20ish miles

Got a shuttle out of the hostel back to Rockfish Gap to officially start the Shenandoah Mountains! Is it similar to the Blue Ridge Mountains that we just went through last week in the sense that the trail follows the scenic byway that runs the tops of this mountain range.

As we are pulling in I realized I have sat in this exact empty parking lot before. There’s an abandoned building in it that strikes a memory. I took a break in this exact spot and sat on those steps leading up to the building 2 years ago when I was on my cross country bicycle tour. What are the odds.

Also sitting in the parking lot are two past hikers. They’ve done the PCT but live on this side of the country so they are doing a bit of trail magic. We’ve just come from town freshly resupplied and full from breakfast so I turn down the snacks but I did pack two of their beers to enjoy with dinner tonight. We chat for a bit about the PCT and go on our way.

The day is spent mostly in the green tunnel but with the occasional outlook to catch a glimpse of the surrounding mountains and valleys. We end the day at Blackrock hut shelter where we find what might have been the best campsite we have found yet. Flat as hell, no rocks, huge, next to water, and far from others. Couldn’t have designed a better spot. It’s the little things out here that make all the difference haha.