Backpacker Magazine – May 2000

Virginia's Berrypicking Paradise

When hiking on Virginia's high, exposed heath balds in late summer, leave gorp and other snacks at home.

by: Bill Burnham

Getting There: To reach County Run, exit I-81 at Strasburg and go west on VA 55 for 15 miles to Forest Road 502. Turn right and continue 3 miles, then go left on FR 347 for half a mile to the trailhead at Hawk Campground. To hike Sugar Knob, drive west on VA 55 for 20 miles, and turn left on Waites Run Road. After half a mile, turn left on Wardensville Back Road, and continue 5.2 miles to the trailhead.

Prime Time: Late July, August.

Guides: The Tuscarora Trail: A Guide to the South Half, by Elizabeth Johnston and Thomas Lupp ($7), and PATC maps F and L ($6 each), all available from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, (703) 242-0315; www.patc.net.

Contact: Lee Ranger District, George Washington National Forest, (540) 984-4101; www.fs.fed.us/ gwjnf.

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