Evening star., 1932-01-03
TRAIL CLUB MARKS
15-M|LE ROUTE
Path Through Blue Ridge
Leads From HarperS Ferry
to Shenandoah Park.

A 145-miIe footpath along the crest
of the Blue Ridge now has been de-
veloped for those who seek escape from
the noise and gas fumes of the city
in the cloud washed silences of the Viz
ginia hills.
A guide book of this trail from Har-
pers Ferry approximately to the south
ern end of the Shenandoah National
Park area has Just been prepared by
the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.
This footpath is an integral part OF the
great Appalachian Trail, ancient MI
grafton route Of peoples, which extends
for 1000 miles from Mount Katahdln,
Me, to Mount Oglethorpe, Ga.
The Virginia portion Of the trail Is
divided naturally into 10 sections by
major gaps in the Blue Ridge. The first
section extends from Harpers Ferry to
Bluemont, approximately l8 miles, fol-
lowing stretches of old wood roads
through thin forests of dead cheStnuts.
Fine views are afforded Of the Shenan-
doah Valley, like q checkerboard OF pas
ture and wheat field, far below. Below
the mountains the Shenandoah River
winds like green ribbon.
Fine View from Paris.
The second section Of the trail starts
at 3luemont and continues slightly more
than IL miles to Ashby Gap at Paris,
Va. running through sumac grown
fields. old orchards and few farms
and following paths and farm roads.
The next section is II miles long and
runs to Manassas Gap historic cross
ing place of armies Just above the lit
tie town of Paris Is a high peak with
one of the finest views in all directions
afforded by the entire trail. Eastward
the prospect stretches over the fertile
Piedmont Valley, with the Bull Run
Mountains in the distance, southwest TO
the blue-veiled Massanuttens, and west
ward over the Shenandoah Valley to the
distant AlleghanieS which stand out on
o clear day.
The next extent of trail is only 5
miles long, following dirt road down.
ward to Chester Gap, northern en-
trance to the Shenandoah Park area.
From here on the hiker is out Of the
area of scattered hill farms and largely
of human habitation. The next section
of the trail extends for nearly 25 miles
through some Of the finest scenery OF
the entire route. There are two noun
tains to climb-Mount Marshall, eleva-
ton, 1883 feet, where the Blue Ridge
changes from a north-south to an ap-
proximate eaStwest direction, and the
Hogback, elevation, 3,474 feet, where
the general north-South trend Is re-
sumed Through this high area Of To-
Gusts and dead chestnuts the trail
often is very faint. The section ends
at Thornton Gap, above Luray.
Picturesque Region.
The next section of 13 miles goes
through one Of the most picturesque
regions of the mountains, mostly over
slopes covered with dead chestnut trees
and through hollows inhabited by a
primitive people. The trail, often faint
but well marked with markers and stone
cairns, goes past some high mountains,
among them Stony Man and Old Rag.
The next section Is about 18 miles long,
following largely the skyline drive OF
the Shenandoah National Park, which
, now Is under construction and extend
ing to Swift Run Gap near Standards
vile, Va. The section concludes at
the Spotswood Monument, which marks
the probable spot where Alexander
Spotswood, British lieutenant governor
of the Virginia colony, and his bands
Of knights of the Golden Horseshoe"
first looked on the Shenandoah Valley.
The next section, nearly 40 miles
Long, extends southwark to RockfiSh
Gap and the entrance to the Natural
Bridge National Forest. At this point
the trail, as laid out by the Washington
Club, comes to an end. BY following
Forest Service trails and community
roads, however, the hiker can go along
the mountain ridges through the ma
tional forest for approximately 80 miles
to the Peaks Of Otter at Mons, Va
From here there are some Of the finest
panoramic views in Virginia.
Danger From Snake Bites.
From the Peaks of Otter the hiker
gets on another trail blazed by the
Southern Virginia Appalachian Trail
Association, extending for nearly 200
miles to the North Carolina line. 1t is
well marked with wooden markers and
stone cairns.
Numerous side trails to mountain
peaks, wild ravines and tiny hill settle
ments are outlined in the guide book.
1t also gives comprehensive summary
of emergency medical treatments which
may be required in the woods. A
danger always to be reckoned with on
the Blue Ridge trails, it is pointed out,
is from the bites of rattlesnakes or
copperheadS. Hikers are strongly ad-
vised against using the traditional
whisky treatment which only increases
the heart action, speeds the circulation
OF the blood, and thus gets the snake
venom quickly into the nervous system.
The guide book also presents a list of
the flowers and trees likely to be en-
countered along the trails, some of
which are very rare and to be found
nowhere else In the country. There is
a comprehensive description of the