Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2017 12:04:20 GMT -8
Cross-post from trip reports forum:
Just did three days and two nights in Shenandoah. Did a 21 mile loop recommended on their website for "strenuous beginners" that included several different trails to make it a circuit. Some of the horse trails were pretty awful in terms of rocky footing. Wasn't treacherous, but certainly unpleasant. Link to itinerary from NPS website:
www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/SHEN_BCTrip-Big_Meadows_Hawksbill_and_Rose_River_S099.pdf
We did it as written, minus the side trip to Big Rock Falls on day 3.
Also had six separate encounters with bears, which surprised us. Five of the encounters were benign - the bears either ignored us, ran away, or otherwise went about their business. In one encounter though, a mama bluff-charged us. She had her two cubs and ran at us for about five or six strides. Pretty scary. I had bear spray, but didn't have to use it. This encounter was in Big Meadows Campground and people were parading through the area one after another. Maybe mama had just had enough?
Tom
Just did three days and two nights in Shenandoah. Did a 21 mile loop recommended on their website for "strenuous beginners" that included several different trails to make it a circuit. Some of the horse trails were pretty awful in terms of rocky footing. Wasn't treacherous, but certainly unpleasant. Link to itinerary from NPS website:
www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/SHEN_BCTrip-Big_Meadows_Hawksbill_and_Rose_River_S099.pdf
We did it as written, minus the side trip to Big Rock Falls on day 3.
Also had six separate encounters with bears, which surprised us. Five of the encounters were benign - the bears either ignored us, ran away, or otherwise went about their business. In one encounter though, a mama bluff-charged us. She had her two cubs and ran at us for about five or six strides. Pretty scary. I had bear spray, but didn't have to use it. This encounter was in Big Meadows Campground and people were parading through the area one after another. Maybe mama had just had enough?
Tom