Blue Ridge Railway Trail – March 9 2013

reported by John Shannon

We have a discovered a new law of nature, namely that scheduling the Big Run loop hike results in a weather event closing Shenandoah National Park. Today leader Ken Moss set a record for the most cancelled hike, which he may schedule in July or August when we might welcome some cold weather.

Today he combined his interest in railroad and trails by proposing a hike along a former railroad track crossing the Piney and Tye Rivers. Our starting point was at Rose’s Mill off route 56, best known as the road leading to Crabtree Falls. This trail has been built by local volunteers and featured a portable toilet, which was needed because there are houses at the trailhead. After 8 inches of snow in Charlottesville the previous Wednesday, and snow covered mountains visible on our way south, we found pleasant temperatures.

We set off along the relatively flat surface, seeing a few remnants of the railroad, and crossing the rivers. By late morning we passed under route 29 and found an old weighing station at the former Tye River Depot. Then across the river we heard and saw a current train, with the unusual sight of one locomotive in a heritage paint scheme from one of the railroads that became part of today’s Norfolk Southern railroad. It was so warm, some avoided the sun and rolled up pant legs. Then we headed back, uphill, twenty feet of climb. With the smooth, nearly flat surface, and the group we had, we completed a little over 10 miles by 2 p.m., time for one person to get to an afternoon movie.