A foggy and gloomy Saturday in Charlottesville had no effect on higher elevations in the Blue Ridge, where it was sunny and bright. Eleven “Adventure Hikers” attended a warm January 21st hike, including Taylor Putney, Gabriel Garretson, Michael Seth, Henry Reeves, John Shannon, Marion Styles, Marie Moss, John Brandt, Iva Gillet and Remy the Incredible Hiking Dog, Bill Holman, and hike leader Jeff Monroe with Gracie the Ultimate Hiking Dog. This was an Adventure Hike because, using a 1934 Topo Map and a 1941 PATC Trail Map, the group went off trail onto the remains of an old road starting near where the A.T. meets the Saddleback Mountain Trail. The roadbed was hard to follow at first, but later became very obvious. The group followed this old roadbed to the old Spottswood Trail - the original route to the Shenandoah Valley, built in the 1800's and superseded in 1930 by the present alignment of the road, now better known as U.S. 33. Despite disappearing from trail maps over 75 years ago, the old Spottswood Trail was in beautiful shape, and the group spent the day looking for evidence of old houses and the old Big Bend School along their route. Gabriel was the big winner, finding several old metal washbasins near the apparent location of the former school. Michael Seth, who has hiked all trails in Shenandoah National Park, said it was great to explore new parts of the Park only a half hour drive from his home! Everyone enjoyed the exploration into the Park's past.
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