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Sunday, October 11, 2020

Fishers Gap to Rock Spring Cabin Parking - Appalachian Trail - Shenandoah National Park


We continued our early June 2019 trip to Shenandoah National Park with another hike on the Appalachian Trail from Fishers Gap north 1.5 miles to the Rock Spring Cabin parking area at Spitler Knoll Overlook. The trail stays within a 30-foot vertical range for the first 0.5 miles before dipping 90 feet in the next 0.14 miles at an average descending rate of 12%. After flattening out for 300 feet, the trail then climbs 380 over the final 0.8 miles at an average ascending rate of 9%. 

We happened to be hiking on a beautiful Saturday and found the Fishers Gap area packed with people and vehicles. This included parking on the Red Gate Fire Road that caused us to have to search for the trail when crossing the road as the vehicles are taller than the trail markers. The AT on the north side of the road is several vehicle lengths further east toward Skyline Drive. I suspect many of these people were crossing Skyline Drive and hiking down to Rose River Falls.

The Rock Spring Cabin parking area has marked spaces for five vehicles.

Topographic map with GPS route

Elevation profile

Fishers Gap parking area

Connecting trail

The AT is only 60 yards from the parking area

Fishers Gap from the AT

Clearing below Fishers Gap Overlook

Fishers Gap from the trail

Approaching Red Gate Fire Road...Where's the trail?

Back on the trail

Typical trail conditions

Social trail to...

...an obstructed viewpoint

Back on the trail

The trail disappears into a green tunnel of mountain laurel

Viewpoint 1

View southwest toward Big Meadows

Little Hawksbill Creek drainage area

Another perspective

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) blossoms

Social trail to viewpoint 2

View southwest

Talus slope below Franklin Cliffs

Trail descending steeply

Continuing the descent

Beginning the climb

Continuing the climb

Another obstructed view

Still climbing

Climbing on a steep side slope

Rock Spring Cabin Parking trail marker

Blue-blazed side trail to parking on Skyline Drive

Parking area

The Spitler Knoll Overlook is adjacent to the parking area

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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