Hiking Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina
A somewhat hard-core guide to a random selection of the Commonwealth's lesser known hiking trails, with some gear reviews and lightweight backpacking info thrown in, by a central Virginia based hiker, backpacker, bushwhacker, explorer, Scoutmaster-emeritis, GPS data addict, and Appalachian Trail maintainer.
This hike in Southwest Virginia south of the New River takes advantage of a big curve in the Appalachian Trail to form a loop hike in a relatively uncrowded portion of the Virginia A.T. The Ribble Trail is actually an earlier A.T. alignment, so hikers can experience both the present and former Appalachian Trail.
You can hike this loop in either direction. This description is for a clockwise hike, which allows you to get the major climb completed early in the hike.
Hiking Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina