Returning to the motor home following the hike to Wigwam Falls, we continued south. Needless to say, there was a lot of traffic on the Parkway. Much of it was motorcycles.
Like always, we pulled over at scenic spots.
We stopped at a roadside pond to relax for a while. This was not a race. We took our time savoring the sights.
Then on and on.
We stopped at MM61 at Otter Creek Campground, but it was closed. Surprise, surprise. We drove on across the James River. We stopped at MM86 at the Peaks of Otter Lodge and learned where the campground was. We exited the Parkway and got a site at Peaks of Otter Campground.
We roamed around the campground the rest of the day.
Next American Location 10: A Detour to Stone Mountain State Park
Rested up after lunch and a short rest in the Hunchback Rocks picnic area, we continued south on the Parkway. We stopped frequently for overlooks.
Across the way, these homes have a good view of the Parkway.
I like this photo looking back at the road we had just driven.
We exited the Parkway to see a lake, but after 5 miles or so gave up and drove back up onto the Parkway. Resolved not to do this again. It was too difficult, and took too long, driving down from and then back up to the Parkway. We continued south, and the views just kept coming.
We stopped at MM34 at Yankee Horse Ridge to take a short hike up to Wigwam Falls. The trail began by crossing old railroad tracks fallen into disuse.
We followed a trickle.
Up to Wigwam Falls.
Next American Locations 9: On to the Peaks of Otter
We got a late start in the morning. We drove out of Waynesboro onto the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. At MM5 we stopped to walk through the restored pioneer houses.
Driving on, we stopped to hike Humpback Rocks.
Connie gave up before half-way. It was too rough.
It got much rougher.
I was exhausted by the time I reached the top.
I didn’t quite make it to the very top, like that couple in the center left.
But I got close.
Close enough for some great views.
Naturally, it was much easier coming back down.
Once I got back to the motor home, we drove a short ways to the Humpback Rocks picnic area for lunch. And a brief rest.
Next American Location 8: Continuing on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We left Big Meadows Campground early in the morning. We drove the rest of the Skyline Drive, stopping at several overlooks. At first it was as foggy as usual.
Eventually, the fog began to lift.
I like this photo. You can see how homes have been carved right into the mountainside.
In this one you can see a small lake below.
Later in the day the fog moved back in.
The clouds had settled really low in this valley.
We drove down off Skyline Drive and out of Shenandoah NP into Wanyesboro, where we treated ourselves to lunch at McDonalds. We set up in a private campground with hook-ups and WiFi, so I got caught up with my emails and everything else.
We left Matthew Arm Campground early in the morning. Skyline Drive was foggy early on.
Later in the morning it cleared up.
We took a detour down off Skyline Drive to see Larray Caverns. This, as we learned, should not be decided on lightly. It was a narrow long twisty road leading down from the top to the bottom, and just as difficult, of course, driving back up. Which we decided to do right away after deciding upon arrival not to see the caverns. We turned into Big Meadow.
We saw the visitor center, which included a small lodge.
The Appalachian Trail passes through Big Meadow. The lodge gives hikers a chance to take a day or two off to rest up and clean up. There is also a large camp store where they can replenish supplies. Also a laundry and showers, for those who don’t want to check into the lodge.
At the visitor center there was a trail leading up to a good overlook.
It made for a good photo op.
We then checked into our campsite.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing around out site. We woke up to yet another foggy morning.
We decided to stay another day to catch up on our laundry and just take it easy. Although I did get up on the Appalachian Trail and hiked a bit of it, just to say I had.
First order of business was to get a new house battery. It was another foggy rainy day, so this delay didn’t bother us much. We located a Camping World in Manassas, Virginia, about 60 miles east. We first drove north off Skyline Drive, then on to Manassas. Camping World treated us very well. After we explained we were on the road far from home, their service department moved us to the front of the line and replaced the battery right away. We were there maybe an hour and a half. Excellent service. So we headed back west to Front Royal and got back onto Skyline Drive at the northern terminus.
We stopped for lunch at the Shenandoah Valley Overlook. Still foggy, but it had quit raining.
After, we drove back to Mathews Arm Campground. Early that afternoon I hiked to Overrun Falls on a very strenuous trail, then hiked back on a different but just as difficult trail back to the campground. It was a very hard 5 miles up and down twisty rocky trails, with the added benefit of being wet, slippery and muddy. But it was still fun.
An interesting rock I passed along the way.
It looked to be a struggle to keep this trail clear.
I reached the stream that led to the waterfall.
The top of the falls.
With all the recent rains, the falls was running pretty good.
Of course, I had to get down to the bottom.
And up close.
Then it was back up to the campground.
And up.
Why does it seem longer back up than down? That evening after dinner we roamed around the campground. Then I was ready to crash. It had been a long day.
Next Location: Big Meadow Campground, on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Early the next morning we continued east from Blackwater Falls SP. Another beautiful drive through the mountains, even though there was a dense fog. We followed Hwy 48 out of West Virginia into Virginia, most of the way following a scenic 2-lane winding mountain road that was great fun to drive. We wound our way up to the tallest peak yet, where we drove out of West Virginia into Virginia. We drove on to Front Royal, the northern entrance to Shenandoah NP. We drove up the Skyline Drive, but soon were fogged in. Could only see about 10 feet ahead. At MM22 we pulled off into Mathews Arm Campground and got a site and crashed for a while.
After lunch, we backtracked to the visitor center at MM5, stopping at vistas along the way. With the fog, visibility wasn’t the greatest.
The visitor center was closed (due to Covid), a common theme of this trip, so we roamed around outside.
In the photo below, you can see a stretch of Skyline Drive toward the top left corner.
Driving back to the Mathews Arm Campground, we stopped at more vistas along the way. But it was still foggy.
We spent the rest of the day fogged-in at our site. That night our house battery went bad.
Next Location: American Locations 4: Skyline Drive-Blue Ridge Parkway-Smoky Mountains trip (fall, 2020) – Mathews Arm Campground, on the Skyline DriveNational Road in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Early that afternoon I hiked from the campground down to the lake.
There I got on the Dobbins House Trail, which followed along the canyon rim.
It led to Pase Point, a collection of big rocks jutting out over the canyon, a great view.
From there I took a trail leading out of the park that looped for miles through a national forest.
I came upon a deer but, despite the warning signs, no bear.
By the time I got back to our site it ended up being a 5 mile hike. I crashed the rest of the day.
Next Location: Skyline Drive-Blue Ridge Parkway-Smoky Mountains trip – Mathews Arm Campground, on the Skyline Drive National Road in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Although many campgrounds were closed at that time due to Covid, we embarked on a camping trip just to break confinement of our house. From our home north of Cincinnati, Ohio, leaving at 7:30 in the morning we drove north up I-71 to the Hwy. 35 exit, where the Outlet Malls are. We drove east to Chillicothe, then continued east on Hwy. 50. At Parkersburg, we crossed the Ohio River into West Virginia. We ascended from the river valley up into the Appalachian Mountains. We stopped for lunch at Woodmount Park.
After, we continued east on Hwy. 50. It was a beautiful drive, up and down and around mountains on kickback after kickback, through forests and along rivers with a lot of wildflowers. At Clarksburg, we turned south-east on Hwy. 20 then zig-zagging (praise to Garmin) to Hwy. 38., which took us most of the way to Blackwater Falls State Park, near the Maryland state line. We set up camp about 3:30 then crashed.
After dinner, we walked around the campground. The following morning we drove around to see the rest of the park. Starting with the lake.
A couple of deer playing disc golf.
Outside the Nordic Center (closed because of Covid) I found a bear.
We stopped at the falls overlook. They couldn’t close that.
We stopped at the lodge (closed because of Covid).
Which had a good overlook.
We hiked a short trail.
To another overlook.
After that we returned to our site for lunch.
Next Location: Skyline Drive-Blue Ridge Parkway-Smoky Mountains trip (fall, 2020) – Blackwater Falls SP, West Virginia2
From the North Rim 