Mount Pleasant - Oronoco Virginia

June 2009

Well the weather has been too cold for us to get out too much so I am posting a hike we did this past summer in June of 2009. We happen to love the George Washington National Forest in Virginia since it is only 160-180 miles from the RDU area. This is a great first primitive camping and hiking trip for young children since you do not have to haul your gear very far.

Horse Camp Gap

There is a large field called Horse Camp Gap next to the parking area where we camped. Although it is close to the road there is very little traffic on this gravel road and the road is not visible due to the vegetation. If you are energetic, you can camp on the far side of the gap putting you about ½ mile from the road. The Appalachian trail passes through here and most of the other campers that weekend were through hikers. The camping is primitive meaning no facilities at all. A fresh water spring is available about a 3/4 mile down a path through Horse Camp Gap. However, you will have to either filter or boil the water. There are plenty of woods for privacy when looking for restroom facilities as well. If primitive is not your style, this still makes a great picnic area and day hike.

There are two nice loop trails from here, Cold Mountain and Mount Pleasant. Mount Pleasant is the easier of the two, but both are possible if your kids are in shape and you give yourself enough time. We did the Mount Pleasant Loop. It was a 5.5 mile loop with mostly gradual ascents and descents. For details on the hike and directions, check out the following website http://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/MountPleasant.

Kid’s View
Mom: “What did you think about the hiking and camping at Mount Pleasant?”
Wyatt (6): "I liked when we ate smores and put our sticks in the fire."
Garrett (4): "I liked to stick the sticks in the fire."

Mom: “Was the hike hard?”
Wyatt: "Yes"
Garrett: "No"

Mom: “What was your favorite part?”
Wyatt: "When we climbed out on the big rock."
Garrett: "When we reached the top and found a dead fish."

Mom: “Would you want to go again?”
Wyatt: "Yes!!!"
Garrett: "Yes!!!"

Crabtree Falls, Massies Mill, VA

November 2009

Most people travel to the Asheville area when wanting to get away to the mountains. However, even closer for those living on the north side of Raleigh or Durham is the George Washington National forest in Virginia (approximately 160 miles from Durham as opposed to 224 to Asheville). There are numerous hiking and fishing destinations with much fewer crowds.

Crabtree Falls is one of the more populated destinations we have hiked, but the falls are one of the most beautiful in the area. They are denoted as the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. When you arrive at the lower parking lot off VA-56, there is a $3 parking fee at the base of the trail. We only had a $20 and there was no one there to make change, so we placed a check in the self pay station. All seemed to work out OK.

The hike from the bottom to the top has hand rails and stairs, which makes the 1.1 miles to the top an easy trek for almost any level of hiker and a great first waterfall hike for young children. Mine were 4 and 6 at the time of the hike and I needed more breaks than they did. However, keep them close and do not climb over any railings. The forestry service has a sign stating the number of people who have fallen to their deaths at these water falls.

To make the hike longer and experience more solitude you can continue up past the foot bridge to the falls and follow Crabtree stream. This section of the trail is much less steep. This trail continues another 1.1 miles to a parking lot off forest service road 826. To get back to your car, turn around and retrace your steps.

Kid’s View

Mom: “What did you think about the hike to Crabtree Falls?”
Wyatt (6): “It was good.”
Garrett (4): “I loved it!”

Mom: “How difficult was the hike?”
Wyatt: “It was hard to climb.”
Garrett: “It was hard. It was a steep hill and I was trying to get to the top.”

Mom: “What was your favorite part?”
Wyatt: “When we got to go on the log bridge we climbed on ourselves.”
Garrett: “When I saw down the falls. It was a pretty place.”

(Log Bridge: This is not a required part of the hike. And the waterfall was nowhere close at this point.)

Mom: “Would you want to go again?”
Wyatt: “Yes!”
Garrett: “Yes, but a different hike.”