HIT THE TRAILS FOR NATIONAL TRAILS DAY

As I pen this column, Virginia’s trails are no doubt overrun by Memorial Day hikers, and for that very reason I have resisted the urge to visit my favorite spot in the Shenandoah National Park.  Next weekend should be no different; as the first Saturday in June is officially designated “National Trails Day,” a celebration of the wonderful system of paths veining our beautiful country.  In honor of this event, I’ll detail a few places I’ve developed a soft spot for in and around central Virginia.

Saint Mary’s Wilderness

    The Saint Mary’s is a special place to me and a popular and well-known destination for hikers and fishermen alike.

    This federally-designated wilderness of almost 10,000 acres is situated in southeastern Augusta County, surrounding the upper Saint Mary’s River.  About 17 miles of trail negotiate the rugged gorge that guides the river, from the lower end of the property near Raphine up to the southern edge of Big Levels at Green Pond.

    The Saint Mary’s Falls Trail begins at the lower parking lot, accessible via Forest Service Road 41, and, moving northeast, fords the river before dead-ending at the wilderness’s dominating feature—Saint Mary’s Falls.  This is by far the most popular hike; the plunge pool below the falls is usually full of cliff-divers during the warmer months.

    The Mine Bank Trail descends into the gorge from the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Fork Mountain Overlook near Milepost 23, following one of the River’s largest tributaries, Mine Bank Creek.  Roughly two miles of downhill trekking will land one at the intersection of the lengthy Saint Mary’s Trail, just within striking distance of the river.  There are a handful of quality camp spots at the base of the hollow where the waters converge, making this trail popular among backpackers.  Keep in mind, though the hike in is relatively easy as it is all downhill, the reverse trip is strenuous.  Plan time accordingly. 

    The Saint Mary’s Trail—the property’s longest trail—begins at Green Pond.  Forest Service Road 162 branches north from the Parkway at Milepost 22.2 at Bald Mountain Overlook and leads to this trailhead, which is probably the least-utilized.

Sugar Hollow, North Fork of the Moormans River

    I’m not giving away any secrets here.   Much to the chagrin of Charlottesville’s brook trout fishing crew, the parking lot at this trailhead near the upper end of Charlottesville’s Sugar Hollow Reservoir is rarely devoid of a car, but it has earned respect from me, both for the experiences I’ve had in the Hollow and for its closeness.

    Follow Garth Road west from Charlottesville and continue on Route 614 until reaching Sugar Hollow Reservoir.  The trail departs from the parking lot at the upper end of the reservoir.

    Three river fords and 2.3 miles of trail separate the parking lot and the Big Branch spur trail on the left that ascends to the Skyline Drive at Black Rock Gap in 3.7 miles.  The main trail continues past the spur, generally following the river.

    If you arrive at the trailhead and the parking lot is slammed, you may achieve a bit more solitude by opting to hike the South Fork of the Moormans River instead.  A yellow iron gate bars the head of this trail on the downstream side of the parking lot.  Ford the river in the first few yards, then continue up the trail to the famed “Blue Hole”—a seemingly bottomless swimming hole.

Humpback Rock

    Again, this is no secret.  The Humpback Rock trail is easily one of the most popular hikes in Virginia thanks to the beautiful panoramic view of Shenandoah’s west slope and the Shenandoah Valley, but if you’re looking for a short, fun hike with a great reward, you can’t beat it.

    At Milepost 5.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at the base of the Mountain Farm Trail, there is a 19^th Century interpretive farm setup.  This marks the trailhead for reaching Humpback Rock.

    This is a short trail of about a mile that gains roughly 800 feet in elevation.  The first portion of the trail is graveled and very steep, but the remainder is rugged, steep, and somewhat muddy.

    The namesake outcropping at the peak is well worth the expended energy, though there is an astonishing amount of writing on the rocks from past hikers. 

    Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the trail, pack your headlamp and camp out on the peak to watch the sun set over the Valley.

    Now that I’m through with this column, I’m excited to go exploring in the days to come.  I’ve only named three, but there are countless other hikes of equal or greater challenge and reward within a short trip from Charlottesville.  Get out and take advantage of the miles of trail within our very own Shenandoah National Park this weekend!□

*Originally published in the Rural Virginian

HEAVEN AND HIGH WATER

    It was quite an experience sitting on Florida’s Gulf coast as a tropical storm delivered inch after inch of inundating rain.  When I returned home, the effects of the same system were tailing out, but the rain continued.

    Thus, when making fishing plans for the weekend, options were limited.  As I motored over the Rivanna River, its chocolaty-orange lifeblood running several feet high ruled the smallmouth haunts out.  My mind wandered to trout.

    One of the beautiful characteristics of freestone mountain streams is their ability to filter water, offering fishability even after heavy rains.

    Noted especially for its angling quality following torrential weather is the St. Mary’s River.  And so preparations began.

    I made the return trip from a family function early Saturday morning, with the windows down, enjoying the cool, cloudless weather.  Even the truck’s dash thermometer read 78 degrees—a cool spell by Virginia’s trending temperatures.

    My brother was waiting for me at home; and I unpacked and repacked as quickly as possible.

Having no idea what to expect, we left the house with packs complete with medical supplies; food, water, and bug dope; camera; GPS; and, of course, fishing gear.

    An hour on the highway dropped us into the small town of Greenville.

    The St. Mary’s River traverses a wilderness area by the same name.  At 10,090 acres, surrounded by the George Washington National Forest, it would seem that those undertaking the challenges offered by the Saint Mary’s Wilderness would be few.  Contrarily, the wilderness attracts many hikers and swimmers, many claim, because of pristine waters and waterfalls, and the delicacy hinted at through its name.

    But these wilderness-goers often remain within a short distance of their vehicles, and a little sweat and a few brier cuts will separate the adventurous from the cliff-dwelling canonballers.

Photo by Phillip Morone

    The St. Mary’s Falls trail is fairly well maintained, but meanders across the river occasionally.  If begin wondering whether you’re actually on the trail, retrace your steps and look for more obvious routes.  

    Because of the heavy traffic below the falls, there are several worn-down “shortcuts,” which may become seriously dangerous in an instant.

    Upon surpassing the mass, we rigged our rods— my brother with a beetle, and I with a cricket pattern.

With packs shouldered and rods rigged, we were faced with a gorgeous stream—pristine and pure as its name.  White frothing torrents poured unrestrained from the head into the heart of each pocket, carving a deep bowl and scattering oxygen bubbles like tiny shards of broken glass down into the turquoise depths.

   

Photo By Phillip Morone

Such waters, when stumbled upon, make the heart flutter; and the first contact with the dazzling fish of green and orange and white that is the native brook trout is a humbling experience each and every time.

The both of us experienced that excitement within the first pool.  For my brother, Phillip, it was his first—the first of many.

    Leapfrogging each other in the normal fashion, we continued catching brookies in almost every run, riffle, and pool.

    For sport, I swapped my terrestrial for a dry fly.

    The largest fish were always five to six inches, until I got a wave from Phillip upstream, who had just plucked a “three-incher” from a run, spooking a larger specimen downstream.

    With a searching drift, my fly rose the fish from a shallow riffle, and I brought the “9” (inches) to hand.

After taking that fish and several others of slightly smaller size from similar water, my attention turned to smaller pockets. 

    The next bend in the river revealed a chain of riffles, and after studying them for a few minutes my eyes landed on a bobbing, dun-colored nose.  After sipping at the surface, the flaming, white-tipped fins returned to the pebbly bottom, only to bounce and carry the nose skyward for a meal.

A beautiful mountain brookie from a beautiful mountain
brook.  Photo by Phillip Morone.

    Guiding my fly carefully on course, I solicited another rise, only to strike too early, and spook the trout for good.  Such is the nature of trout fishing.

    Soon the pocket water tapered out and gave way to shallow riffles.  The canopy receded and gave way to lowland flora.  Friendly waxwings flitted playfully about.

    More fish were caught, and we had many chances ahead, further up the mountain.  But the sun was beginning to sink past the canyon’s surrounding peaks, and, as we were unfamiliar with the hike, we turned back in the interest of safety.

    After reveling in its bounty only once, the St. Mary’s Wilderness revealed itself to me as a place worthy of protection.  I would urge all who fish its waters to return anything caught, and to leave no trace.  What enjoyment, and creatures, we reap from the environment is a renewable resource as long as we remain responsible stewards of the wilderness.

Originally Published in the Rural Virginian