This hike winds along a portion of the Appalachian Trail, a 2,200-mile trail from Georgia to Maine. Blackrock Summit is located off Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, and offers a short, gentle incline to incredible 180 views, and a talus slope that is fun for kids and adults alike. One benefits of living in central Virginia is proximity to the Shenandoah National Park. I started at the Blackrock Summit Parking area. Blackrock Summit is a short hike, easily accessible from the Skyline Drive. The summit for this hike are the remnants of the ancient sea bed. Blackrock Summit Shenandoah National Park (Southern) ... Blackrock Gap is not the hike/trail described here. It is ideal for watching the sunset or sunrise, but it’s a remarkable experience no matter what time of day you visit. The trail was plenty overgrown, especially the Trayfoot mountain section. Check out my photos from a hike to this magical place, absolutely one of my favorites. The route is only one mile roundtrip and involves relatively no elevation gain. This hike makes several turns, but all turns are clearly marked. The path to the summit follows alongside the Appalachian Trail and loops around the… I don’t know of any other spot where you can see the Shenandoah Valley so clearly, as it separates the Blue Ridge (on our side) from the Allegheny mountains along the West Virginia border. Blackrock Gap to Blackrock Summit Parking - Appalachian Trail - Shenandoah National Park Our fifth day of "slack packing" along the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Shenandoah National Park consisted of a 6.0 mile hike from Blackrock Gap to Doyles River Cabin. Blackrock summit scramble was fun and views were amazing. You can begin on Skyline Drive at Blackrock Summit Parking, Dundo Picnic area or Browns Gap Road. The Blackrock Summit TRACK Trail is a 1-mile loop with a 175-foot elevation gain to a rocky talus slope overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. BLACKROCK SUMMIT, SNP. Sunday's Blackrock Summit Hike I’ve written about Blackrock Summit several times since I first discovered it back in September 2009. From Brown Gap to the summit and back is a 5.1 mile adventure. View the Full Album of Photos From This Hike. Difficulty and length: Only half a mile to get to some incredible views in Shenandoah National Park. Balckrock Summit: An easy Shenandoah National Park Day Hike Depending on the guidebook you use, the Blackrock Summit trail, in the South District of Shenandoah National Park, is listed at 0.8 to 1.0 miles in length, with about 175 feet of altitude gain. Blackrock Summit was an incredibly easy hike (about 30 minutes from where we parked) but had a great view as well as a field of broken rocks just at the summit. The shortest route is just .8 miles to the top for magnificent wide-reaching views. BLACKROCK MOUNTAIN HIKE . Located at Milepost 84.4 on scenic Skyline Drive, it is an extremely accessible and easy hike. This mile marker is located 19 miles south of US 33 or 21 miles north of I-64. This is not really even a hike: it is more of a short excursion off of Skyline Drive to an incredibly good viewpoint. LENGTH: 4.6 MILES RATING: DIFFICULT DOGS: ON LEASH FACILITIES: RESTROOMS . All in all, this is a fine summit, with a solid 2 hour round-trip hike via the longer trails, an excellent view from the summit, and excellent views along the trails. However, in the case of Blackrock Summit, the traditional one-mile round trip route from the Blackrock parking area is not enough of a hike to make the drive into the park worthwhile. Turn left and follow the AT up a gentle but steady incline. In a little less than a mile, the trail will open up and you will see a rocky talus slope (rock piles) to your right and left. The hike: My two visits to Shenandoah National Park have come 14 years apart. This is 1 mile loop trail that takes you out to a beautiful view through a boulder field. Blackrock Summit & Bearfence Mountain. One prime example is the rockfield found at the top of Blackrock Summit. That … February 29, 2016 buildingabetterme1979. You could also start at the Furnace Mountain Trailhead parking. From the parking lot, the trailhead begins on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. Find out why Virginia is for Lovers. Really, the only cool feature on this hike apart from some creek crossings. Appalachian Trail: Blackrock Summit - See 192 traveler reviews, 128 candid photos, and great deals for Shenandoah National Park, VA, at Tripadvisor. Bearfence is a short but challenging 1-mile rock scramble to an incredible view from the summit, and you can descend on an easier trail. Although extending well above the trail, the slope of the pile is not dangerous to climb on. Blackrock, which is in Page County, should not be confused with Blackrock further south in Rockingham County. Turn left to begin the return portion of this loop. Jan 15, 2016 - This short, easy hike in the South District of Shenandoah National Park will provide you with expansive views to the north and south. However, I didn’t run into any stinging nettles. Steep hills and rocky terrain won't keep you from soaking up a couple of the best views in the southeast, but prepare for a workout. Blackrock Summit is a hidden gem in the beautiful Shenandoah National Park. Today we're in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia hiking the Blackrock Summit trail. On my first visit in April 2000, spring had arrived in the surrounding valleys but not on the mountain. It's called Blackrock Summit due to the black lichen that grow on the rocks. Follow the AT south for about a half mile to Blackrock Summit. A hike to the top of this mountain peak provides breathtaking views of the surrounding valley. Blackrock Summit can be found just north of milepost 85 on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. Once you’ve arrived at the peak, you can enjoy a stunning 360-degree view of Shenandoah. Sands from the erosion of their once-tremendous heights can be identified on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastlines. Reap the rewards of two amazing near 360° views on this challenging 10 mile hike at Pinnacle Park just south of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Sylva, North Carolina. Christine Says… Most of the time, we opt to hike the shortest and most direct route to any nice viewpoint. Park at Brown Gap parking lot (mm 83) on Skyline Drive & cross the road to begin the hike to the summit. At 0.6 miles, you reach an intersection with the Trayfoot Mountain Trail, marked by another concrete post. The Mountains here at Blackrock Mountain are far older than mankind. If not, you can just do the short hike from Blackrock Summit Parking lot to see Blackrock summit to enjoy the best part of this hike. Hike to Mary’s Rock from Meadow Spring for another great sunrise view. The Pinnacle & Blackrock Mountain. These amazing views come after a considerable effort, though: the hike to the Blackrock summit climbs nearly 2700 feet in just over 3.5 miles, making this hike an exceptionally great workout. Blackrock Mountain. Blackrock Summit has spectacular views! I also found an apple tree. The elevation profile for his hike has is over 2000 ft with several decently steep sections. The Appalachian Trail also bisects the summit but can't be seen from this view. Hike along the Appalachian Trail for 0.5 mile until you reach Blackrock Summit. Hike to stunning views atop Blackrock Mountain on this challenging loop in Pinnacle Park near Sylva, North Carolina. HISTORY. The Appalachian Trail winds around a massive boulder field at the summit. The boulders range in size from cooler size to automobile size and its shows itself in a wide open area to allow for perfect views of the valley and rolling mountains. difficulty: 2. I'd been meaning to hike the Blackrock Summit Trail, which is part of the Appalachian Trail in the Shenandoah National Park (Virginia), and I finally made it up there. Most know for The Pinnacle, the summit of Blackrock Mountain offers just as good of views, but at a significantly steeper price.. Park at the end of Fisher Creek road. If you prefer a shorter hike try Hawksbill or Blackrock summit. And by field, I mean giant towering pile of rocks. Back then, I was in pursuit of my goal to complete all of the hikes in the Best Easy Day Hikes – Shenandoah National Park (Amazon link at end of post). Not to mention how fun it is to scramble to the top! I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. There are views to the north and south from the trail, but climb to the top of the boulders to get the best view of Shenandoah National Park. There is a large pile of quartzite boulders at the top of Blackrock Summit. This was split into three very short segments. In the past, these mountains had numerous names. Directions to the Blackrock Summit: Starting at the Blackrock Summit parking area (mile marker 84.4 on Skyline Drive), follow the Appalachian Trail south from the far end of the parking lot, so take a left. To find the trailhead, look to the end of the parking lot and find the trail Information board (pictured below). Every year, thousands of people attempt to thru-hike the entire trail. Directions to the trailhead: The Blackrock Summit Parking Area is located on the west side of Skyline Drive at mile marker 84.8. It is an excellent spot to view the sunrise while sitting on top of a boulder field with 360 views of the surrounding area. Pro tip: Make the trip down to the hut on a hot day to soak your hat and shirt in the spring. The hike itself was short and easy, but the views at the summit were breathtaking. Ironically, the Blackrock Summit loop does not go to Blackrock Summit; you will need to scramble up the boulders to the left here if you want to obtain the actual summit. The proximity of Blackrock to Skyline Drive makes it a heavily visited spot during tourist times, which is a pity, since that means visitors often must share the Blackrock summit with 20 to 50 other tourists. The hike to Hawksbill Summit at Shenandoah National Park is among the most popular in the park thanks to the relatively short distance to reach the park’s highest point (elevation 4,051 feet). Travelled by many, over thousands of … Richmond, my hometown, sits a couple hours drive from some of the east coast’s best hiking. Although the hike to it is short, the Blackrock summit trail is one of the more rewarding hikes in the southern section of SNP. We hike Blackrock Summit and I get eaten by flies while camping in Shenandoah National Park. 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