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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.
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| Topographic map with GPS route |
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| Elevation profile |
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| Fishers Gap parking area |
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| Connecting trail |
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| The AT is only 60 yards from the parking area |
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| Fishers Gap from the AT |
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| Clearing below Fishers Gap Overlook |
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| Fishers Gap from the trail |
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| Approaching Red Gate Fire Road...Where's the trail? |
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| Back on the trail |
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| Typical trail conditions |
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| Social trail to... |
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| ...an obstructed viewpoint |
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| The trail disappears into a green tunnel of mountain laurel |
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| Viewpoint 1 |
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| View southwest toward Big Meadows |
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| Little Hawksbill Creek drainage area |
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| Another perspective |
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| Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) blossoms |
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| Social trail to viewpoint 2 |
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| View southwest |
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| Talus slope below Franklin Cliffs |
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| Trail descending steeply |
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| Continuing the descent |
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| Beginning the climb |
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| Continuing the climb |
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| Another obstructed view |
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| Still climbing |
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| Climbing on a steep side slope |
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| Rock Spring Cabin Parking trail marker |
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| Blue-blazed side trail to parking on Skyline Drive |
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| Parking area |
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| 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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