There are a few iconic spots that you have to a get a picture of, preferably with yourself included.  I was pretty unashamed to ask, but it's better to take selfies than miss the natural staircase or the hanging rock.

The natural staircase!  Proof that Mother Nature approves of this hike.

Just past the rock you start some pretty intense climbing that's almost completely vertical in places.  It doesn't really last long, however, so just take some breaks and you'll be fine.  Always be on the lookout for wildlife, too!  Even on a trail this popular you never know what you might see!

Blue-tailed skink, sunbathing on a rock.

Past this sweet group of flowers is a false summit.  Take some time to relax here.  It is absolutely amazing.

No matter how high the mountain, you always feel like you're on top of the world when you hike one.

And then you'll get to the real thing.

From here, as the sign tells you, you have 5.2 miles back to the parking lot.  Since it's all downhill, you'll have plenty of time to relax and contemplate the beauty you just witnessed.  It is a long, rocky 5 miles, however, so just make sure you have some good shoes.  My seven-year-old sneakers were literally falling apart, so my feet were a little sore by the end.  Still saving up to invest in a new pair of shoes...

Byrds Nest Shelter not far from the summit.  A little further on after this is the Old Rag Shelter, which has a compost toilet.

After coming to the Old Rag Shelter, turn right onto Weakly Hollow Fire Road.  The water of Brokenback Run flows near the road about half way down.

Arrowhead micrathena.  It was my first time seeing one, so I was pretty psyched.

You're close to the road you came in on when you reach the bridge.

Once you reach the road you'll simply be retracing your steps back to the parking lot.  Locals sell drinks and snacks on this road on weekend afternoons if you were less-than-smart and didn't bring enough food or water.

As I hope you've concluded for yourself, Old Rag is a fantastic day hike.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.  Quite frankly, I should have done this years ago.  I hope you get a chance to go.

Enjoy your hike, and keep wandering.

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