The blue arrow points to the Skyline Drive in the central third of the park. I entered at Route 33 (Swift Run Gap), and did a section of the Appalachian Trail and the Saddleback Mountain Trail (red circle) and a trail called the Meadows School Trail (blue circle). The first hike was about 8 miles total, and the latter was 1.5 miles each way for a total of 3 miles. My SNP 500 goal is now below 300 miles to go. Unfortunately, my inReach is not producing a clear track map right now for some reason, so I am not showing the tracks for the hikes - they are inaccurate.
The trees are now totally bare. This is the Appalachian Trail near Swift Run Gap. Along the hike, I saw a pileated woodpecker and a white-breasted nuthatch. Other than that, there was little wildlife to be seen or heard for most of the hike.
One thing I like about this time of the year is that you can see a long way through the woods, and even distant views.
I hiked to Route 33 at Swift Run Gap, then turned around. It was a pretty easy hike, maybe losing and gaining about 700 feet over about four miles each way.
The Saddleback Mountain Trail leaves the AT and runs east of that mountain. I ran into two women doing a day hike in this area, but they were the only people I saw over more than 11 miles of hiking this past Monday.
A short distance before joining the AT again, I came on this locked shelter. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club uses this to camp out when doing trail maintenance in this area.
The shelter is locked but I saw no harm in having hot chocolate and lunch here. I got water from the spring, got out my Jetboil stove, and made a nice, hot drink. Nothing like hot chocolate on a chilly day up in the mountains. I saw a deer moving through the forest, and shortly after I started hiking again, two nice does ran right across the trail in front of me. They were too quick for me to snag a photo, but that was okay, because an even more interesting wildlife encounter was ahead.
After getting back to the car at the South River Falls Picnic Area, I headed north on the Skyline Drive for about 5-6 miles for the next hike. Ahead on the road, I saw a black animal in the middle of the road. No doubt what it was, so I slowed down - I always go the speed limit of 35 in the park so I am less likely to kill an animal, but I see lots of people doing 50-55 - and got my camera ready. As I pulled up, the small bear, which appeared to be a yearling, left the road and climbed up on the stone wall along the side. It looked right at me!
Then, it turned and jumped off the wall on the other side. It was small enough that I couldn't see it at that point.
The Meadows School Trail really doesn't have anything remarkable to recommend hiking it, other than I have to hike every trail and fire road in the park to earn my patch, so it seemed like a good day to just check this trail off the list. It was 1.5 miles downhill about 900 feet, then 1.5 miles back uphill to the car. Nothing special, other than any day we are healthy and alive, and out in the mountains is special.
This trail is not super-well maintained. Note the deep ruts from storm runoff. As a footnote, I brought my river shoes today and had no problem rock-hopping the few streams that I encountered, unlike my other recent hikes here where I was always having to wade across something, usually without my river shoes.
This large tree blocked the trail. I made my way around it, as going over it would have been difficult.
Back on the Skyline Drive, I paused to admire the view of the Shenandoah Valley before heading for home.
It felt great to be back in Shenandoah National Park again. This is likely my last hike of the year here.
Cool picture of the bear.
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