High Peak Hike

High Peak Hike

Start on the right of the main parking area where a forestry service bulletin board marks the hikes beginning. Follow the white trail markers through the picnic grounds for 0.3 miles until the trail intersects Passage Creek and turns left uphill following the creek.

After 0.7 miles the white blazed connector trail intersects the pink blazed Sherman Gap Trail. Turn left uphill on the pink blazed trail for 2.5 miles for the steepest portion of the hike as it traverses the mountain then ascends steeply before reaching the ridge line intersention of the blue/orange Tuscarora/Massanutten Trail.

Side hike: If you like views and don't mind a little more hiking go right/south on the old Massanutten East trail from it's intersection with Sherman's Gap Trail (Pink) for maybe 1/2 mile tops. To the left there is a small rock ledge on a sharp point that juts out into the valley with some stunted pine trees ... great view of the Valley and River at the area of the river known as " The Point" for obvious reasons. Just before this is a bit of a saddle. If you find yourself hiking there in June you catch the sweet scent of Fringe Tree (AKA Old Man's Beard). There is a thicket of them to your left as you head south.

If you did not take the side hike above turn left/north and follow the orange/blue blazed trail along the ridge for 2.3 miles, traversing High Peak, before passing one of the only campsites and arriving at a four way intersection where the blue/orange trail now turns left downhill.

Either turn left downhill on the blue/orange blazed trail or take the yellow blazed Shawl Gap Trail (opposite the camping area you passed 15 yards back) that is more direct, however this trail is no longer maintained and has many blow downs. Either trail brings you back to the picnic area. Continue straight through the picnic area, arriving back at the car park.