Tar Jacket Ridge Hike
The beautiful views on Tar Jacket Ridge are often overlooked with the spectacular vistas from Mount Pleasant and Cold Mountain just next door. The vista from Tar Jacket Ridge offers views of The Cardinal,The Friar, and The Little Friar. This hike is at its best as a two day backpack in the Fall or Spring when the leaves are off the trees.From the parking area at Log Camp Gap head north on the white blazed Appalachian Trail (AT) as it ascends Tar Jacket Ridge where in 0.5 miles you arrive at a view to the west of Big Butt and Jump Mountains west of I81. Continue to the top of Tar Jacket Ridge for one of the best vistas on this section of the AT. The vista north is of The Cardinal, The Friar, and the Little Friar; along with the views east of Mount Pleasant.
Continue down Tar Jacket Ridge for 1.1 miles where the AT crosses FR634 at Salt Log Gap. If you are doing this hike in the Fall there are numerous apple trees of different flavors here. Continue north on the AT and cross another forestry road in 1.1 miles.
From this point the AT will cross over a small spur and reach the intersection of the blue blazed Lovingston Spring Trail in another 0.5 miles. The Lovingston Spring Trail is a shorter route to the Seely/Woodworth Shelter that loops around back to the AT, and is the return route for the hike listed here.
Again continue north on the AT for 4.0 miles where you arrive at the four way intersection of the AT, Lovingston Spring Trail, and Seely/Woodworth Shelter Trail. Turn right for the short walk down to the shelter.
On the return route take the blue blazed Lovingston Spring Trail for some different scenery. The trail heads north for 0.3 miles where it makes an abrupt turn to the southwest at Twin Springs. The trail climbs over Elk Pond Mountain and in 1.3 miles passes an old hunting trailer then joins a narrow forestry road.
Continue to follow the blue blazes and forestry road for 0.5 miles where the blue blazed trail turns off the road to the right. From this intersection it is 0.2 miles before the trail crosses the same forestry road and climbs over a spur of Rocky Mountain then arriving back at the intersection of the AT.
Turn right/south on the AT to follow the trail back past Salt Log Gap, along Tar Jacket Ridge before arriving back at the parking area at Log Camp Gap.
