Part I. Hickerson Hollow/Harmony Hollow Loop. I parked the car at the official trail parking lot on VA 601 near Front Royal. From there I walked down the road and up VA 604 to Hickerson Hollow Rd. (about a mile, I'd guess). The weather was chilly (I saw a thin layer of ice on standing water) but it warmed up quickly. Then ascended on Hickerson Hollow Trail. Typical Shenandoah Trail going up alongside gurgling stream. By the time I reached the top, I was down to a t-shirt. At the top I was once again in Land's Run Gap. Since it was still early and I was feeling peppy, I walked the Land's Run Gap Fire Road down to the park boundary. Put on that fleece sweater again for the downhill! The map and guidebook say it's two miles each way but it seemed much shorter. This was a pleasanter fire road than the Old Rag FR because it is more shaded, alongside a stream, and has a softer tread. I heard what sounded like a tremendous bird overhead both times I passed one section (big rocky outcropping on the opposite wall of the stream canyon). Once I returned to Land's Run Gap, I continued up the Dickey Ridge Trail (starting where I'd left off a couple of weeks ago). Since then all the snow has melted. At the junction with the Springhouse Trail, I continued on, all the way to the junction with the Appalachian Trail near Compton Gap (1.2 miles). I did not climb the Fort Windom Rocks although they looked tempting. Then I turned north on the A.T. until the junction with the Springhouse Trail and did and out and back on it (1.4 mile RT). Then I continued north on the A.T., stopping to admire the view at Possums Rest Overlook (where did that name come from?). I did not, unfortunately, keep following the yellow blazed "Compton Gap Horse Trail" beyond the split from the AT to the Park boundary so I could claim that trail. I hadn't looked closely enough at my map. Oh well, I'll pick up that trail orphan when I hike the whole AT through the park in the fall. Around Tom Floyd Wayside I had to pull out the map because I was confused about where the VA 601 Connector Trail came in. What a romantic name for a trail, no? I thought it used to be called the Harmony Hollow Trail but I could be mistaken.
Part II. I got back to the car at 1 PM and ate my lunch while driving up to Dickey Ridge Visitor Center. When I reached there, I walked the Fox Hollow Trail (1.3 miles including Dickey Ridge connector) then walked over the Dickey Ridge Trail to the Snead Farm Road (0.5). The Fox Hollow Trail probably would have been a lot more interesting if I had had the large scale map sold by the NPS. I gather Fox Hollow used to be a settlement. The cemetery was interesting. I had thought the Snead Farm Road would be flat and paved. Wrongo. I actually hated the Snead Farm Road (0.7 mi) which was rolling, muddy in places, and flanked by telephone wires for part of the way. The Snead Farm itself was a disappointment too. OK, the barn was nice. I guess the Park must have some interpreters there in the warm months to talk about it and make it interesting. The Snead Farm Loop Trail (0.7 mi.) was fine. I had to strip down to t-shirt again. Then I rewalked the section of the Dickey Ridge trail that goes by the fabulous vista at the hang glider site (1.2 mi.). Great views again. Returning to the Snead Farm Road, I walked back to Skyline Drive then back to the car at Dickey Ridge Visitor's Center (half-mile?).
I'd like to put in a plug here for all the great volunteer trail maintainers and builders. I run into a fair number of blow downs but it is amazing how many have been cleared away. These people work really hard including doing the thankless and invisible work of clearing water bars. And the rock work on the trails is phenomenal! Take, for instance, the steep descent right after Possum's Rest. It is exquisite engineering, artistic, and conservative of resources. I'm not sure hikers realize how much work goes into making these trails passable, erosion resistant, and easy on the legs. Thank you PATC!
Total miles for the day: 16.9
Total miles hiked this year: 119.3
