This will likely end up being a very large gallery, since about 25 % of the Appalachian Trail is in Virginia. Click on any picture to enlarge, then you can use left and right arrows below the picture to move ahead or back.
We’re loving Virginia so far – the trail has flattened out just a bit. In Virginia, there are occassionally pastures and flat ridges between the mountains. In the more southern states, there are only MOUNTAINS between the mountains!
I hope you enjoy these shots as much as we’re enjoying the hike.
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- view from a rocky ridge
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- We didn’t take the 0.5 mile side trail to Mt. Rogers (Virginia’s highest point) but some other hikers left their pack behind to make the climb.
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- Wild ponies in the Roan Highlands
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- This “wild” pony let me pet him!
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- A cattle drive? On the trail? Yep, pardner! (Move ’em out, Rawhide!)
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- L-to-R: ???, CLiCK!, Prophet and Guitar at Old Orchard Shelter
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- Hurrican Mtn. Shelter – one of the newest
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- corner detail at Hurricane Mtn. Shelter (like it, Tim?)
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- Partnership Shelter – CLiCK! (behind post), Badger and Sprout enjoying pizza; delivered right to the shelter! This shelter even had a hot shower!
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- …in the dumpster at the Partnership shelter
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- “Shutter”
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- Schoolhouse at the Settler’s Museum
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- The Barn Restaurant – we picked up a resupply package here, ate a tremendous amount, and heard the news about Bin Laden
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- Chestnut Knob Shelter – a stone cabin where we had lunch (it was a lot warmer than where we slept the night before!)
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- Snoozetime
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- crowd of hikers at breakfast time on the porch at Wood’s Hole Hostel
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- Sprout gets a trim from Sam-I-Am on the porch at Wood’s Hole
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- Enjoying the sunshine, a bit reluctant to restart hiking (Wood’s Hole)
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- Our temporary abode in Pearisburg, VA
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- Above the clouds
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- Mike above the clouds
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- Art Gypsy and CLiCK! at Bailey’s Gap shelter
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- There’s fungus among us!
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- Papa Sprout, Sprout and Spark outside the Home Place Restaurant in Catawba, VA (Sprout’s hometown)
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- Sherpa outside the Home Place Restaurant in Catawba, VA
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- Mike at McAfee Knob
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- Centipede
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- It’s pretty for a while, but the fog and mist becomes miserable after a few days!
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- Newt (Gingrich?)
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- The longest footbridge on the AT (crosses the James River), dedicated in 2000.
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- The James River
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- Had a bit of sun on our brief hike to Buena Vista (Thursday 5-19)
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- breaktime on a suspension bridge (in a rare moment of sunshine!)
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- Another gorgeous May day in Virginia
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- Thanks to the maintainers of ALL the sections! (The AT is maintained entirely by volunteers.)
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- Suspension footbridge over the Tye River
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- Classic Virginia view
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- Self-portrait (not QUITE on the edge of the cliff, but on the edge of advisable weight loss!)
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- Food-hanging poles (available at some shelters and campsites to protect food from bears) – click to get full view
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- Sunset silhouette – Mike and Mel (LongTime and CLiCK!) 5-21-11
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- Mike’s photo of Mel taking an iPhone photo of Mel taking a photo of a beautiful sunset
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- AT in Virginia passes many old stone walls – remnants of the days when there was much more farming here.
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- CLiCK! and Swift after dinner at the Ming Garden Buffet in Waynesboro, VA
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- Mother and ducklings on the pond at Waynesboro’s YMCA
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- Waynesboro, VA
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- Dashboard ornamentation in Paul’s truck
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- Paul Bosserman (Google “Metal Magic”) in his old Chevy truck. Paul gave us a lift back to the trail from Waynesboro.
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- Michael and ???, section hikers – it was her first hike of more than just one night!
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- In SNP, trail junctions are marked with concrete posts and stamped metal bands
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- Short version of the many rules governing camping in SNP – a sign like this is posted near every access point to the trail.
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- Not very clear, but our first bear! (5/23/11)
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- View in Shenandoah National Park
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- Whitetail doe and fawn on the easy-walking trail in SNP
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- It’s really candy from Aunt Deb, but a few hikers thought we were eating raw bacon!
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- Blackrock hut
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- Skyline Drive in SNP – scenic for motorcycle touring!
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- One of the 28 Appalachian Trail/Skyline drive crossings in SNP
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- A sign we found humorous – the info is accurate enough, but these hikers look TOO fresh, clean, and easygoing!
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- Black snake! (we’ve seen fewer than 10 snakes so far!)
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- Spam & cheese tortilla and lemonade for lunch at an overlook in Shenandoah Park – gotta have those calories!
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- Another pretty view – after a while, as nice as each is, they begin to look the same.
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- Mary Beth and Melissa at Kline’s Dairy Bar – our first stop en route to MB’s home in Harrisonburg, VA
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- Mary Beth’s place – very spacious and comfy place to spend a night and day off-trail (Thanks again, MB!)
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- Another one of those Virginia views!
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- Entrance to a “Wayside” in Shenandoah National Park. (small restaurant, gift shop for tourists)
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- Roasting bratwursts at a shelter – “Badger” (a hiker from University of Wisconsin) and his buddies had some extras to share – Yum!
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- Chief Easyhiker makes a shelter log entry at Rock Spring Hut – Shelter logs are handy to let other hikers know where you are, share something humorous or vent your frustrations of the day.
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- Skyland – the biggest of the Waysides in Shenandoah National Park. We enjoyed a very nice (but costly) meal there!
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- Highest AT point in SNP
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- Taking in the view near Skyland
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- View near Skyland
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- Mountain laurel flowers
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- quick brunch at a Wayside – a chance to get REAL coffee!
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- Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter – our first stop north of SNP
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- Front Royal, VA on Memorial Day – We were expecting a package from home here, but due to the holiday, we had it forwarded to Harpers Ferry, WV
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- Following “Bombadil” – a 26-year-old Swedish hiker (he’s travelling pretty fast; we’ll not likely see him again)
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- LongTime, CLiCK! and Bombadil before breakfast on 5/31/11 (6:45 AM)
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- The slowest hiker I’ve seen yet on the trail
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- LongTime’s and CLiCK’s shelter log entries after finishing 1/2 of an annoyingly tough section called the “Roller Coaster”
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- Separate cooking pavilion (a real nicety) at Sam Moore Shelter
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- The end of Virginia – We loved it, but we’re happy to be finally done with it.
wonderful photos
from the small to large,
folks to scenics,
critters and comments,
and all ‘tween.
Glad you like ’em!
Great photos! Thanks for including dumpsters and all the other shots that give us the whole picture!
Looks so fabulous!!!! keep em coming!!!
Some words that come to mind after viewing your wonderful Virginia gallery, Michael–incredible green, far off vistas, nature’s gifts close-up, and such good company. I wish I knew what the woods smell like, apart from hikers that need showers!
Sometimes we enjoy the fragrances of flowers, other times it’s earthy. Then there are those times I think I smell buttered movie theater popcorn. Really!