Shenandoah National Park is a treasure that all Blue Ridge outdoor enthusiasts value. Unfortunately it is also one of the most endangered national parks in the country, hosting a range of problems from ozone pollution that limits its beloved scenic vistas to invasive species that are wiping out its massive hemlock trees. Starting at the beginning of August the National Parks Conservation Association, the top watchdog of the National Park System since 1919, is offering a series of weekend hikes in Shenandoah with the intention of not only opening people's eyes to the park's beauty but also educating them on the things that need to change for the park to survive.
Read the NPCA's description of the hikes below. If any of them interest you, contact Erin St. John at estjohn@npca.org to reserve your spot.
August 4 at 11 a.m.-Wilderness Buck Ridge Trail Loop
This moderately strenuous 5.6-mile hike will provide the perfect setting to discuss wilderness and backcountry issues that relate to national parks. Meet at the south end of Meadow Springs parking area, Mile Marker 35.5.
August 18 at 2 p.m.-Mercury at South River Falls
Spend the afternoon on this 4.4-mile moderate trail to South River Falls, the park's third largest waterfall. Hikers can learn more about how mercury is polluting our parks and how NPCA is working to reduce this toxic pollutant. Meet at the South River Picnic Area, Mile Marker 62.8.
September 2 at 2 p.m.-Tree Identification on the Sugarloaf-Keyser Run Fire Road-Hogback Mountain Trail
Bring your tree guidebooks and explore Shenandoah's forests on this 5.9-mile easy loop. Meet south of the Hogback Overlook (park in lot on west side of the drive), Mile Marker 21.
September 16 at 9 a.m.-"Leave No Trace" in White Oak Canyon
This strenuous but rewarding 8.2-mile hike will take hikers into the deepest ravines and views of waterfalls and high cliffs. Guides will discuss the "Leave No Trace" principles on how to enjoy the parks with the least amount of impact. Meet at Hawksbill Parking Area, just south of Mile Marker 45.
September 29 at 9 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.-Help Our Parks on National Public Lands Day!
Volunteers will be removing invasive species from the meadow that threaten the rare plant community. Dress in field clothes, including full-length pants and shoes. Meet in the Massanutten Room, Big Meadows Lodge at 9 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.
October 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.-Journaling on Corbin Hollow Trail
Bob Trope from Nature's Best Photography magazine and Amy Marquis from National Parks magazine will lead writing and sketching exercises during this moderate 4.3-mile hike. This hike is most appropriate for participants 16 and over; space is limited to the first 12 participants. Meet in the parking area on west side of the road at Mile Marker 37.9.
October 27 at 2 p.m.-Climate Change on Hawksbill Summit
Join NPCA's Director of Clean Air Program Mark Wenzler for a 2.8-mile moderate hike to the summit of the parks highest mountain. Learn about how climate change is affecting our national parks and how you can help. Meet at Hawksbill Gap parking area, Mile Marker 45.6.
-J.F.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
Trail Magic
Good news for Blue Ridge hikers on the lookout for new trails. The Maryland-based American Hiking Society recently awarded nearly $50,000 in grants to 16 nonprofit, trail-focused organizations across the country.
One of the AHS's biggest gifts went to the Palmetto Conservation Foundation. The South Carolina organization received $5,000 to help with the ongoing construction of the lengthy Palmetto Trail, a proposed 425-mile trail extending across the state.
Other Southern trail groups that grabbed a little cash include the North Carolina-based Nantahala Hiking Club and Tennessee's Cumberland Trail Conference, which is continuing to work on the Cumberland Trail, which will eventually stretch for over 300 miles from Kentucky's Cumberland Gap National Park south to Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park and Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area just outside Chattanooga.
Since creating its National Trails Fund in 1997, American Hiking Society has awarded nearly $340,000 in grants to 89 different trail projects across the country.
-Jedd Ferris
One of the AHS's biggest gifts went to the Palmetto Conservation Foundation. The South Carolina organization received $5,000 to help with the ongoing construction of the lengthy Palmetto Trail, a proposed 425-mile trail extending across the state.
Other Southern trail groups that grabbed a little cash include the North Carolina-based Nantahala Hiking Club and Tennessee's Cumberland Trail Conference, which is continuing to work on the Cumberland Trail, which will eventually stretch for over 300 miles from Kentucky's Cumberland Gap National Park south to Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park and Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area just outside Chattanooga.
Since creating its National Trails Fund in 1997, American Hiking Society has awarded nearly $340,000 in grants to 89 different trail projects across the country.
-Jedd Ferris
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