Shenandoah N.P.

Itinerary
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Hike and Campout
Boy Scout Troop 9
9-10 October 2004

Description

The hike under pack is 8.7 miles of the Appalachian Trail, Trayfoot and Paine Run trails in the Shenandoah National Park, from the Blackrock parking lot on Skyline Drive at the southern end of the park. The route runs along the ridge of Trayfoot Mountain and returns up the Paine Run valley. Saturday night will be spent in the Paine Run valley. Return to Chapel Hill will be Sunday afternoon.

Trayfoot trail travels along the top of the ridge, passing a firetower, for a 400 foot net gain and descends into the valley for a 1850 foot descent for a 4.8 mile hike in. Paine Run trail runs up the valley for a 800 foot net gain for a 3.9 mile hike out.

As a reference point, this portion of the Shenandoah is five to ten miles north-east of Waynesboro, Virginia. A detailed description of the Trayfoot trail can be found here. A National Park Service map of the trail can be found here.

Schedule

Saturday	5:30 a.m.	Depart, Chapel of the Cross
	11:00 a.m., est.	On-Trail at Trayfoot Trail from Blackrock Summit parking lot
Saturday	night	Paine Run Valley
Sunday	10:00 a.m.	Hike out
	12:00 noon	Arrive at Blackrock Springs parking area; depart for home
	6:00 p.m., est.	Arrive, Chapel of the Cross

Messages and Trip Status

Telephone contact may be tried; call 593-0290 (Mr. Filpus) or 740-4351 (Mr. Hock). Much of the area has poor cell phone coverage.

Personal Equipment

See the troop equipment list for details. Sneakers are recommended as foot gear; boots are fine too. Assume extremes of weather; i.e., pack clothes for 25^OF to 85^OF. Send some combination of sunscreen, hats and light-weight, long-sleeved shirts: sun protection may be an issue.

Food and Group Equipment

Food (except Saturday lunch) and group equipment will be coordinated at the troop meetings. Bring a bag lunch for Saturday. Sunday's lunch may be left in the cars.

Water

Assume that local water will be available along much of the trail and at the camp site. The ridge lines will be dry. Start full. The water at the camp site is potable; be prepared to purify it before using.

Driving Route

Estimated travel time is five hours.

NC 86 North to Danville, VA ( 55 miles )
US 29 North to VA 6 (Woods VA) ( 105 miles )
VA 6 North to US 250 ( 16 mi )
US 250 West to Skyline Drive ( 6 mi )
Skyline Drive North to Blackrock parking lot at milepost ?. (Dundo Campground and Loft Mountain are overshoot points.)

Maps

The following maps were used in the preparation of this material and are relevant to the trip but are not required.

Guide to the Appalachian Trail and Side Trails in the Shenandoah National Park, 1973.
Shenandoah National Park Southern Section, 1973.
North Carolina State Transportation Map & Guide to Points of Interest, 1989.
Shenandoah Official Map and Guide, National Park Service, 2002.
Appalachian Trail Guide, Shenandoah National Park With Side Trails, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, 1977.
Guide to Paths in the Blue Ridge, The Appalachian Trail and Side Trails, PATC.