SNP Riprap Hike - part 2

In addition to wanting to explore the Southern District of SNP, it was the reviews – like this one from Hiking Upward, and another from our Easy Day Hikes book – that led us to chose the Riprap Hike on Saturday: “Riprap Hollow is one of the best circuit hikes in the southern section of the Shenandoah National Park. The views from Chimney Rock, and along the ridge of Rocks Mountain, offer great vistas to the west and north. The spring fed stream in Cold Spring and Riprap Hollow is very scenic, and has a 50ft wide swimming hole fed by yet another mountain spring.”




While Hiking Upward outlines a 9.5-mile circuit hike, while we were after something more in the 3-mile range, which the out-and-back to Chimney Rock comprises. In any case, both the longer circuit and the out-and-back include a section of the Appalachian Trial (AT), which is where our outing began. The photos here are of some of the talismans - the signs hikers leave behind as they pass - we encountered on the trail, as well as a view of the path at one point.

In fact, we started out in the wrong direction on the AT…it makes a serpentine right at the Riprap Parking Lot, so we were disoriented and walked about a half mile before discovering our error. We encountered a number of people on this section of the trail – maybe ten in all, including one person off on a longer, multi-day hike. It is late in the year to be encountering thru-hikers, but he had the look of being on that kind of longer-term adventure.



…and he was wearing a compass around his neck, which was the same one I carry. I thought I might check it, after we saw him. Indeed, it informed us we were headed in the same direction. I don’t think Mary knows we could have ended up on a 10-mile hike yet…



So we got our bearings back, and turned in the correct direction, retracing our trail. Much of this area is in a wilderness zone; and for those who have encountered the AT, you know that trail is well-maintained. There was plenty of beautiful forest to enjoy, and periodically, we came across the fields of rip rap the trail is named after.



After passing the parking lot again, and seeing our compass-wearing hiker again, we kept going to the next checkpoint, where the Riprap trail turns off of the AT at about .4 miles to the North. We still encountered a number of hikers along the way, some with large packs, clearly on multi-day outings...to the south from this point, it is mostly back country to the Waynesboro Park entrance.

Tomorrow I will finish the Riprap Trail outing.