The Experience
You will love: The tallest mountain in Virginia! Well-marked trail with open balds, wild ponies, and back country camping
You need to know:
Here is a true beauty! Mount Rogers trail access can be found via Grayson Highlands State Park, where I recommend you start because the park does offer amenities such as camping, hiking, horseback riding and food. A link at the bottom will take you to an inside look at the park. Now to the Mount Rogers trail…. Have you ever wanted a trail with everything? And by everything I mean, well maintained and marked, steady but not drag yourself up the mountain ascent, amazing lunch spots, vistas upon vistas upon vistas, wild ponies, rock scramble areas and then finally a thick grove Virginia Pine. How thick? Picture yourself in a woodland fairy STORY TALE, with overgrown and exposed root systems laid in between thick moss beds. The summit is found in a serene and shadowy grove of pines, its not your traditional summit, there is no view just serenity.
Your adventure begins at the backpackers parking lot (massie gap area). proceed through the fence (enjoying the roaming wild ponies) and link up with the appalachian spur trail . the spur trail will connect with wilbur ridge (large rock outcrop), from here turn left and join the appalachian trail. the at will ride through meadows, roaming hills, bald faces and even a faux rock summit. all of this is good posturing but The trail is 10.2 miles (round trip) and doesn't come that easy. you will know you are close to the summit as the trail becomes lush with virginia pine and thick with roots and the sunshine barely penetrates the canopy. the summit is a small marker within a sanctuary of pines and moss. once fulfilled, retrace your steps. the trail is not recommended for kids under 6 however I would recommend it for your furry pal.
HIKE ON!
GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
You need to know:
- State Park entrance fee required.
- Limited to no canopy, prepare for exposure.
Here is a true beauty! Mount Rogers trail access can be found via Grayson Highlands State Park, where I recommend you start because the park does offer amenities such as camping, hiking, horseback riding and food. A link at the bottom will take you to an inside look at the park. Now to the Mount Rogers trail…. Have you ever wanted a trail with everything? And by everything I mean, well maintained and marked, steady but not drag yourself up the mountain ascent, amazing lunch spots, vistas upon vistas upon vistas, wild ponies, rock scramble areas and then finally a thick grove Virginia Pine. How thick? Picture yourself in a woodland fairy STORY TALE, with overgrown and exposed root systems laid in between thick moss beds. The summit is found in a serene and shadowy grove of pines, its not your traditional summit, there is no view just serenity.
Your adventure begins at the backpackers parking lot (massie gap area). proceed through the fence (enjoying the roaming wild ponies) and link up with the appalachian spur trail . the spur trail will connect with wilbur ridge (large rock outcrop), from here turn left and join the appalachian trail. the at will ride through meadows, roaming hills, bald faces and even a faux rock summit. all of this is good posturing but The trail is 10.2 miles (round trip) and doesn't come that easy. you will know you are close to the summit as the trail becomes lush with virginia pine and thick with roots and the sunshine barely penetrates the canopy. the summit is a small marker within a sanctuary of pines and moss. once fulfilled, retrace your steps. the trail is not recommended for kids under 6 however I would recommend it for your furry pal.
HIKE ON!
GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
- 2 Water Bottle
- Lunch , Trail Bars and Protein
- TRAIL BOOTS with good shock absorption
