Stony Man was the first hike I set off on during my vacation last week. It was a toss up, deciding between a waterfall destination of a summit, but I decided I might like to be around the Skyline area afterwards and Stony Man won. Besides, having driven past it so many times, and with it being visible from our part of the valley, seemed like I had to do it. This first photo is of the mountain as you approach it from Skyline Drive.
Stony Man is the second highest peak in SNP, but you wouldn't know it from this hike: the route is less than 2 miles, there is only 350 feet of elevation gain, and it starts from a large parking lot in the Skyland complex. I think it would be very crowded on weekends, but it would be a good hike for families - there is a nature trail quality to the path, with numbered stops. This is the first time I encountered two blazes on the trail - the blue for SNP trails and the white for the AT.
After a fairly quick climb you soon reach the summit. Here are three photos (views to center, left and right, respectively) in various directions from the main rock terrace up there. Incidentally, there is a hitching rail right at the top, as there is a riding trail from the stables that traces the ridge here. The small barely visible lake in the lefthand photo is Lake Arrowhead, a reservoir in Luray that has nice recreational facilities...on any given summer day you might encounter a family reunion or even a wedding reception going on there, recently, the swim event in a triathlon was held there.
I met and chatted with some folks visiting from Leesburg at the top, doing my impromptu ranger guide speech about the view to the valley. They were retired and had a good story to tell about a hornets' nest they'd encountered earlier in the week - there were plenty of buzzing insects around (no hornets though) that reminded them of the story.
One other highlight of the climb - at one point, marked by this sign, this trail is the highest point on the AT within the Park. Soon afterwards, the AT splits off northward.
After summiting, I followed the horse trail for a few dozen feet, and found myself at another vista point - this one with no other people present. I took some time to enjoy the views...funny, I also got a work cell phone call up there. It was a refreshing place for the conversation we had - dealing with some final technicalities on publishing a deliverable.
It was so hot last week during the golf round and the hikes that I looked forward to getting back to the cabin for a dip in the pool. A great reward after the exercise!
2 comments:
Any trails for seniors up there? I will bring my sneakers.
The Stoneyman Summit is a gentle climb on a smooth trail, and the folks I met at the top were seniors. With sneakers and a walking stick it's a definite must.
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