The Blue Ridge Boot Camp

The View from Pinnacles Overlook, just north of Skyland Resort.

Say you have some family friends visiting from out of town, and these same friends want to spend a few days hiking on Skyline Drive.  And use these hikes as a training session before they spend a week hiking the Italian Alps in a few weeks time.  Where do you even start with suggesting hikes for them, with all the wonderful ones this area has to offer?

 

A summit hike (Stony Man)…..or

A waterfall (Camp Rapidan)….                          What is your pick?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thought process:

1) At least one ‘summit hike’

2) At least one ‘waterfall hike’

3) A ‘famous’ Virginia hike

4) A hike Unique to Virginia.

It is so fun to share our little slice of heaven with old and very dear friends!

 

Add in that they were staying at Skyland resort on Skyline Drive; and this is what I came up with:

Day #1:  A combo of  Stony Man, Little Stony Man Cliffs (and they tacked on Millers Head for more mileage).  Check off #1 & #3 off the above list.

Day #2:  Camp Rapidan (also know as Camp Hoover or Rapidan River Hike), with the option of walking along the Appalachian Trail for a bit afterwards, and/or tackling Milam gap trail for more mileage .  Check off #2 and #4.

And the itinerary for The Blue Ridge Boot Camp, as these few days came to be known was born!

We had a good feel for all of these hikes, having done Camp Rapidan and Little Stony Man Cliffs before.  Stony Man has been on our list for awhile, but that trail is one of a handful of trails in the Shenandoah National Park where dogs are not allowed.

Because of its popularity, there are no dogs or horses allow on Stony Man Hike

The logistics on day one worked out well to do the Stoney Man combo.  They were coming from the Baltimore area, and Mickey and I had been in DC that weekend celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary; a trip which Billy,  JJ and J-wow did not accompany us on.  When better to do a non-dog hike than when you do not have your dog? (Because I HATE leaving J-Wow out of the fun!)   Further, the Stony Man hikes set out from a parking lot adjacent to Skyland, so really it was a no-brainer that we begin the Blue Ridge Boot Camp there.

 

Billy is a great tour guide. Here he is pointing out things of interest from the top of Little Stony Man Cliffs

 

In the summer, it is a little harder…but if you look real close, you can see the Stony Man formation from the cliffs

Stony Man hike is a pretty famous hike in these parts.  In fact, it rates as the #1 thing to do on Trip Advisor in Luray, beating out the World Famous  Luray Caverns.    And, it is listed on any number of top Virginia hikes lists that I have read over the years.  So, I hate to say this…..but I was a little underwhelmed with it!   The view, while wonderful would not rank anywhere near the top of the list of views from the hikes we have done over the years.   And, it really is a short, and quite easy hike to the summit.  But, in further reflection, and discussion with Mickey, I think that is the point.  It is a great reward for a minimal amount of work, perfect for people just wanting a small detour off Skyline Drive…..or as a family activity while staying at Skyland Resort.  So, it is good for sightseers.  Then, if you combine it with Little Stony Man (and as our friends did, Miller’s Head), you can log some distance, see a bunch of different views and end up with a really great day on the trials. Which is good for hikers.

Total Distance:  2.95 miles if you combine Stony Man and the Cliffs….and an additional 4 miles if you add Millers head as a round trip.

 

 

Speaking of Skyland Resort…..we arrived sooner than our friends, and since Skyland was our rendezvous point, I had a fair amount of time to explore there.  We have been before, on bathroom and snack breaks…..but this time I had a chance to take in some history of not only that resort but Stony Man summit, Skyline drive and the Shenandoah National Park itself.  What a great story.   Skyland Resort was established in 1888 by a man named George Pollock.  He wanted a summer retreat for the upper-class to come and escape the hustle and bustle of city life, spending time enjoying the cool mountain air, and views in his words that were ‘beauty beyond description’.  As I looked at some of the old pictures and guides of times at Skyland at the turn of the century, I was amazed at events and entertainment available to guests.    Apparently, George Polluck would awaken guests each morning with a bugle call, and keep them entertained with fancy balls, masquerade parties, jousting tournaments, high tea, and bonfires until the day was done.  And, everything was so formal:  Ladies sitting atop Stony Man in dresses fancier than I have ever worn, and men in jackets and ties engaging in a wide range of sporting pursuits.     This was all well before Skyline Drive, and the only transportation in was through horse or wagon.  Is it any wonder his guest typically stayed for all three months of the summer?

You can make out Skyland Resort in the distance in this photo from Stony Man peak.  And a bit of Skyline Drive as well.

Skyland resort has expanded over the years, and now has over 20 buildings with accommodations ranging from traditional rooms to cabins and cottages.  They all remain rustic, without a lot of bells and whistles….but clean, comfortable and safe.  The lodge dining room is reported to be very good (as confirmed by our friends), and there is wifi available!!!!  All in all, a wonderful place to still take in the cool mountain air and views just like it was 125 years ago!  But, these days, you can wear shorts and tank tops!

 

We will stay on the  subject of history, as it ties into our second day of the Blue Ridge Boot Camp, when we hiked down to president Hoover’s  Camp Rapidian (his version of the modern day Camp David).  This hike can be accessed across the street from Big Meadows Lodge.  Or  South a few miles,  at Milam Gap Overlook (MM 53).  We prefer the later start, because it eliminates a long section of a fire road, and interacts with the Rapidan river at various points.  The beauty of the river is one thing, but nothing beats the sound of the rushing water while on a hike!

A few years ago, we ranked this hike as #2 on our list of favorite hikes, and I do not think that distinction will change anytime soon.  (For that write up, look here:  http://virginiavinesandtrails.com/category/camp-rapidian-hike/ ) We have completed many more, and varied  hikes since we first wrote about Camp Rapidan , and have not experienced anything that will come close to knocking it off.  It is beautiful, challenging and leads to such a unique spot in the woods, but also in history.

 

 

 

Dont miss the self guided tour inside the Prime Minister’s cabin.

Since our original write-up, I will add a few things:  #1) They have added a self-guided tour through the Prime Minister’s residence.  And it is really nice.  So nice in fact, that Billy wanted to move in!  #2) We had a chance to talk to the caretaker of the area, and in fact during the summer months, someone will always be in attendance to guide you through the main house.  We visited on a Monday, and were the only guests.   We really enjoyed speaking to this guy, as much as the first one we met a few years ago.  (As a side note, I have decided  this would be a great job for Billy in future years.  He could not live at the Prime Minister’s house, but would have his own bungalow just up the trail. ).  3) This hike is wet…..there are 3 fairly major river crossings (6 round trip), and if you meet up with it on a day where the water is high, it can be dangerous.  There are rocks that serve as ‘bridges’, but when the water levels are as high as we encountered, be careful.  We also experienced standing and running water on the trail in a few areas.  So, wear proper footwear!  But, on the bring side,  all this water on the trail also means….swimming holes.  There are two of them, the second one you meet up with on the way down is the deepest, and more easily accessed.

There are lots of rocky river crossings on Camp Rapidan hike.

 

 

The alternative start to this hike at Milam Gap entrance also affords you the opportunity to tack on another hike (Milam Gap Trail, 4+ miles round trip), or walk a bit on the Appalachian trail.  You need to cross Skyline Drive to start the hike, and you use the Appalachian trail to do so.

Total Distance:  4.2 miles Round trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and one more thing about Camp Rapidan.  This:

You dont even have to ‘look real close’ to see this guys rattles!

Yep, spotted this guy just off the trail, about equidistant between the Prime Minister’s House and the Main House at Camp Rapidan.  Biggest, and fattest and closest to a rattlesnake we have ever seen. Yuck.  But, also…..’my best performance in a snake sighting yet.’  My scream was not deafening, and I only ran about 20 yards away, close enough to alert the Park Ranger. (I thought he would attempt to remove this creature, but he just wanted to get a closer look!)

On the deck of Camp Rapidan.

So, our first ever Blue Ridge Boot camp was a success.  If you are local and a hiker, would you have chosen differently for hikes to showcase this area?

If you are not local…..come visit us, and we will use this itinerary (or come up with a unique one to you) for your very own Blue Ridge Bootcamp!

 

 

 

 

And now for the all important trail mix recipe, in what we will call Blue Ridge Boot Camp mix:

Reece’s Pieces

Almonds

Cashews

Banana Chips

Dried Apricots

*The first ingredient is a little sweet for JJ / the middle two nuts are for Billy and I, and the dried fruit are for our guests and Mickey (because the three of them are healthy!)  I have to say, it is one of our best yet!