GWNF trails near Harrisonburg

Apexdisco

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
691
0
45
Castle Rock, CO
Anyone going to be running the GWNF trails near Harrisonburg this Sunday?

I'm heading up with a Jeep. Just wondering if I'm going to see anyone from the boards.

I want to do Long Run trail down to 2nd Mtn and then drive up and do Dry Run and back.

Anyone know how long Old Long Run takes from start to 2nd Mtn?
 

Eric N.

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,980
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Falls Church, VA
You can't run Old Long Run trail any more due to it was closed by the Forrest Serives quite a few months ago... You will find a gate on the church end and a big tank berm on the other end. So you will need to take Old Long Run road if you want to go to Second Mountian... Also, if you do that you will most likely find two locked gates on the rt33 side of Second Mountian ( one Forrest Service gate and one land owner gate ) that will keep you from getting to rt33 to run Dry river..

Your best bet would be to go down rt33 and then up to second mountain and see if the gate is open. If it is then run second mountian, go down dictum which will take you back to rt33. Then go run Dry River... If the gate on Second Mountian is closed then I would just go run Dry River and Kephert and wouldn't even waste your time with second mountian since it would waste half your day getting to it, running down it and then turning around and go back the way you came.

if you go and run Dictum, be nice to the land owner who's driveway you will have to drive on. He is a great guy and wants us all to have access to the forrest.
 

Apexdisco

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
691
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Castle Rock, CO
Eric, thanks. Glad I decided to post here before heading up. Is Long Run closed because of the power lines?

We'll run Dry River because we got stopped about halfway up at some downed trees in the trail earlier this year. Anxious to finish/see the rest of it. I'm curious to know where it takes you?

Tell me more about Kephert, is the entrance located near a bridge on the right side, if your headed north on Rt33? Where does it dump you out, or do you take it the same way back?

Also, one more thing. One of the virginia locals here on the board has a website with some good topo maps of the area, etc. Anyone know who it is?
 

Robbie

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
1,463
1
NOVA
Hey Apex - yep, Kephart is right where you are saying. It is just a one way, in and out the same way. There is a branch near the end that goes two different directions. but you have to come out the same way (I am pretty sure). the left branch has a waterfall climb that was blocked off by a downed tree last time i was there and the right has a little climb up a slippery bank that i had to winch up with open front and rear.
 

Eric N.

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,980
0
Falls Church, VA
Old Long Run was closed due to the land owner on the church side decided he wanted to start a trout farm in the stream so he put up a gate on his side of the trail. Which since the trail ran across his property is perfectly ok for him to do.. Since that end was closed the forest service decided to just close the whole trail. They did it as quickly and as quietly as they could to.. By the time most clubs found out about it to try and fight it they were too late.

I know that this guy Paul that I go out wheeling with some times has good trail reports including topos and GPS way points on his web site but, they will cost you.. He is now charging for those.. Web site is http://4x4icon.com/
 
K

Kyle

Guest
I love those people that put up a site and include everything that they have done. God damn oil changes and shit.... Eric , tell him he could get more content if he includes when he fills it with gas and when he washes it.
 

Eric N.

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,980
0
Falls Church, VA
Ya, I hear you Kyle.. He must get bored sometimes.. I know alot of people that think he goes a little over board including myself. Even the trip reports are a little much, but, hey it's his site. Funny thing about you mentioning the washing part. I think that it how he ends his trip reports by going to the power washer. :D He's a good guy though and he does alot to try and keep the trails we have open... He's also been trying to get them to open up some closed ones but, I still think that will never happen.
 
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kkngtgr

Guest
I'would love to go, but I'm dealing with some electrical issues. Cheers
-Marco
 
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Off Road Disco

Guest
I can't this sunday (mothers day). But I have plans for a trip out there next week (Saturday?) with a couple of Jeeps.
 

Apexdisco

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
691
0
45
Castle Rock, CO
bigred said:
Apex, did you end up going? If so, how was it?

It was great. We started at about 10am on Sunday and finished up at 4. We did Dry Run and Kepheart. The trails were dry for the most part except for the occasional mud puddles.

I love the stream crossings the most on Dry Run. On Kepheart, we hit the left trail at the fork due to some other disco blocking the right side trail. Shot that trail up to about the fourth stream crossing and decided to make it our turning point. I was with a Jeep this time, but I'm looking forward to running the trails with other discos.
 
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Off Road Disco

Guest
We'll be out there this Saturday if anyone wants to play. The only other vehicle going out with me is a TJ.
 

Apexdisco

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
691
0
45
Castle Rock, CO
Off Road Disco said:
We'll be out there this Saturday if anyone wants to play. The only other vehicle going out with me is a TJ.

I'd like to but we're house hunting in Richmond.

Most likely I won't make it back to the trails until late July or early August. Check this thread later toniight. I'm going to post some small off-road videos of this past weekend.
 
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Hokie_Rover

Guest
Maps

Since we're talking about websites with maps of trails, in case anyone is interested this site

http://www.radford.edu/~geoserve/doqq/doqq_va_1_01.htm

has DRGs (digital raster graphics) of the VA 7.5' series maps, available for download, for free. They're in TIFF format, and have world-files available if you want to georeference them.

-Alan
 
4

4n24wd

Guest
Good link man, been a while since I've seen this site. I use Satellite imagery at work but used that site for a GIS project when I was doing school stuff. Good to know someone else knows what TIFFS and so on are !!! Take it light !