At the beginning of this hike, you climb to the wooded summit of Bald Knob. The name may seem inappropriate, but the knob was once a cleared mountain. Summertime hikers might think that the rest of the hike will be through a tunnel of green, but as you will soon see, this overnight hike has a lot of magnificent views to offer. As you climb across the grassy summits of Cole Mountain and Tar Jacket Ridge, you are afforded spectacular panoramic views. Both highpoints were once used as pasture land; the cleared highlands are the result of years of cattle grazing. Tar Jacket Ridge is now mowed by George Washington National Forest to maintain the ridge as a bald. This hike will also take you to Spy Rock, whose name dates back to its use as a Confederate lookout point in the Civil War. The last mountain you will climb is The Priest whose wooded summit towers over the Tye River Valley. The descent down sometimes steep switchbacks takes you from The Priest to the highway nearly 3,000 feet below. Excerpted from Best of the Appalachian Trail Overnight Hikes by Victoria Logue, Frank Logue, Leonard M. Adkins All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
