White Rock Falls Trail, 9/2/2012

I'm very late with this trip report, but hopefully it's better late than never.

I was with family in Staunton, VA over Labor Day weekend, and had some free time on Sunday to hike. I investigated some short hikes, and it's hard to choose, as there are so many excellent options. On previous Staunton trips, I've done some amazing hikes in the southern part of Shenandoah National Park. My stepdaughter's house is 20 minutes from the Rockfish Gap entrance to SNP.

This time, I decided to go south from Rockfish Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway, find the White Rock Falls trailhead at mile marker 18.5, and do the hike described here.

My trip report, in diary format, follows:

11:10am
I'm at the trailhead and about ready to hike. It's cloudy and cool, and the forecast says rain is possible. That's okay, I have my rain jacket, and I won't be out that long - the trail description I've seen says it's a 4.9-mile loop, so that's probaby about a two hour hike. I feel good and am ready to go.

11:45am
White Rocks Falls. Very pretty little falls as the stream tumbles over rocks. I've been descending gradually but steadily since coming off the ridgeline. I passed a woman with a dog just after starting, and I haven't seen anyone else since. The stream valley is very close and it really hold the humidity - it felt good until I got to the stream, but it's almot unbearably humid here. I'm stopping for a quick snack and a drink.

12:02pm
I'm stopping at an overlook with a very pretty vista. The climb out of the stream valley was steep and difficult - and the humidity stayed until I was completely out of the valley. I'm basking in the nice cool breeze. There are some rock climbers rapelling down the cliff, and I've spent a few minutes watching them.

12:15pm

Blue Ridge Parkway. I crossed the road and took a brief rest at a picnic table, and now I'm ready to go again. According to the map, I should find the blue-blazed Slacks Overlook Trail going right, which will complete my clockwise loop.

12:57pm
The Slacks Overlook Trail has been a pleasant walk - relatively flat compared to the ups and downs on the first half of this hike. There haven't been any more vistas, but the woods are very pretty - a few of the leaves are just starting to change color. It looks like a storm is brewing - there have been a number of thunder crashes that sound pretty close. I think I'm almost back at the car.

1:03pm

Yep, I was close. I'm back at the car, changing into a dry cotton shirt, and finishing my Gatorade. It hasn't rained yet, though it looks imminent. That was a very nice little hike. Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge has more hikes with bigger waterfalls and more spectacular vistas, but this is a pleasant little hike to stretch the legs.

Distance: 4.73 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:48

Postscript: almost as soon as I started driving, it started teeming rain. Some of the hardest rain I've ever seen. So hard I had to slow to a crawl, and I had the car's wipers on the highest possible speed - which I never do. It lasted until I got near Rockfish Gap, and then eased off into a normal rain for the rest of the drive home.