GUIDE TO OUTDOOR RECREATION front cover PLAN YOUR ADRENALINE RUSH VisitShenandoahCounty.com WELCOME The Shenandoah Valley is as beautiful as its name has invoked for centuries. Its beauty has been written about in folklore, it is endlessly the subject of paintings and photography. Its mountains span the western border of Virginia and its lazy river meanders with no hurry as it bends and winds along the edge of the western face of the Blue Ridge. Travelers looking for a place where natural beauty is abundant Plan Your Adrenaline Rush . 4 and wildlife is accessible to the naked eye do not need to go further than just 90 miles west of Washington DC. In Hiking, Biking & Horseback Riding . 6 Shenandoah County, visitors are welcome to experience the outdoors at their own pace whether it is a leisurely stroll on an Camping . 12 easy trail to see birds and wildflowers, or an adrenaline rush jumping from an airplane to see the valley from 12,000 feet. Public River Access . 16 Shenandoah County is an outdoor lover’s dream on land, Fishing, Hunting, & Bird Watching . 20 water or in the air. Here you can tackle 178 miles of trails throughout George Washington National Forest on foot, on Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trails . 24. horseback, or mountain bike; you can kayak, float or fish on . 28 the North Fork of the Shenandoah River; cruise the scenic Aerial Sports backroads on a motorcycle or on a bicycle; see the beautiful Golf & Disc Golf . 30 views from the top of a mountain ski lift, or the basket of a hot air balloon; enjoy four seasons of fun on the slopes of Bryce Winter Sports at Bryce Resort . 32 Mountain Resort. This guide gives you an insider’s view of where to go, how to get there, and what to expect in order to help you plan the Shenandoah County Tourism best outdoor adventure possible. Take a look at Shenandoah 600 North Main Street, Suite 101 County’s Visitor Guide for detailed information about places to Woodstock, VA 22664 stay, places to eat and other things to do while you’re here. 540-459-6227 VisitShenandoahCounty.com PLAN YOUR ADRENALINE RUSH 2 VisitShenandoahCounty.com 3 ith over 178 miles of trails throughout the George Washington National Forest, it can PLAN YOUR be difficult to know where to begin. Let the Wstaff at the George Washington and Jefferson ADRENALINE RUSH National Forests Lee Ranger CCC Interpretive Center help advise you with available trail maps and other resources. Information about numerous recreational activities, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests developed campgrounds, picnic areas and hiking trails Lee Ranger CCC Interpretive Center within the District which lies between Massanutten and 102 Koontz Street, Edinburg, VA 22824 Great North Mountains. Purchase trail maps, forest maps, 540-984-4101 or 540-933-6171 | Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4:30pm books and souvenirs. PAGE 17 SEVEN BENDS STATE PARK Totaling over 1,000 acres and located in the geographically unique “seven bends” area of the North Fork of the Shenandoah offering four miles of river frontage with public access and hiking trails to take advantage of the spectacular scenery and tell the stories of the area’s natural and cultural resources . Entrances located off Lupton Road and Hollingsworth Road just outside of Woodstock, Virginia . dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/seven-bends 4 5 eaturing 178 miles of trails throughout the Trail Key: National Forest and even more throughout Handicap the many local parks, Shenandoah County Accessible Trails offers trails for all skill levels, including Bike Trail Fsome handicap accessible trails. Hiking Trail Trails are listed based on their location within 8 Horse Trail the county from North to South. They are also Easy marked on the pull-out map at the end of this guide. GPS Coordinates of trailheads or parking Moderate areas are included when available. Enter GPS Hard coordinates as you would any address in your smart phone or mapping device, or reference the map for an overview. HIKING Many trails intersect one another at places. It is advised that visitors bring a trail map when they BIKING are unfamiliar with the area. More information on each trail is also available at visitshenandoahcounty.com/play/outdoor-sports-recreation/hiking/ For trail locations, please refer to the map at the end of this guide. 1 Massanutten Trail 3 Strasburg River Walk This challenging 65 .9 mile loop runs Begin your walk at the Strasburg from Strasburg to New Market and back Town Park . The gravel walkway, located up through Warren County . Enjoy the along the Shenandoah River, offers entire trail split over several days or beautiful views of the river and the face enjoy a shorter portion of the trail for of the Massanutten Mountain Range a simple day hike . Highlights include called Signal Knob . The .9 mile walk a hang glider launch site overlooking ends at Strasburg High School (Ram the Seven Bends of the Shenandoah Drive) and three benches and three River just below the Woodstock Tower doggie clean-up stations are located HORSEBACK accessible from Woodstock Tower Road . along the walk . 2 Signal Knob 8 4 Sulpher Springs Gap Trail RIDING This 9 .9 mile hike offers spectacular A quiet 7 mile trail featuring views of Strasburg, Fort Valley and the small waterfalls and pools adjoining the Shenandoah Valley . Both Confederate Tuscarora Trail with views of the Valley and Union troops used Signal Knob as a and White Rock Cliff and Tea Mountain . lookout point and signal station during Parking located off Forest Route 1725 the Civil War . Located off Fort Valley GPS COORDINATES: 38 .97539, -78 .56764 Road . The trail starts from the right side 5 Meneka Peak This 8 .6 of the Signal Knob parking area . GPS COORDINATES: 38 .93503, -78 .31956 mile hike is an abbreviated version of the Signal Knob hike with great views of the valley below . The trailhead is located on the right hand ride of the Signal Knob parking area is located in Fort Valley off Rt . 678 . GPS COORDINATES: 38 .93537, -78 .31953 6 VisitShenandoahCounty.com 7 6 12 17 21 Mudhole Mountain Little Passage Creek Little Sluice Bryce Mountain Bike 8 This 12 .7 mile trail is 8 This trail uses several 8 This 13 mile hike is best completed Park a continuation of Maneka Peak and portions of other hikes in the Signal in two days and features a great 1982 Fairway Dr, Basye is popular with mountain bikers and Knob area including Signal Knob, campsite on the White Rocks Trail near 540-856-2121 levels off after the first 4 miles . Snow Meneka Peak, Mudhole Gap, and the lookout . Located off Johnstown bryceresort.com melt forms Little Passage Creek which Three Top Mountain and follows a Road . Park at the gate on Rt . 88 . To Featuring 8 lift accessed trails ranging runs through Mudhole Gap in the early long section of a Forestry Service Road begin the hike, follow the road past from beginner to advanced, some of spring . Start by taking the Tuscarora making it a nice day hike . Located off the gate before left and continuing which are over 2 miles long . The park Trail to the 1st intersection then turn Boyer Road in Fort Valley . Start at the uphill onto the orange blazed Bread also includes a learning center with left . Located near Elizabeth Furnace closed gate on the Massanutten Trail . Road Trail . certified instructors and a bike retail Recreation Area . GPS COORDINATES: 38 .914186, -78 .374178 GPS COORDINATES: 38 .93246, -78 .61782 and rental shop . GPS COORDINATES: 38 .92997, -78 .32788 13 18 22 Buzzard Rock Big Schloss/ Stack Rock Trail 7 Buzzard Rock North This 7 mile out and back hike is a Mill Mountain This easy 1 .6 mile (one way) hike This is a short and easy 4 shorter hike near Elizabeth Furnace . This 4 .4 mile hike climbs 1000 vertical connects the Great North Mountain mile hike with spectacular views from Located off Fort Valley Road . The trail feet and is a popular day trip offering Trail with The Laurel Run Spur Trail . Buzzard Rock of Fort Valley below . head is located through the picnic area panoramic views from a towering Generally steep and narrow as it Accessible via Fort Valley at the Buzzard straight ahead past the furnace . outcrop of white sandstone on Mill descends the mountain . Parking off Rock parking area off Rt . 619 . GPS COORDINATES: 38 .93773, -78 .28855 Mountain . The trailhead is located Forest Road 252 (known on Google GPS COORDINATES: 38 .93773, -78 .28855 in the Wolf Gap Recreation Area Maps as Logger Rd 252) off Cold Spring 14 Three Top Mountain running north . Located at the Wolf Road near Jerome . 8 Tuscarora/Bear Wallow This 7 .6 mile trail stretches 3 .5 Gap Recreation Area near the VA/WV 8 23 Trail This 3 .15 mile miles along the ridge line and is one of state line . Kepler Overlook trail ascends to elevations above 2,000 the least traveled trails in the Signal GPS COORDINATES: 38 .92404, -78 .68949 Located near Sheffer’s Gap off the ft . Park in the Signal Knob parking area Knob area . Located off Boyer Road in Tuscarora Trail, this secluded 6 .6 mile off Rt . 678 . Fort Valley . To begin the trail, backtrack 19 Tibbet Knob Tibbet hike near Van Buren Furnace has GPS COORDINATES: 38 .9323, -78 .3262 down the forest service road . The Knob is the sister hike to Big Schloss . several nice campsites and vistas trailhead will be on the right . Starting from the same parking lot along with views of Cedar Creek .