Hawksbill Summit Hike. There are two trailheads that take you to the Hawksbill, Upper Hawksbill Parking and Hawksbill Gap Parking farther north. Two starts at Hawksbill Gap parking area at mm 45.5. Is this a must-do if you are traveling with a, Is this attraction a good place to visit on a, Is this a place or activity you would suggest for, Are the prices for this place or activity, Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest for. The Hawksbill Gap Loop Trailhead starts from the Hawksbill Gap parking area at mile marker 45.5. This trail is very rocky in places, and the descent from the summit is steep. Only word of caution is to watch the edge closely as some parts of the area are quite steep. read more. From the parking lot, begin hiking from the Upper Hawksbill Trailhead. more, Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around Shenandoah National Park, Popular Shenandoah National Park Categories, Commonly searched for in Shenandoah National Park. There is plenty of parking on the other side of Skyline Drive from where the trailhead begins. This is a very popular hike, so make sure you plan on being patient when looking for a parking spot. Wasn't too busy when we were there, but gets crowded. If you are entering on foot, horse, or bike the fee is $15 per person. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Rte 1 is clockwise and called the Lower Hawksbill Trail or the Hawksbill Summit Hike. Views at the Hawksbill summit were top 10 in the state. Actually it's the only hard park of this trail. Continue, mostly downhill, another two miles on the AT to your starting point in Milam Gap. It took us about 75 minutes to complete the hike, which started at 1130 in pretty dense fog that fortunately partially cleared once we reached the summit - allowing for a great view. We recommend this hike. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around Shenandoah National Park. From Hawksbill Gap lot, easiest (not shortest) way up is the spur trail at the very north end of the parking lot then left at the AT, then left at Salamander Trail. It rained when we went so the path turns into mini creeks so wear sturdy shoes. It only depends how far and how steep you want to go. The Upper Hawksbill Trail actually has a big parking lot so... Read more. this summary today is of the upper parking lot to the hawksbill summit, it is the easier but longer of the two. Rte 2 is the Hawksbill Loop Hike which heads counter-clockwise out of the parking lot, combines with the Salamander Trail and down the Lower Hawksbill and is 2.9 mi and 860' gain. Export To GPS Device. You can stop by Skyland ranch before / after for a bite to eat, and this can easily be combined with Hawksbill, which is a few miles down Skyline Drive. You can start there, but we decided to stretch the hike out a little and combine the hike from Hawksbill Gap Parking with an area known as Whiteoak Canyon. Expect this hike to take 6 to 8 hours. ... Be prepared for that. We hiked with our sons and met another family who had even younger children who summitted as well. It took us about 75 minutes to... On this 8 mile hike, you have the chance to see nine waterfalls! Take the right path toward the Appalachian Trail. After another quarter of a mile, the blue-blazed Salamander Trail on the left goes about 0.8 mile to the Appalachian Trail; to the right, Lower Hawksbill Trail goes to Hawksbill Gap, at mile 45.6 along the Skyline Drive. Hawksbill Gap Parking is at the trailhead between mileposts... Read more. Because I went early (8ish) I had the top to myself and beautiful blue skies for miles. with viewing platform close to Byrds Nest 2 shelter. Wear hiking boots and bring some water as well as a camera. It is 1.7 mi and 690' in gain. My wife and I enjoyed the 1.7 miles round trip Summit Hike. This 2.7-mile loop takes you directly to the peak on the Hawksbill Summit Trail and then takes the less aggressive Salamander Trail back down to the AT for a return to the parking lot on the Hawksbill Gap Trail. Trailhead: Skyline Drive MP 42.6 at the Whiteoak parking area, or the lower trailhead at the Whiteoak Boundary Parking off Route 600. Nearby Attractions: Luray-Hawksbill Greenway; Big Meadows Lodge; New Market Battlefield State Historical Park; Endless Caverns From the upper lot, utilize the upper hawksbill trail direct to the byrds nest summit view. Wasn't bad and the trail was in reasonable shape. The 3rd starts at the Upper Hawksbill parking lot at mm 46.5 and is 1.7 mi round trip and 520' gain.All of them end at the viewing Platform. The Trailhead: The Upper Hawksbill trailhead is on the west side of Skyline Drive at milepost 46.7. From the Hawksbill Gap parking lot on Skyline Drive, it’s a massive descent down to White Oak Falls and then a steep, strenuous hike up the Whiteoak Canyon Trail. The best place to start this particular hike is the Hawksbill Gap parking lot at MP 45.6. The hike. This hike was pretty much straight up so definitely take your time. From the Hawksbill Gap parking area, which can accommodate 10 vehicles, begin your ascent on the trail on the left-hand side. Continue on the fire road to the Byrds Nest shelter, then go another 75 yards to the observation platform on the summit. Hawksbill Mountain is the highest peak in the park at 4050'. When: Saturday, October 10th, 7 am to 2 pm Where: Hikers will meet at Hawksbill Gap Parking Lot, which can be accessed by car via Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. The Hawksbill Mountain is the largest peak in the park and the 360° views at the top are some of the best to be found in the park. Share. parking area at mile 45.5, take the Lower Hawksbill Trail to Byrds From the Hawksbill Gap parking lot, one could simply hike uphill one fairly strenuous mile to reach the Byrd's Nest and reach the same climax as the full circuit however, doing the hike this way would cut out the views along the Franklin Cliffs part of the trail. Don't become a statistic for mountain safety and fatalities. Hawksbill Summit Hike. Hikes in Shenandoah: On a Map. Directions to Parking at Hawksbill Gap (Mile 45.5 on Skyline Drive): Google Maps Directions Trail Directions: Mile 0.0 – From the Hawksbill Gap Parking Lot, head to the trailhead sign. The trailhead is about a 20 minute drive into the park along Skyline Drive from the Thorton Gap Entrance. The short spur ends at the AT. The Hawksbill Mountain is the largest peak in the park and the 360° views at the top are some of the best to be found in the park. Very good 270 degree view of the Blue Ridge. Turk Gap Parking – 94 Sawmill Run Overlook – 95.3 Beagle Gap Parking – 95.5 Sawmill Ridge Overlook – 96 Jarman Gap Parking – 96.4 Calf Mountain Overlook – 98.5 Beagle Gap Overlook – 99.5 McCormick Gap Overlook – 101.9 Turnout/RFES Employee Parking – 104.5 Rockfish Gap Entrance Station – 105.5 Hawksbill is very popular spot, at the trailhead it's hard to find regular parking spot, just park at road side; plan to spend 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours on the trail and reserve 10-20 minutes at the peak to enjoy the view at the highest point of Shenandoah mountain-4051 feet. Short hike from the parking areas, with nearly 360 degree views. The trail is pretty heavily used but not too crowded during our visit. Hawksbill Summit from: parking area at mile 45.6 - 1.7 miles round trip, fairly steep hike to spectacular view. Andrew Rohm June 2, 2017. We got great pictures and will have them for a lifetime. Hiking up was tiring because it is steep. Waypoints. Our Tour recommendations are based on thousands of activities completed by other people on komoot. The view at the top was nice but you have to want to do this harder hike. The trail is very well marked. Its worth the drive. Did a shortened version starting from Hawksbill Gap parking lot. The elevation gain. On the Salamander trail, there are a few nice vistas (not marked on the trail map) before you get to the intersection with Lower Hawksbill. Hawksbill Gap serves as the trailhead for a number of popular hikes (including the fantastic Whiteoak Canyon-Cedar Run loop), so arrive early to get a parking spot. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Doing so, you’ll add at least two more wonderful waterfalls, creating a very strenuous 7.7-mile (12.4-kilometer) circuit. We did the upper Hawksbill hike to the summit. The trail out of the center of the parking lot is a VERY steep and the most direct trail to the summit called the "Lower Hawksbill Trail". Directions: Start at the Passamaquoddy parking lot near Skyland Ranch (10 miles south of Thornton Gap). It took us about 75 minutes to... Good length hike that kind of gets to the point, just straight uphill on a well maintained trail... 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It was a pretty steep, but not long trail, about 2.5 miles. Recommend doing the loop clockwise - start with the summit and views then follow the path below the peak and over the bolder field. Save. We took the Appalachian connector to the Salamander to the Lower loop. The summit has a built-up observation area but also some rocky outcrops to accommodate the crowds. There are 3 ways to get to the Hawksbill viewing Platform at the top of the mountain. If you've got hiking poles in the car, you may want to grab them. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $55. Hawksbill gap has two parking lots, the upper and lower lots with two distinct hikes from each parking lot. But he view is great. I went to Hawksbill Mountain early in the morning and I am glad I did because the parking lot was packed later. Trails go both left and right here. Make sure you don't confuse it with Upper Hawksbill on the way back. Just stick with the blue trail. Less than half a mile from the junction, the AT crosses the crest of Hazeltop, elevation 3,816 feet - the third highest point in the park (after Hawksbill and Stony Man) and the highest point on the AT within the park. (Skyline Drive MP 45.6 at the Hawksbill Gap parking lot is recommended for the Whiteoak Canyon – Cedar Run Loop) Suggested time of day: any time, but this is a long hike, so start early; Map: Whiteoak Canyon Area My wife and I enjoyed the 1.7 miles round trip Summit Hike. parking area at mile 45.6 - 2.9 mile circuit, moderate hike with beautiful views much of the way, and a spectacular view at the top. The closest parking lot to the summit is Hawksbill Gap Parking area, and many of the hikes from there are short making the summit easily accessible to most people. Turn right on the AT. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The summit can get cold fast even in summer. It is 1.7 mi and 690' in gain. There are two trails that set off from this parking area on the west side of Skyline Drive. 10/18/2020 Hurnan V. Hurnan V. This trail reaches the highest summit of the entire Shenandoah National Park. Hawksbill Gap Parking. The Lower Hawksbill Trail climbs straight up the mountain, and you ascend 800 feet in 0.85 miles. The first 2 can be combined. View from Hawk bill Summit, courtesy of Paulo … Taking the ride to Skyline Drive was so surreal and traversing the winding road and seeing the beautiful mountain tops was so amazing. Good length hike that kind of gets to the point, just straight uphill on a well maintained trail. Trail conditions on the AT, Salamander, and Lower Hawksbill were excellent. Hawksbill Gap Parking is at the trailhead between mileposts 45 and 46. The rocky parts are fun and tempt scramblers but don't be reckless. Otherwise, do Stony Mountain as this was a more gradual ascent and the same side of the mountain for the view. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. About a mile up. We parked at the Hawksbill Gap Parking, hiked to the Hawksbill, and looped it … Please join SoulTrak on Saturday, October 10th from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm for a fun and engaging hike at White Oak Canyon!. I would recommend it for anyone who can do a moderate to vigorous hike. Rte 1 is clockwise and called the Lower Hawksbill Trail or the Hawksbill Summit Hike. (See the posted map.) 1.7-mile round trip 1.25-hours hiking time Moderate 690-foot elevation gain. Along the way we saw a lot of beautiful butterflies. A hike to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain will not only put you at the highest point in Shenandoah National Park (4050'), but you'll have a 270 degree view perfect for a sunset. I hiked AT Georgia section, and always wanted to experience AT sections of different states, this is my opportunity to do so. The Hawksbill is the highest peak in the park at 4,051 feet above sea level. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. We chose AT-Hawksbill Loop, started at lower Hawksbill, uphill was little challenging for a warmup, but it's okay. We hiked the Hawksbill Gap Loop via the Appalachian Trail from the Hawksbill gap parking area. Park at the Hawksbill Gap parking area (this is not the same as the Upper Hawksbill lot, which is just south). read more, Good length hike that kind of gets to the point, just straight uphill on a well maintained trail... Two starts at Hawksbill Gap parking area at mm 45.5. Enjoy ! All these options might be a bit confusing, but the Shenandoah National Park waterfalls map at the end of this post will clarify a lot. Parking. 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