Hawksbill Summit Trail, Shenandoah NP

Not hard to hike but when you come down be careful of the sharp stone.

We got to the parking lot (Upper Hawksbill Trail Parking) and it was sunny and breezy.  Very Very breezy.  We started our hike under sunny skies and climbed up the rocky trail--the only ones out that Friday morning, save for a young family just walking for a few yards and then back again.  The hike up with moderately steep with quite a bit of rocks on the trail.  The trees had no leaves (unlike the valley) so the sunshine kept us warm as we hike up to the Byrds Nest #2 and then just beyond the summit with a nice patio-like stone floor and stone wall, great for sitting down on laying down to get a quick rest.  We took in the views and had a snack or two but then noticed clouds and fog approaching so we headed back, but this time down the Lower Hawksbill Trail, although we parked at the Upper Hawksbill parking lot.  

We arrived at the lower parking lot and then headed up to the upper parking lot thinking it would only be a few hundred yards, but that turned into 1 mil to 1-1/4 mile, all uphill along Skyline Drive.  It was a breezy day and the initial part of the hike was kind of short so this added mileage made for a decently longer hike.

In Central Shenandoah National Park this is a hike to Shenandoah’s highest mountain peak at 4,051 ft.  Hike is moderately difficult and is 2.9 miles long. This hike should give us sightings of Peregrine falcons.

We’ll walk along  the Appalachian Trail to Salamander trail and then arrive at Hawksbill Mountain.  We’ll return via Lower Hawksbill Trail passing Byrds Nest 2 Shelter, building in the 1930s.

Total hike will be 2.9 miles and about 4 hours.  Bring at least a liter of water, hiking boots, lunch/snacks, a hat, sunscreen, bug spray and sweat rag

https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/hawksbill_mtn_area_web.pdf