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

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.

Topographic map with GPS route

Elevation profile

Blue-blazed access trail

AT junction

Typical trail conditions

White blaze means we're on course

Approaching the Rock Spring access trail

Ferns and a water bar

Approaching Salamander Trail junction

Salamander Trail on the left and southbound AT on the right

Stone water bar

Rock hopping

Stay on trail below Hawksbill Summit

The closure is for this sensitive eco-system

Stone path

Trail crosses a second talus field

More rock hopping

Back in the woods

A third talus slope

Back in the woods again

The trail is in here somewhere

A seemingly long 300 yards

A narrow path descending toward the gap

A much wider path

Approaching the access trail junction

The access trail is wide and fairly level

Nearing the parking area

Hawksbill Gap parking area on Skyline Drive

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/.