Duncan Knob via Massanutten Trail
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12.1 mi
Distance
6 hrs 53 min
Time
terrain
1,382 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a difficult loop trail in George Washington National Forest - Lee district.
This trail goes by Duncan Knob.
Sights to See
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
This would have been a lovely, moderately difficult hike any other times, but the amount of rain we've had all summer turned the trails into streams. Of the 13 miles I registered, I'd say 10 of them were flooded with running water. While mostly shallow, probably 1-3 inches, there were some sections where I was in up to my knees in mud and muck. It was literally like walking through a creek. Fun at first but it got old.
Otherwise the trail seemed like it would normally be quite nice. You walk along the stream for the first part of it and the water is a good backdrop. Slow and steady incline, nothing too terrible. Once you get up towards Middle Mountain it gets rocky but otherwise the trail is mostly packed dirt and mud (that I could tell). Views aren't great with the foliage up. Bunch of nice looking campsites every 3-4 miles too.
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Public Tracks
Duncan Knob Lollipop
Day 1: Begin at the Kennedy Peak gravel parking lot off of Rt. 675 just past/before Camp Roosevelt NF Campground. Hike south along the Massanutten Trail (Orange Blaze) to a nice campsite (just across the stream) at the junction of Gap Creek Trail (Blue). Camp Here
Day 1 - 3.3 miles
Day 2: Head northwest up the Gap Creek Trail. Gap Creek Intersects with Duncan Knob Summit trail at +0.7miles. Ascend +0.3 miles to the summit. Once you have summited, return +0.3 miles and continue on Gap Creek Trail (Blue) for +0.2 miles until the intersection with Scothorn Gap Trail (Yellow). Hike southwest (left) on the Scothorn Gap Trail for +1.6 miles until it intersects with the Massanutten Trial (Orange) and turn left (uphill) and ascend Middle Mountain. At +0.6 miles, turn onto the Stickler Knob Spur Trail (Pink). Follow this trail (rock scrambles) for +0.7 miles till you reach the terminus and some AMAZING views of the South Fork Shenandoah River. Return to the Massanutten Trail (+0.7 miles) and continue (right) to descend from Middle Mountain along the Massanutten Trial (Orange) for +2.1 miles to your same campsite.
Day 2 mileage - 7.2 miles
Day 3: Return to the parking lot by retracing the day 1 route along the Massanutten Trail (Orange) for 3.2 miles.
Total Trip Miles: 13.6 Miles
Warnings the 3.2 miles at the beginning may have a junction that leads you onto the Duncan Hollow Road roughly at mile 0.8 when hiking southward.
