Kaylor Knob - July 16, 2011

Hike Leader Michael Seth can always be counted on to pick hikes which are unknown to many of us living on this side of the Blue Ridge, but which he knows well due to his home in the Shenandoah Valley. This Saturday found us on a hike in the Lee Ranger District of George Washington National Forest, just north of Massanutten Resort.

Ken Moss gathered the small flock of 9 hikers meeting at AHS, including first-timers Shari and David Drubin, and headed for the Valley via Swift Run Gap, picking up Marian Styles and Briana Taylor along the way in Ruckersville. At the trailhead at Runkles Gap we linked up with Michael as well as Nancy Hall and Greg Fife.


We then headed up the trail at a leisurely pace, following along Boone Run through an area which underwent a controlled burn several years ago. Boone Run was quite timid with little water flow and easy to cross. At Boone Run Shelter we paused for a short rest and discussion about various oddities in its construction, while Don Davis discovered a small flask of Black Velvet in the rafters.

Following this stop we retraced our steps a few hundred feet before heading south along the Second Mountain Trail. This involved a gradual climb to the ridgeline, from which we had occasional views toward the Page Valley and Blue Ridge to our east and Fourth Mountain to our west. We finally reached the summit of Kaylor Knob, at 2,850 feet, where we paused for lunch and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, while enjoying the view eastward.

The hike back down the mountain was uneventful, and some began to wonder about the advertised swim hole, believing that it would prove to be a myth. Michael Seth kept is in limbo, until just within sight of the cars he indicated a side trail which took us to a nice pool at the base of a small falls. As usual, Marian, Ken, Dan Funkhouser, Greg and Neil McKinney took to the water for a cooling dunk or wading in the shallows, while Rita Kiefer, Helen Reutlinger, and Briana watched from the surrounding rocks. This was a refreshing way to end a hike on a summer day! Afterwards, at least one car load of hikers managed to find their way to Hank's Smokehouse in McGaheysville for some well deserved barbecue to celebrate their day's exploits!