All Shenandoah 500 Posts
- Appalachian Trail: Milam Gap to Lewis Falls Trail
- Saddleback Mountain/Appalachian Trail Loop
- Elkwallow Trail 1/2
- Sugarloaf/Keyser Run/Hogback Loop
- Rose River Fire Road 1/???
- Piney Branch to Piney River
- Springhouse Trail
The Story
There is a Facebook group for Shenandoah National Park Hikers that I really like a lot. Most posts are from people sharing information and photos about hikes in the park. But there is a group of members have done something called the “Shenandoah 500,” where they hike every trail in the park–approximately 500 miles worth. There’s a list of trails, and a spreadsheet, and a patch that you can ask for when you complete it.
I have my doubts as to whether or not I can complete the 500, because it includes trails like Old Rag–which requires scrambling over rocks, 9 miles of hiking, and is rated “strenuous.” I am definitely going to have to work up to that. (Did I mention that I’m afraid of heights?) Other trails require hiking on roads or other trails to reach the actual trail, and the length of all the combined hiking is more than I can really do in one day (about 7 miles is my longest, so far). Other trails have huge elevation gain changes. But, it’s fun to have a goal. So, why not?
It’s made me challenge myself by doing trails that look daunting to me, with their length or elevation change. It’s made me try trails that I didn’t know about, or trails that are “lesser traveled.” One beautiful day in October, I found myself on a fire road, trees in full autumn glory, not a soul around, and thanked the Shenandoah 500 for that opportunity.
