This is one of the better hikes along the Appalachian Trail I've had in
Shenandoah National Park (at least everywhere North of here). Starting at the
Doyles River Trail parking lot at Skyline Drive mile post 81.1, I followed the
Doyles River Falls Trail south past the upper and lower Doyles Falls and via
the Jones Run Trail to see the falls on that leg. It is 6 miles to the Jones
Run trail parking at mile post 84.1 from the Doyles River parking if you follow
this route. The trail also descends 1400 feet and ascends 1200 feet along the
way. The return to Doyles parking via the Appalachian Trail is another 3.7
miles and relatively flat, only changing 150' or so along the way. The total
loop distance is 9.7 miles. What I ended up doing is hiking 2.1 miles further
south from the Jones Run Parking on the Appalachian Trail over Blackrock summit
and staying overnight at Blackrock Hut and then returning via the AT the next
morning. The hike over Blackrock is just amazing! Blackrock hut is nondescript
and has an unreliable water source. Oh, and I lost my selfie stick somewhere on
the blue blaze down to the hut… Distance hiked this weekend was 14.2 miles.
Maps of the area can be found here:
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