Well marked. If you've got hiking poles in the car, you may want to grab them. Massanutten range behind. This trail is very rocky in places, and the descent from the summit is steep. We started with the steep uphill on Lower Hawksbill to get the climb out of the way. The trail splits. Go south three miles on Highway 181 to Gingercake Road (the second intersection with Gingercake Rd. Great trail. Decent traffic on a warm day in November. If you are entering on foot, horse, or bike the fee is $15 per person. This blue-blazed hike is more rocky to start and begins with a mild descent. This loop starts with the Hawksbill Summit Trail that begins at the Lower Hawksbill Parking lot. The trail is technical and gets steadily steeper as you go, but the 360-degree views from the summit are totally worth it. Hawksbill-Ledge Trail Loop (12-3-17) Hawksbill Mountain is the northernmost of three peaks which rise like giant stone sentinels from the east rim of Linville Gorge. Fabulous views! This is the most scenic route. I’ve read that it is a 1.5-mile round-trip hike 2 miles, and even 2.5 miles to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain. Distance: 1553.0; Waypoints. Take the longer route! Great views at the top. But glad is a short hike. I checked my phone after I did it and it said 1.7 miles, so I … Past the first mile not very challenging. Go up the steep way first as it’s easier on the knees going down. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is best used from April until November. At the top, you'll reach the day use shelter and the extremely photogenic "Byrds Nest" is just 50' past that. Trail Facts. You can also do a lolly pop option from Fishers Gap to include the Franklin Cliffs and then take the 2.6 mile loop before returning to Fishers Gap. Love Virginia? Shenandoah National Park charges a fee to enter. 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This hike can be completed as a 2.8-mile loop or a 1.9-mile there-and-back trek. Link this trail up with the Jonas Ridge Trail, and you have a great out-and-back, or you could loop it with the gravel road. Both ways begin with the well-maintained trail on the left, which is the trail used for the out-and-back version of the hike. Great lookout point and other solid views along the trail. Not very steep over most of the trail. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $55. Hawksbill Creek is easily accessible via the Greenway’s walking trails and the creek can be followed all the way through town. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. This is a long and fairly rewarding hike to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain, the highest peak in the park, though I would recommend most visitors to do Hawksbill as a 2.5-mile loop hike starting at Hawksbill Gap. Hawksbill Summit Loop Trail Trail Directions: Highlights: Views, Talus Fields, Quick Hike, Places: The map to the left can be found on AllTrails site. Great trail! Then take U.S. Highway 221 north to the Linville Falls area, then Highway 183 to Highway 181. The Lower Hawksbill Trail climbs straight up the mountain, and you ascend 800 feet in 0.85 miles. Loved the trail! Hawksbill Loop Trail is nothing short of iconic when it comes to the hiking trails of Shenandoah National Park. We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. HAWKSBILL MOUNTAIN HIKING TRAIL. The views are great and we had fun on the rocky pieces of the AT coming down. Just behind the Byrds Nest pass a blue blazed trail on the left that leads to Hawksbill … The views from Franklin Cliffs look out on the Massanutten range to the west, and there is a spectacular 270 degree panorama from the Hawksbill Summit with a view of Old Rag. The first half of this circuit is a forest walk that passes 2 feeder streams for Rose River, and the second is vista after vista from both the Appalachian Trail and Hawksbill Summit. It starts with a steep 700' hike up to the summit in less than a mile, and then winds gradually back to Skyline Drive on the side of the mountain with excellent views. From coastal hikes to high-altitude trails, there’s truly a little something for every kind of adventurer. Thank you! The trailhead is a large white oak tree and from that point going forward this is an extremely steep 1.5-mile journey to the peak. ). Parking can be a challenge, so it is advisable to get there early. Expect it to be crowded in the summer and on the weekend, especially for a relatively easy hike with big payoff. Head North on the Skyline Drive and park at the Lower Hawksbill Trail parking area at milepost 45.6 (do not park at the Upper Hawksbill Parking area for the hike outlined here). Two repeats of this loop are an excellent prep for big western 100s. Rocky in some spots on the AT portion. Enter at Thorton Gap (second from north Shenandoah entrance) and go south until mile marker 45. The hike. Once we reached the AT, we greeted some thru hikers. Elevations vary from 4,050 feet atop Hawksbill down to less than 550 feet […] At it's peak at 4,049 feet, it's the highest point in elevation in Shenandoah. Hawksbill is very popular spot, at the trailhead it's hard to find regular parking spot, just park at road side; plan to spend 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours on the trail and reserve 10-20 minutes at the peak to enjoy the view at the highest point of Shenandoah mountain-4051 feet. Deriving its name from the sharp, slanted ledges which stand out like beaks from its summit, Hawksbill commands some of the most awe-inspiring views of the Gorge one can find. Hawksbill viewed from Big Meadows There were a few rocky spots on the way up the AT portion of the trail. 340. Should you be interested in only hiking Hawksbill Mountain, there is a short 2.6 mile loop also from Hawksbill Gap (alltrails) or you can just to the in and out to the summit (alltrails). I'd recommend going counterclockwise and doing the AT portion first. I thought the best view was from the rocks on the upper portion of the Salamander Trail right before it connects into the Summit Trail. Virginia’s hiking trails offer an exciting adventure into the natural landscape. No litter. Starts with a fairly strenuous climb. Hawksbill Gap Loop via Appalachian Trail is a 2.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Syria, Virginia that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The shortest route is via I-40 east to Marion. The shortest route is via I-40 east to Marion. Pass through a rock slide with views to the north. We were here on a weekday in late November, and only passed a couple people. Hawksbill Gap serves as the trailhead for a number of popular hikes (including the fantastic Whiteoak Canyon-Cedar Run loop), so arrive early to get a parking spot. The Hawksbill Greenway is a 2-mile non-motorized pathway in the town of Luray, Virginia, two hours from Washington D.C. Nicely marked. The ascent was steep and slippery in the snow, making its way quickly to the Hawksbill summit. Combines trails following two streams with a jaunt along the AT and a climb up to Hawksbill Mountain Summit, the highest point in Shenandoah park, for awesome views. Technically, Hawksbill Summit has an upper trail and lower trail, but the lower trail is the more popular one. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Shortly, a trail marker appears as the trail intersection with the Appalachian Trail. Turn left and follow the road up to Byrds Nest # 2. The main spine of the park stretches for 70 miles end-to-end, dividing bucolic Shenandoah Valley from the Piedmont to the east. Dogs are also able to use this trail. The trail on the right is a small spur leading to the Appalachian Trail. Upper Hawksbill/Lower Hawksbill/Salamander, White Oak Canyon and Cedar Run Trails Loop, Cedar Run Trail to Hawksbill to White Oak Trail Loop, Robertson Mountain and Old Rag Mountain Loop from Skyline, Lower White Oak Falls via Whiteoak Canyon Trail, Cedar Run, White Oak, Old Rag, Weakley Hollow and Nicholson Hollow Trail, Hawksbill via Appalachian Trail and Redgate Road, Cedar Run Trail to White Oak Fire Road Loop, Hawksbill Mountain, Franklin Cliffs, Big Meadows Horse Trail, Old Rag Fire Road, Weakley Hollow and Robertson Mountain Loop, Crescent Rock Overlook via Crescent Rock Trail and Limberlost Trail, White Oak Canyon Trail to Upper Falls Overlook. Little crowded but understandable. The Hawksbill Greenway is a 2 mile paved path for multiple usage that runs along the Hawksbill Creek through the middle of the town and along the business Rt. This trail gets pretty crowded and the parking can be a challenge, recommend getting on this one earlier in the day. The water is nice and clean and the trail is wide with good pavement. This loop starts with the Hawksbill Summit Trail that begins at the Lower Hawksbill Parking lot. Very crowded with the rudest of people one can encounter. The trail emerges from the woods at the summit, and the Byrds Nest Shelter (day use) will be on your right. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains. The trail is sectioned by color, and you can tell which section you are … More Hawksbill Summit Trail is a 1.5 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Syria, Virginia that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. 10/10, Lovely trail. The parking lot for Hawksbill Loop is located at Mile Post 45.6 along Skyline Drive. One of my favorites in SNP. HSL001. 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