Peak leaf-peeper season is usually more like mid-October In Shenandoah. There will be the usual weekenders here in late September, but nothing too extreme like the traffic jams of peak leaf season.
Besides, you’ll be in the woods. Most leaf-peepers rarely go more than 100 yds. from their vehicles.
If you’re looking for mostly viewpoints, the AT sticks pretty much to the ridgeline and affords a fair number of those. IMHO the best plan is a combination of AT with some side trails so you can take in views PLUS streams, waterfalls, history, etc. You can do a loop, or see even more of the Park by doing a one-way if you use a shuttle service.
Here’s one suggestion involving the Central District (PATC Map 10):
Meet a shuttle driver at the parking area at Fishers Gap (Skyline Drive 49.4). Get shuttled to the Lewis Mt. Campground area where you can camp Thursday night, then pickup the AT Friday morning, and hike north. About two miles north, you’ll reach the Bearfence Loop area where you can continue on the AT or do an optional “scramble” more characteristic of New Hampshire than SNP but worth the effort for the experience and the views. Continue north on the AT through Bootens Gap, and climb a half-mile to a junction with the Laurel Prong Trail. Hang a right and hike to the Cat Knob Trail intersection, and bear left. On your map, you’ll see something called “The Laurels.” This would make a great place to look for a campsite for Friday Night. There is an unmarked spring to the left of the trail (if dry you can surely find water further down the Laurel Prong Trail near its intersection with the Fork Mt. Trail).
Friday morning, rejoin the Laurel Prong Trail. It will lead to an historic area called Rapidan Camp. It is called Camp Hoover on some older maps and in guidebooks. It was the summer home, before Camp David existed, of President Herbert Hoover. Some of the grounds and three of the buildings have been preserved as a National Historic Landmark complete with interpretive signage. You can take a break on the back deck of “The President,” the Hoover’s own cabin, which overlooks the Rapidan River. The Park Service is in the middle of a multi-year improvement project to restore Rapidan Camp to its original condition.
Next, return to the Laurel Prong Trail and in a couple hundred yards, turn left to begin your ascent up the Mill Prong Trail. In two miles, you will rejoin the AT. Continue northbound through very easy terrain and in a mile, come to Tanners Ridge Fire Rd. and an old mountain cemetery still maintained and occasionally added to by descendents of the mountain folks who once lived on land which is now the Park. Continue north on the AT to Lewis Falls Rd. Turn left on the gravel road, and soon come to a blue-blazed trail which also turns left. Follow that about a quarter mile and look for a nice campsite off to the left for Friday night. Water can be found at a reliable piped spring back near where you left the AT. If you have time after setting up camp, you might follow the Lewis Falls Trail down to its namesake and take in the waterfall, then return to camp.
Saturday morning you have several options, apparent on the map. I’m thinking y’all might be ready to forgo trail food and get a real breakfast. If so, ascend back to the gravel Lewis Falls Rd., bypass the AT, and make a short climb up to Skyline Drive. Turn left on the Drive and walk perhaps a quarter mile to the Big Meadows Wayside. Here, you can get breakfast. After breakfast, you can go “next door” to the Harry Byrd Visitor Center, where a brand new exhibit on the establishment of the Park was just completed and where you can view a recently produced short film. Both venues also offer modern rest rooms.
From the Visitor Center, walk north out of the parking lot and take a trail that connects to the Story of the Forest Nature Trail. Turn right on the Nature Trail and take it out to Skyline Drive, cross it, and begin to descend the Dark Hollow Falls Trail. This is a bit touristy, but it’s a very scenic area with multiple waterfall viewpoints so worth it. About a mile later you will be on the Rose River Fire Rd. Turn right BRIEFLY across a metal bridge, then left immediately to descend part of the Rose River Falls Loop Trail. You will pass myriad mini-falls, cascades, and swimming holes during your descent along Hogcamp Branch, and near the bottom will cross another metal bridge over the stream. There are several camping possibilities in this general area for Saturday night, and plenty of water.
Sunday morning, you will be well positioned to get back to your vehicle early. Continue counter-clockwise on the Rose River Falls Loop Trail. About a third of the way up, you’ll come to the trail’s namesake–a usually plentiful waterfall that empties into a nice swimming hole. Definitely worth a break here. Continue to ascend, past an intersection with the Skyland-Big Meadows Horse Trail, and arrive at the top of the Rose River Fire Rd. (you crossed this about a mile downhill yesterday at the base of Dark Hollow Falls). Turn right briefly, cross Skyline Drive, and there’s your vehicle!
For shuttle information, visit Mountain & Valley Shuttle Service at www.mvshuttle.com
For the best SNP trail maps, you can purchase online at: www.patc.net
Skyline
