“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference”
This quote, by Robert Frost, and reiterated by our own Darren, was the theme of this day trip to George Washington National Forest, to explore some of the squiggly forest roads we had come across in perusing some of the map data in Gaia GPS of the area.
Attendees:
- Jendra – Jeep JKU
- Jesse – Subaru Crosstrek
- Andrew, Cherie, and Family – 4Runner and Tacoma
- Mike – Land Rover Defender
- Lucas – Toyota Pickup
- Garrett – Ford Bronco
- Ryan – Colorado ZR2
- Viran – Ford Bronco
- Darren – Jeep JKU
This area of GWNF, west of Harrisonburg, is an area that is very popular with off-roaders. Trails like Dunkle Hollow, Union Springs, and Long Run Road are the major trails that are best known, and our club certainly spends a fair bit of time on those trails, amongst others. But further south, were some squiggly lines on the map, that we wanted to explore as well. They are lesser known trails, and sparked our curiosity to explore.
So with a plan in mind, we set off to go exploring. As with lesser known trails, and specifically ones that we have not been on, we didn’t know quite what to expect, but we figured we could safely assume that they would not be too intense from a difficulty perspective, because they would be better known if that were the case. But, we had a capable convoy signed up, so we were ready in-case things got spicy!
We met in the Ottobine Elementary School, which was a short drive to Briery Branch Road, where we would then head up the mountain. This was an interesting move, because we are used to coming down Briery Branch, not going up, so this gave us our first new experience. As offroaders know, going the opposite direction on any road or trail is a completely different experience, so that was where our fun began!
Once we reached the top of Briery Branch, we pulled into a gravel area to air our tires down. This was mostly for comfort, as the trails can get rocky and bumpy, and letting some pressure out can help soften the ride, as well as protect the tires from rocks.
From there, we took a beautiful windy paved shelf road, which led us to our first dirt section, Stony Run Rd. This is a beautiful part of the forest, with overlooks and winding dirt roads. We made our way down the windy road, before coming up to our first turn off. This led us to a cute small stream crossing, and we continued our way up. This spur was the first unknown section to us, and we did not know what to expect.
After driving for a bit, we came across an interestingly rutted out section, which took a bit of maneuvering to get through, to make sure the vehicles didn’t slip into the ruts.
After making it through that section, and some tight twisty sections after, we came across our first dead end. We came across a gate on the trail (38.48183, -79.28405) which wasn’t on any of our maps. There were trees down on the other side as well, so it was evident that this area is not driven frequently. So with that, we decided that this was as good a spot as any to break for lunch.
From there, we turned around in place, effectively reversing the convoy, to head back out of this spur and back onto Stony Run Rd. After making our way back with Darren leading the way, we crossed the stream again and continued on. We then came across the other side of the loop, where we would have reconnected to Stony Run Rd if we had been able to do the entire loop. We decided to head up that side, and see how far we could get. It was a pleasant dirt road, and this one even had some big mud puddles to splash in. But alas, we again came across some “No Trespassing” signs, and what appeared to be a steel cable rope that at one point was strung across the trail (38.47044, -79.30396). According to Gaia, it was George Washington National Forest land on the other side of the signs, and frequently the no tresspassing signs mean the forest on either side of the road, and not the road itself. Being remote, however, and not knowing the actual status of the area, we decided to turn around, and head back to the main trail. We plan on reaching out to the forest service, and will update this post with what we find as far as the legality of these gates and forest roads.
After reconnecting to the main trail, we continuted along a beautiful forest road, and stopped a couple of times to check out little spurs or campsites that we came across. We stopped at one point at an overlook of the valley below, as we were perched perfectly on the top of a ridgeline, with valleys on both sides of us.
From there, a few more forest road miles later, we started to come up the back side of Reddish Knob, a way we’ve never come before to get to that scenic overlook. It was a neat way to explore a part of the forest we have not yet traveled. After coming up that way, we proceeded up to Reddish Knob, and spent some time there recollecting the days adventures, and airing our tires up in preparation for the journey home.
These exploratory trips are always fun, and seeing parts of the forest that we haven’t traveled is always exciting. Thanks to everyone who came along, with a great attitude, patience, and a penchant for adventure!
GWNF Southern Squiggles
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Trail Report written by Jendra Rambharos. Pictures contributed by Jendra Rambharos, Andrew & Cherie Taylor, Mike Freidberg, Ryan H, Lucas and Viran. GPS Tracks provided by Jendra Rambharos.