Terrain is great for all levels. Great views. Many trails. Prepare for long hikes and bring plenty of water. It can be dry.
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This hike is all about the seclusion. It’s very unlikely you will see anyone all day. Great for family’s and young kids with a beautiful view.
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This is a fantastic out and back hike with spectacular views from the old fire tower. However it is very popular and can be busy on the weekends.
Note that parking is only available on the trail side of VA675. If you park on the private drive side you may be towed.
https://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/KennedyPeak/
https://youtu.be/fLjC53a8lKo
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This is a great hike. Steep start and finish. Great views to the East and West at the top and some nice East views along the ridge line.
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The most spectacular view I’ve seen in the George Washington National Forrest! Highly recommend the 8+ mile Bird Knob to Emerald Pond. Bonus swimming hole at top!
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My son and i went up to the trail for his first 4x4 trail drive. This is not a hard trail to drive, but it is narrow in spots, very rocky, and steep. You will need higher ground clearance. Not super scenic but at an easy pace took us around three hours. Lots of dirt bike, atv, utv, and other vehicle traffic With limited areas to pass. A few small mud puddles with really dry conditions. Great first experience but more rocky And much narrower than i had planned.
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First mile is a b****! After that some great lookouts, and the pond makes it worth the effort.
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Great trail for atv/ohv/4x4 vehicles. Unfortunately no real sites, stops to be had while on the main trails. Do not go off the vehicle trails unless you have an atv or dirtbike.
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It was a decent hike, but a rattlesnake blocked the path and we had to backtrack and adjust our route.
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This is a great, but challenging hike. After 0.3 miles, you are climbing 1800 ft over a mile. Your reward is a breathtaking outlook over the valley, followed by a six mile loop through a tranquil forest and peaceful meadows, with a beautiful mountaintop pond halfway through. The back half of the loop starts less auspiciously, with a long climb up a steep graded fire road. But soon, your trekking back through the woods, passing enormous ant hills to join up with the start of the loop. Take a break again at the overlooks before you start the mile long climb back down - you'll need your strength. But overall, the only thing missing from this hike that you might want is a waterfall.
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The ridge is great. The Stephens trail loop is wretched in the vertical (northern part) the small bulldozing of the trail has left it shaved but with very loose rock. Not fun to hike up or down.
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Easy hike with a moderate ascent. Awesome view East to the Shenandoah River and SNP.
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It's been a wet and warm fall so far, but the temps have dropped and the colors are popping out. The view east from Ediths Gap was outstanding, especially with a trail of thick mist following the Shenandoah River below. The views from Kennedy Peak were also outstanding. The viewing stand atop the shelter gives great views in all directions. Views to the West were great, as the yellow and red were mixed in with the green of the hardwood forest.
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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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