We continued our early June 2019 trip to Shenandoah National Park with another short hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT). Our route was from the Rock Spring Cabin Parking area north 1.9 miles to Hawksbill Gap.
Of note on this hike was the 865-foot off-trail closure that is part of the Rock Outcrop Management Plan (ROMP) at Shenandoah. It is "an effort to prevent further degradation of important outcrop ecosystems." As of this writing, the park's website has a page on ROMP at
https://www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/romp.htm dated February 23, 2018.
Starting at the Rock Spring Cabin Parking Area at milepost 48 on Skyline Drive, a 500-foot blue-blazed access trail climbs 40 feet to the AT. Heading north, the Rock Spring access trail is reached in 0.5 miles. The Salamander Trail is located at 0.8 miles.
Starting at the AT junction 500 feet from the parking area, the trail is level for the first 400 feet before climbing nearly 200 feet in the next one-third mile for an average 10% grade. The trail levels out for 840 feet before ascending 100 feet in the next quarter-mile (7½%). The trail then descends 60 feet in the next quarter-mile (-4½%) before climbing another 75 feet in the ensuing quarter-mile (5½%). The final half-mile is the steepest of this segment of the AT as it consists of a descent of 300 feet (-11%). Another access trail leads to the Hawksbill Gap Parking area on Skyline Drive in 350 feet.
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Topographic map with GPS route
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Elevation profile
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Blue-blazed access trail
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AT junction
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Typical trail conditions
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White blaze means we're on course
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Approaching the Rock Spring access trail
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Ferns and a water bar
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Approaching Salamander Trail junction
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Salamander Trail on the left and southbound AT on the right
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Stone water bar
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Rock hopping
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Stay on trail below Hawksbill Summit
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The closure is for this sensitive eco-system
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Stone path
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Trail crosses a second talus field
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More rock hopping
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Back in the woods
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A third talus slope
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Back in the woods again
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The trail is in here somewhere
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A seemingly long 300 yards
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A narrow path descending toward the gap
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A much wider path
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Approaching the access trail junction
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The access trail is wide and fairly level
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Nearing the parking area
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Hawksbill Gap parking area on Skyline Drive
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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.
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