Loop hike vacreeper-At

imported
#1

I am interested in the area where the AT crosses VA58 at straight branch. Can the Va Creeper trail be accessed (Perhaps with a few ft of bushwacking) from 58 just west of the AT crossing (? about .5mi road walk from the AT crossing). Does the Motorcycle trail( listed in the AT guidebook) from the At to VA 58 reach 58 at the point the creeper trail could be accessed from 58?I would like to do approx 10 mile day hike from Damascus to VA58 crossing on the AT, then back to Damascus on the Va Creeper, but need to know if I can access it.

Cutman11

#2

Yes, you can make a loop out of this. After you cross rt 58 heading north the AT is on one side of the creek and the creeper trail is on the other. They go side by side for a good mile or more. You may have to walk a little on the at before you see the creeper trail. You will have to find a way to cross to creek but that shouldn’t be a problem, except in high water. I don’t know about the motorcycle trail.

Buster

#3

There are two loop hikes you can make quite easily. I’ve done them both. The first is to hike out of Damascus on 58. Soon, you’ll see some steps heading up a hill on the left. That’s the AT. Easy to miss. I did! From there to the next 58 crossing is 5 miles. You can pick up the VA Creeper right there (you may have to hike down 58 a short ways) and it makes about a 10 mile circuit hike. If you start at this crossing, the next place where the two run together is at creek junction which is about a 7.5 mile hike so you’re looking at a 15 mile round trip. A third option is to take a bike. You can leave the bike at the higher end of the trail and then ride back down the creeper trail. You can rent bikes in Damascus if you need to. This way you can hike farther and then have a nice leisurely ride back to Damascus.

Flyboy

#4

:slight_smile: While we’re on the subject, I plan to be in the area this weekend and want to take the AT north out of Damascus to the first 58 crossing and then return to Damascus. Two questions- first, where is a good place to park in town? and second, what kind of altitude gain is it from town to 58?

Gramps

#5

Gramps – I think the best / safest place to park is right at the Mt Rogers outfitters (across the street is Dave’s place) which is right on the main street. The elevation gain going north out of Damascus (from the profile map) looks to be about 1300 ft over a 2 mile span to the area near cuckoo knob and then drops back down about 1000ft to the 58 crossing at straight branch.

Flyboy – the creeper trail is visible and accessable from 58 a short distance toward Damascus when coming off the AT onto the road at straight branch, if I understand your reply correctly?

Cutman11