Stephens Trail and Kennedy Peak - April 28, 2015

Fort Valley and the Shenandoah River

Would you hike 9.2 miles to see a view like this?  Seven trekkers made it up the Stephens Trail to the Massanutten Trail with the final push up Kennedy Peak and tower to witness this amazing 360 degree view.

Massanutten Range streaming southward

The morning began with the two hike leaders meeting two sets of car pools - Marit Anderson (leader) coming from Rockfish Gap with Barbara Martin, Jackie Bradley, and Scott Davis and Michael Seth (leader) joined by David Bennick from Harrisonburg/Elkton.  Dave Borszich met us at our rendezvous - Camp Roosevelt near Edinburg, which was the site of the first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the nation. Unfortunately, a friend of Jackie's who was to meet us was never able to find our location.  We hope she enjoyed the hike near whichever trail head she ended up!

Scott, David, Jackie, Barbara, Michael, and Dave at the Stephens Trail starting point

Starting at 10 am we enjoyed a perfect warm and sunny April day in the George Washington National Forest. The Stephens Trail steadily climbed for 4.4 miles until it met the Massanutten Trail allowing us a beautiful vista on the ridge line of Massanutten Mountain another mile.  The last push up to Kennedy peak brought us up to an elevation gain of 1,590 feet where we enjoyed our lunch and chocolate chip cookies/chocolate at the tower. As this is also an equestrian trail, we were greeted with horses and riders along the path. Only a few easy stream crossings and mostly easy footing made it for ideal walking. After lunch we descended on the Massanutten Trail back to the parking lot on Rt. 675. We all decided Tuesdays are a great day to hike and we are already scheming for trails to hit in the near future.

Lunch on the newly renovated tower

No, it is not nap time yet, David!

Horses shared the trail with us

Crested iris

Bird's Foot Violet

Not only did we hike, but we spent much of the day thinking of the 101 ways you can use a trekking pole.  This was to convince Scott that they indeed are a trusty tool on the trail from fighting off bears to crossing raging streams to using as a stretching device.  At the end of the day we had a new convert.

submitted by Marit Anderson