- From Metro Washington, D.C. Area -
about 2 1/2 hours Route 66 West to Route 81 South. See directions at Yahoo!
- Exit at Harrisonburg then:
- Follow Rt. 33 from Harrisonburg through
Rawley Springs.
- About 1.5 miles past Rawley Springs
turn right on Second Mountain Trail. There is a regular street sign there.
CAUTION: All the land between Rt. 33 and the Forest Service gate is PRIVATE property.
Travel slowly on the gravel road to avoid throwing rocks and dust.
- Follow Second Mountain Trail up the
mountain till you come to a double gate. There is a small white gate put up by
the landowners. It SHOULD be open. Just beyond it are the stanchions for the Forest
Service gate. There is no bar on the Forest Service gate. On your way up SM Trail to the
gate, DO NOT turn off the main trail. Everything, land, other roads, etc. on either side
of the Trail are private and are posted no trespassing.
- Go through the gate onto the Forest
Road and follow it up Second Mountain. Stay on the main trail. All side trails
are either ATV only or are closed. Also, do not go on the side trail with the broken open
"Road Closed" sign. It IS closed. Someone smashed the gate open. Respect them.
- The road ends at the ATV parking lot at
the top of Second Mountain (Cline's Hacking). If you turn left at teh ATV
parking lot, you'll be going down on Dictum Ridge. It ends at a private drive. Turn left
out of the drive to go east on Rt. 33 back to Harrisonburg.
- Follow the road as it leaves the
parking lot and cross over FR 72 (Long Run Road). You are on Gauley Ridge Road (there
is a sign).
- Follow Gauley Ridge Road for about one
mile. The trailhead to Old Long Run Road will be on your right almost directly across
from a power transmission tower. It is hard to spot.
- The trailhead starts immediately
downhill into the hollow and is almost completely tree shaded. Continue on the trail
crossing the mostly dry stream 10-12 times.
- The trail is about 3 miles long and
becomes very narrow toward the end. Start looking on your right for a hole
in the forest. This will take you back to FR 72. OR continue to follow Old Long Run Road
until it ends at the church on FR 72.
- Turn left on FR 72.
- At the church, turn right onto Rt. 612
(AKA: Peake Mountain Road).
- Follow 612 back to Rt. 33 and turn left
on Rt. 33 to go back to Harrisonburg.
Directions Courtesy of Keith Holman