Tuesday 3/26: 9.8 miles from Harpers Ferry to David Lesser shelter (1,883 ft ascent)
Wednesday 3/27: 14.8 miles to Sam Moore shelter (3,007 ft ascent)
Thursday 3/28: 15.8 miles to Whisky Hollow shelter (3,863 ft ascent)
Friday 3/29: 18.9 miles to Tom Floyd Wayside shelter (4,210 ft ascent)
Saturday 3/30: 13.4 miles to finish in Front Royal (1,705 ft ascent)
My plan was to follow the Appalachian Trail southbound, setting off from Harpers Ferry, bound for Front Royal.
For the first two-and-a-half days, the trail was familiar: I walked it (in the reverse direction) with my friend Alistair in 2022. Beyond Ashby Gap was new territory though. I’ve wanted to walk this route since we arrived in Harpers Ferry 5 years ago, so it was great to finally make it happen.
I got away by lunchtime, the morning consumed in a frenzy of packing, tying up work emails, and fretting about whether I had everything. It’s the same with every multi-day trip.
Nerves settle with the first few footsteps on the trail.
The best send-off! Lexi joined me to the park boundary. It was hard to say goodbye; I wished she was coming with me!The boardwalks signal your imminent arrival at Keys Gap.The Appalachian Trail signs are iconic.
I made good time to the shelter, as I’m deeply familiar with this section of the trail. The evening was cold, wet, and windy, but the rain didn’t fill in until after pitching my tent and having dinner. Three other hikers arrived and decided to stay in the shelter but I didn’t chat with them until the following morning.
A quick sit down upon arrival at the David Lesser shelter.It was a windy afternoon so I deliberated for a while, looking for the most sheltered camp spot (the one with the fewest big trees above!). The shelter is top left in this image.
Day 2: David Lesser shelter to Sam Moore shelter
Mist hung on the mountain side, a thick grey soup that gave a primordial feeling to proceedings. I love these kind of conditions. Thankfully, the rain petered out by 9. I had a deliberately slow start to the day to avoid it. The tent was sopping wet though.
I awoke to a thick mist at camp.Smiling despite the wet, dreich morning.Setting off from David Lesser shelter, in full rain gear.Into the mist once more.There is something beautifully serene about walking through mist-clad woods.One of my favorite stretches of trail of this section is the rocky traverse along the exposed ridgeline.Lonely wild daffodils provided a dash of color amongst the muted pastels of this drab day.The big boulder near to the Blackburn Trail Center.Entering the infamous roller-coaster section: the trail goes up-and-down and up-and-down for the next 17 miles.A colony of Trichaptum along the trail.Sadly no views at Raven Rocks lookout on this occasion. After crossing Snickers Gap (US 7), I climbed up to Bear’s Den lookout and enjoyed the lookout now the cloud base had lifted.The story here: I walked straight into this tree and smacked my head. Thankfully more of a glancing blow across the top of my head than full to the face. But a warning to pay more attention!The wonderful Sam Moore shelter.I pitched my tent in the same place as when I visited here 2 years ago with Alistair, on our 3-day AT hike.
Inspired in part by Alistair Humphrey’s Local book, I use the PictureThis and Merlin apps to identify plants and birds that I see on my walks. It deeply enriches my time in the woods, especially at this time of year when the spring flowers are out.
In addition to the daffodils and bluebells, I saw Bloodroot, Saxifrage, Common Periwinkle, Spring Beauty, Glory of the Snow, Rue-anemone, Violet, Chickweed, Yellow Fumewort, and lots of Cutleaf Toothwort.
Green False Hellebore line the banks of Sawmill Creek, the small creek next to the shelter that serves as the water source for hikers.Dinner and journal, one of the most enjoyable parts of any day on the trail.
Day 3: Sam Moore shelter to Whisky Hollow shelter
I awoke to another claggy morning, but it soon lifted.Breakfast of granola and coffee in the shelter.View from the top of Buzzard Hill.Stream crossing near Morgans Mill Road.Ashby Hollow (?) stream. So pretty.A delightful section of trail, carpeted with bluebells on either side.
When I crossed Ashby Gap (US 50), I walked onto a new-to-me section of trail. From here to Front Royal was entirely untrodden ground for me.
That feeling of venturing into the unknown, with everything I need on my back, is as intoxicating as ever. It’s the same feeling that my 21-year old self experienced setting off to walk across the Pyrenees one summer during University.
Sky Meadows was a beautiful, open space after days in the close confines of the trees.Looking east over Sky Meadows State Park.The mighty impressive Whisky Hollow shelter!View from inside. This is in the Premier League of AT shelters, with the Ed Garvey shelter the only other shelter I’ve seen of this grandeur.On account of the wind, I elected to stay in the shelter. It was convenient, but cold.
Day 4: Whisky Hollow shelter to Tom Floyd Wayside shelter
A beautiful sunrise through the trees, on the climb out of Whisky Hollow.Crossing under I-66.Starting the climb out from Manassas Gap and the I-66.Another lovely open section of meadows.A cast of hawks (I think?) flying over the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s land, on the climb out of Chester Gap.Tom Floyd Wayside shelter, my favorite shelter of this trip.The spring near Tom Floyd shelter: water source for hikers.Cooking dinner in the shelter.Sunset over High Knob, the ridgeline I’d crossed earlier in the day. The shelter is splendidly situated, on the slopes of the mountains that form the northern border of Shenandoah National Park (the shelter is a mile or so outside the park).Home for the night. It was another windy night, so I decided the shelter would be safer (from falling branches).
Day 5: Tom Floyd Wayside shelter to Front Royal
A mellow final day on gorgeous Shenandoah trails. I saw more people today than the other four days combined (being a Saturday in a National Park).
Cooking breakfast at dawn, from the warmth of my sleeping bag.Packed up and ready to leave.Arrival in Shenandoah National Park, under marvelous morning light burning through the thin mist.Nice to see the familiar stone marker posts in Shenandoah.Furry friend on the trail.View from the summit of Carson Mountain, 2,559ft.The interesting 3-bouldered summit of Carson Mountain.Crossing Skyline Drive.Views into the Shenandoah Valley from the Dickey Ridge Trail.A final tuna sandwich for lunch.Made it! Arrival at Front Royal.
Overall, this was a fantastic five days of backpacking through wonderful scenery. If I had any lingering doubts about my desire to one day hike the whole Appalachian Trail, this trip extinguished them. It’s a paradise for hikers and nature lovers.
Ben Collins Outdoors 