66 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA -Sección 23 y 22 -De Parkers Gap Rd, USFS-812 a Apple-Orchard Mountain y James River US-501
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 17.04 mi
- Elevation gain
- 3,773 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 6,516 ft
- Max elevation
- 4,229 ft
- TrailRank
-
75
5
- Min elevation
- 604 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 8 hours 57 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2364
- Uploaded
- April 18, 2016
- Recorded
- April 2016
near Curtis, Virginia (United States)
Viewed 1255 times, downloaded 14 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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Stage 66
⇐ Link to the previous stage: 65 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Sections 25 and 24 - Route VA-43 Bearwalow Gap, Buchanan, VA, to Sunset Field
⇒ Link to the next stage: 67 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA -Section 21 -James River Foot Bridge -US-501 to Bluff Mt. and Blue Ridge Parkway- Punchbowl Mt
Tour of the Appalachian Trail (Appalachian Trail), as it passes through the state of Virginia (United States), from south to north, from the intersection of the trail with Parkers Gap Road, USFS-812, near Sunset Field (Blue Ridge Parkway viewpoint and parking lot), to the parking lot located on US-501, shortly after crossing the James River via the existing pedestrian bridge.
The stage corresponds to sections 22 and 23, according to the official distribution of stages of the Appalachian Trail in the state of Virginia, and runs entirely inside the George Washington Jefferson National Forest, in areas known as Thunder Ridge Wilderness and James River Wilderness face.
We begin the march in the parking lot and viewpoint identified as Sunset Field, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a mountain road that winds the highest parts of this area, and that on many occasions intercepts or closely approximates the Appalachian Trail. On this occasion, the AT passes a short distance from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and is accessed through a short approach path.
Already on the trail, from the crossing with the Apple Orchard Falls Trail, a gradual ascent begins towards the top of the Apple Orchard Mountain (4,206 feet). This mountain, although it may seem modest because of its height, if compared to other peaks located in North Carolina, Tennessee, New Hampshire, or even south of Virginia (Mount Rogers), is actually the highest peak of the Appalachian Trail, in the section that goes from Mt. Moosilauke, in New Hampshire, located 1,600 kilometers of trail, to the north, and Chestnut Knob, in Virginia, 320 kilometers of trail, to the south.
At the top of Appel Orchard Mountain there is a radar station of the Federal Aviation Administration, with an unmistakable large white sphere, which allows you to perfectly identify this mountain, even many kilometers away. In fact, this radar station can be seen very well from the McAfee Knob (located 88 kilometers of trail, to the south), and also from the Cole Mountain (67 km of trail, to the north).
From this top you can enjoy excellent panoramic views in all directions.
In the first meters of descent, we cross a short, slightly more rugged area, and pass under The Guillotine, a curious formation that presents a large spherical rock embedded between the middle of two large stone blocks.
After a gentle hill known as Thunder Hill, the trail runs in gradual descent, along the ridge of Thunder Ridge, and in a rocky area of the path you access an extraordinary viewpoint, overlooking the valleys and mountains located north and west of the James River: Arnold Valley, the Great Valley of Virginia and the Allegheny Mountains. Also to the north, and in the distance, you can see Natural Bridge.
From this point, and for almost two kilometers, the AT also gradually ascends a new hill, on the same ridge of Thunder Ridge, and once the summit descends in a zigzag way, continuously, towards the hill of Petites Gap, where it intercepts USFS-35, a short distance from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
This could have been perfectly a good end point for the stage, but the day is splendid: good temperature and sunny, and given that in the path of the AT to the north, in this area, the descending sections predominate, we had decided to continue some miles more, until you reach the James River.
This new section runs through the area called James River Face Wilderness.
PROVISIONAL DESCRIPTION.
CONTENT IN ELABORATION
⇐ Link to the previous stage: 65 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Sections 25 and 24 - Route VA-43 Bearwalow Gap, Buchanan, VA, to Sunset Field
⇒ Link to the next stage: 67 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA -Section 21 -James River Foot Bridge -US-501 to Bluff Mt. and Blue Ridge Parkway- Punchbowl Mt
Tour of the Appalachian Trail (Appalachian Trail), as it passes through the state of Virginia (United States), from south to north, from the intersection of the trail with Parkers Gap Road, USFS-812, near Sunset Field (Blue Ridge Parkway viewpoint and parking lot), to the parking lot located on US-501, shortly after crossing the James River via the existing pedestrian bridge.
The stage corresponds to sections 22 and 23, according to the official distribution of stages of the Appalachian Trail in the state of Virginia, and runs entirely inside the George Washington Jefferson National Forest, in areas known as Thunder Ridge Wilderness and James River Wilderness face.
We begin the march in the parking lot and viewpoint identified as Sunset Field, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a mountain road that winds the highest parts of this area, and that on many occasions intercepts or closely approximates the Appalachian Trail. On this occasion, the AT passes a short distance from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and is accessed through a short approach path.
Already on the trail, from the crossing with the Apple Orchard Falls Trail, a gradual ascent begins towards the top of the Apple Orchard Mountain (4,206 feet). This mountain, although it may seem modest because of its height, if compared to other peaks located in North Carolina, Tennessee, New Hampshire, or even south of Virginia (Mount Rogers), is actually the highest peak of the Appalachian Trail, in the section that goes from Mt. Moosilauke, in New Hampshire, located 1,600 kilometers of trail, to the north, and Chestnut Knob, in Virginia, 320 kilometers of trail, to the south.
At the top of Appel Orchard Mountain there is a radar station of the Federal Aviation Administration, with an unmistakable large white sphere, which allows you to perfectly identify this mountain, even many kilometers away. In fact, this radar station can be seen very well from the McAfee Knob (located 88 kilometers of trail, to the south), and also from the Cole Mountain (67 km of trail, to the north).
From this top you can enjoy excellent panoramic views in all directions.
In the first meters of descent, we cross a short, slightly more rugged area, and pass under The Guillotine, a curious formation that presents a large spherical rock embedded between the middle of two large stone blocks.
After a gentle hill known as Thunder Hill, the trail runs in gradual descent, along the ridge of Thunder Ridge, and in a rocky area of the path you access an extraordinary viewpoint, overlooking the valleys and mountains located north and west of the James River: Arnold Valley, the Great Valley of Virginia and the Allegheny Mountains. Also to the north, and in the distance, you can see Natural Bridge.
From this point, and for almost two kilometers, the AT also gradually ascends a new hill, on the same ridge of Thunder Ridge, and once the summit descends in a zigzag way, continuously, towards the hill of Petites Gap, where it intercepts USFS-35, a short distance from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
This could have been perfectly a good end point for the stage, but the day is splendid: good temperature and sunny, and given that in the path of the AT to the north, in this area, the descending sections predominate, we had decided to continue some miles more, until you reach the James River.
This new section runs through the area called James River Face Wilderness.
PROVISIONAL DESCRIPTION.
CONTENT IN ELABORATION
Waypoints
Car park
3,512 ft
Blue Ridge Parkway. Sunset Field. Inicio de la etapa
Blue Ridge Parkway. Sunset Field. Inicio de la etapa
Intersection
3,538 ft
Intersección del sendero de aproximación, con el AT y el Apple Orchard Falls Trail
Intersection of the approach trail, with the AT and the Apple Orchard Falls Trail
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Photo
3,896 ft
Gradual subida hacia la cima de la Apple Orchard Mountain
Gradual subida hacia la cima de la Apple Orchard Mountain
Photo
4,166 ft
Sendero en las proximidades de la cima de Apple Orchard Mountain
Sendero en las proximidades de la cima de Apple Orchard Mountain
Panorama
4,201 ft
Cima de Apple Orchard Mountain. Radar de la Federal Aviation Administration. Vista panorámica
Cima de Apple Orchard Mountain. Radar de la Federal Aviation Administration. Vista panorámica
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Photo
4,104 ft
Bajada rocosa desde la cima de Apple Orchard Mountain. The Guillotine
Bajada rocosa desde la cima de Apple Orchard Mountain. The Guillotine
Wilderness hut
Intersection
3,598 ft
Intersección del sendero con el Hunting Creek Trail
Intersección del sendero con el Hunting Creek Trail
Panorama
3,477 ft
Rocas y espectacular vista panorámica. Thunder Ridge
Rocas y espectacular vista panorámica. Thunder Ridge
Panorama
3,593 ft
Casi en la cima de una pequeña colina, en Thunder Ridge. Sendero y vistas
Almost on the top of a small hill, in Thunder Ridge. Path and views
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Fountain
Photo
2,811 ft
Pequeño bosque de rododendros en la bajada a Petites Gap
Pequeño bosque de rododendros en la bajada a Petites Gap
Panorama
2,846 ft
Subida al Highcock Knob Knob y vistas entre los árboles
Subida al Highcock Knob Knob y vistas entre los árboles
Summit
Campsite
2,326 ft
Marble Spring. Zona de acampada y fuente cercana
Marble Spring. Zona de acampada y fuente cercana
Intersection
2,460 ft
Intersección del AT con el Sulfur Spring Trail
Intersección del AT con el Sulfur Spring Trail
Intersection
2,614 ft
Intersección del AT el Gunter Ridge Trail, Devils Marbleyard y Belfast Trail
Intersection of the AT the Gunter Ridge Trail, Devils Marbleyard and Belfast Trail
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Intersection
2,589 ft
Intersección del AT con el Balcony Falls Trail
Intersección del AT con el Balcony Falls Trail
River
Panorama
1,821 ft
Algunas vistas del James River, y sendero
Algunas vistas del James River, y sendero
Bridge
Car park
629 ft
Estacionamiento del AT junto a la ruta US-501. Fin de la etapa. Vistas del James River
AT parking next to US-501. End of the stage. Views of the James River
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Comments (5)
You can add a comment or review this trail
Impresiona... y más en grupo. ¡Magnífica foto! https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderismo/66-appalachian-trail-virginia-seccion-23-y-22-de-parkers-gap-rd-usfs-812-a-apple-orchard-mountain-y-12994928/photo-8011569
Curioso pasaje y muy buena foto :) https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-outdoor/66-appalachian-trail-virginia-seccion-23-y-22-de-parkers-gap-rd-usfs-812-a-apple-orchard-mountain-y-12994928#wp-12994934/photo-8005068
Muy bonito :) https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-outdoor/66-appalachian-trail-virginia-seccion-23-y-22-de-parkers-gap-rd-usfs-812-a-apple-orchard-mountain-y-12994928#wp-12994939/photo-8011468
Otra etapa bonita, pero larga...
Con tan estupendas fotos una casi se siente allí. ¡Muchas gracias!
Muchas gracias por el apoyo y los comentarios.
La máquina de fotos es muy buena, y eso ayuda mucho, aunque el pesado equipo de marcha obliga a reducir en lo posible los utensilios a transportar, e impide el uso de cámaras de fotos reflex, con una óptica más compleja y con potentes teleobjetivos.
En todo caso, te puedo asegurar que la realidad impresiona muchísimo más, y supera con creces la mejor de las imágenes.
:-)