Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 17

food. In nature's scheme of things,
though, many of them will never live
much longer than this as they are a
favorite food of other woodland
creatures.
The biggest change since my first
two hikes here occurred soon after
passing by the Tuscarora and Racer
Gap Hollow Trails, entering West

Virginia and staying straight on the
combined Tuscarora/Three Ponds Trail.
A gaggle of college students were
gathered at the campsite next to the
White Rock Trail intersection. (Yes, I
know gaggle is not the correct term,
but it seemed to apply here as the students reminded me of a gathering of
geese.)

Another gaggle was putting up
tents a few yards down the trail and
one of the students informed me that
it was spring break weekend for James
Madison University in nearby
Harrisonburg. He also said the hike
had been discovered by the student
body a number of years ago and
groups were out now on many
weekends.
A rough, rocky, steep (53 percent
grade!) path led to the best view on
the hike. From our perch high atop
White Rock Cliff we could see the
Cedar Creek watershed below us.
Directly ahead, on the Little North
Mountain ridgeline, was the obvious
depression of Sheffer Gap. The
Shenandoah Valley was visible
through the gap, while Massanutten
Mountain and the ridges of
Shenandoah National Park were far to
the east.
Not wanting to camp with the students, we returned to the main trail
and continued to the Old Mailpath
and Tuscorora/Little North Mountain
Trail intersection. A right turn onto the
latter brought us to a small grassy
patch of ground perfect for a level
campsite about 7 miles into the
journey.
The second day of the outing was a
pleasant one, with us avoiding the
Sulphur Spring Gap Trail to the left and
descending along the Little North
Mountain Trail - and back into Virginia
- to make a right onto FSR 1863 (the
Tuscarora Trail went off to the left at
this point). It was a gentle ascent along
the forest road, which soon came to an
end where the Cedar Creek Trail continued as a rough, rocky, and surprisingly wet, treadway before connecting
with FSR 88 to return us to our awaiting automobile. 

WHEN YOU GO

Little Sluice/Cedar Creek Loop
The Hike: A moderate 12.7-mile circuit to view
the wilds of Virginia's George Washington
National Forest and Shenandoah National
Park's ridgeline.
Directions: Exit I-81 at Woodstock, take VA 42

westward 5.6 miles to Columbia Furnace, turn
onto VA 675 and follow it for .7 mile. Make a
right onto VA 608, which becomes Forest
Service Road (FSR) 88. Keep right on FSR 88
where FSR 92 comes in from the left, pass by
the Little Sluice Mountain trailhead .5 mile from

this junction and continue another 2.5 miles to
the parking area.
Trail Information: "50 Hikes in Northern
Virginia," available through habitualhiker.com,
provides a topographic map and detailed
description of the hike. -LA
JULY/AUGUST 2014 | 17

http://www.habitualhiker.com

Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014

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