Saturday, October 3, 2020

Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road to Bootens Gap - Appalachian Trail - Shenandoah National Park


We continued our late May 2019 trip to Shenandoah National Park with another hike on the Appalachian Trail from the Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road north to Bootens Gap. This 2.4-mile piece of the AT is in the central district of the park and lies entirely on the east side of Skyline Drive.

Starting at the Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road, the trail ascends 330 feet in less than 0.6 miles to reach the south junction of the Loop Trail with an average gradient of 11%. We chose to take the Loop Trail to the overlook and return to the south trail junction so that we didn't skip any part of the AT. The loop trail climbs 40 feet in 475 feet of trail distance for an 8% average grade up to the overlook and back.

Continuing north from the south Loop Trail junction, the AT descends 60 feet in 800 feet for an average descending grade of 7½%. From there, the descent steepens to 12½% as the trail drops 100 feet in 800 feet. At this point, the trail levels out for about ¼ mile. About halfway along this level stretch, the AT is intersected by the Rock Scramble Trail climbing up from Skyline Drive to near the summit of Bearfence Mountain. 

After the level section, the trail climbs 40 feet in the next 0.10 miles at a 7½% grade to the flank of Bush Mountain. From the flank of Bush Mountain, the AT dips 100 feet in 0.45 miles for a descending grade of 8½% before leveling out into a roller coaster with an elevation range of 50 feet over the final 0.7 miles to Bootens Gap.

Parking at the gravel Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road is available on the edge of the turnaround away from the gate. Bootens Gap parking is an asphalt lot for about half a dozen vehicles.

Topographic map with GPS route

Elevation profile

View from Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road west to AT and Skyline Drive

Northbound AT

First switchback

Sidehill ascent

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) blossoms

Second switchback

Rocks and roots

Fewer roots, more rocks

Third switchback

Still climbing

Steep dropoff

Approaching the fourth switchback

Indian physic (Gillenia trifoliata) also known as bowman's root

The trail flattens out near the summit

Rattlesnake hawkweed (Hieracium venosum)

Bearfence Loop Trail southern junction

The Loop Trail is short but steep

Life is tenacious

Looking back at the Bearfence Mountain viewpoint marker

Approaching the viewpoint

View from Bearfence Mountain

Another view

Back at the southern junction of the Loop Trail and AT

Back on the AT northbound

Sidehill descent

The northern junction of the Loop Trail and AT

Northern end of the Loop Trail

More sidehill descent

Packed dirt surface

Bearfence Mountain Trail intersection

Stairs up to the rock scramble

Trail down to Skyline Drive

Using a downed tree for a waterbar without a step-over

The trail flattens out

More ferns on a descending segment

Slightly descending and mostly straight

A long-dead tree borders the trail

Volunteer trail maintainers from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) have
done an excellent job of removing duck-under and climb-over obstacles

Sidehill descent on a boulder-strewn hillside

Another slight descent

Trail junction at Bootens Gap

Short walk up to the parking area

Bootens Gap

A Shenandoah National Park entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Shenandoah Annual Pass for $55. 

The Shenandoah National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail website is https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy website is http://www.appalachiantrail.org/.

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