Itinerary
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Hike and Campout
Boy Scout Troop 9
11-12 March 2006

Description

The hike under pack is six miles of the Appalachian Trail and Rip Rap trails in the Shenandoah National Park, from the Calvary Rocks parking lot on Skyline Drive at the southern end of the park. The route passes Calvary Rocks, Cold Spring Hollow, and Rip Rap Hollow. Saturday, and Sunday nights will be spent at Cold Spring Hollow. A day hike on Sunday will include the Rocks Mountain trail. Return to Chapel Hill will be Monday afternoon.

As a reference point, this portion of the Shenandoah is five to ten miles north-east of Waynesboro, Virginia.

The climbs are moderate: three to nine hundred feet at a moderately even slope overall.

With the climb, consider this hike to be roughly the equivalent of a eight mile level hike under pack.

A description of the trail from the Appalachian Trail Guide is here. A National Park Service map of the trail can be found here.

Schedule

Saturday 6:00 a.m. Depart, Chapel of the Cross
  10:30 a.m., est. On-Trail at Rip Rap Trail from Calvary Rock parking lot
Saturday
 night Cold Spring Hollow
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 25OF to 85OF. 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.

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.