Photos of the "new" and "old" Old Dominion trails

Click on the Photo numbers below to see each picture.

Views of the "new" Old Dominion trail and basecamp
Photos by Mary Howell

• Photo 1a - The new OD Base Camp in the Bayce/Bryce Mountain area just west across the Shenandoah Valley from the Massanutten Mountains of the "old" Old Dominion trails. The new setting for the Ridecamp is a flat 30 acre field near the resort town of Bryce Mountain, with close access to wonderful restaurants, excellent lodging, and lots of family fun.
• Photo 1b - more views of the base camp area
• Photo 2 Look Mom! No rocks!!
• Photo 3 - Lake Laura
• Photo 4 - One of the many scenic views from the trail.
• Photo 5 - Water stop along the trail.
• Photo 6 - Enjoying the trails
• Photo 7
• Photo 8 - View from the top of the mountains
• Photo 9 - The finish line
• Photo 10 - Enjoying the views
• Photo 11 - More fabulous views

Photos of the Duncan Hollow Trail on the "old" Old Dominion trails

• Photo 1 - Looking down the trail at the beginning of the Scothorn Gap trail which comes off the main gravel road called Crisman Hollow Road (Fire Road 274) which connects with Moreland Gap road 4.5 miles to the north which connect (in 1.5 miles) to Fort Valley Stables. This is a beautiful, deeply wooded trail that is a joy to ride in the summer for all the shade and cool water found in abundance in the lower reaches of the trail. Much of the trail is wide enough for a 4-wheel vehicle to traverse, so it is easy for a pair of horses to follow side by side.

  BOTANY:

  • Canopy– Along the drier ridgetop, oaks (chestnut and northern red oak) and hickories (pignut and mockernut) dominated, with blackgum, shadbush (three with witch’s broom growths), chestnut shoots and red maple also common. In wetter spots, and in the hollow, white ash and basswood were observed. Other trees included black birch, black cherry, white oak, pines (Virginia, pitch, and table mountain), hemlock (along Peters’ Mill Run).
  • Subcanopy – Witch-hazel (many in bloom), sassafras, and redbud were common. Others included black birch, black locust, flowering dogwood, persimmon, hawthorn, cucumber magnolia, paw-paw.
  • Shrub layer – Mountain laurel, hazelnuts, southern arrowwood and maple-leaf viburnum. Along the stream were winterberry holly, rosebay rhododendron, smooth alder and silky dogwood, broadleaf spirea, roundleaf gooseberry, scrub oak, shrubby St. Johnswort, Hercules Club.
  • Ground cover - ferns, jack-in-the-pulpit (springtime), grasses, and lichen covered rocks. Lots of rocks.

• Photo 2 - On the Scothorn Gap Trail, elev 2500 ft. This trail is very pretty, with views of the valley peekable through the trees as the trail winds up gently along the slope of the Massanuttens to where it will connect with the Massanutten Trail, and eventually the Duncan Hollow trail. Riders are Karen Bohn (lead) and John Proudman (following) who are on a trail clearing mission (late May) to remove downed trees which are reported to the OD trail committee via the various hiking clubs that use the trails most frequently. Because we were clearing the whole 18 miles of trail this day, we brought along the horses to carry us and our equipment.
• Photo 3 - John and "Smokey" on the rocky part of Duncan Hollow shortly after leaving the Scothorn Trail. This part of the trail is flat but slow, following alongside the noisy creek (hidden by the dense mountain laurels and hardwood trees) as it travers the bottom of the mountain in a deep hollow on the eastern ridge. This part of the trail has lots of little crystal clear water rivlets intersecting the trail - excellent refreshment for the horses, and cool welcoming shade for both horses and riders. Smokey is steel shod in front, and barefoot behind.

ZOOLOGY:

• Mammals – Gray squirrel and chipmunks, Virginia deer, black bear (rarely seen), bats (dusk to dawn)
• Amphibians – Red-backed salamanders (under rocks)
• Reptiles – >None
• Birds - Wild turkey, hawks, eagles (rarely seen), song birds, owls (dawn to dusk)
• Photo 4 - Karen and "Kjra" start the climb back up the Massanutten to connect to the trail leading to the Camp Roosevelt. The rocks aren't difficult, but they do slow the going to a walk. These rocky stretches don't go on forever -- they tend to come in clumps, so the horse and rider will have trot areas and walk areas interspersed. Kjra is wearing easyboots with gaters in the front, and is barefoot behind.
• Photo 5 - The Duncan Hollow trail as it crests the Massanuttens and descends on the western side heading towards Camp Roosevelt. The trail opens up here to offer some lovely views and delightful breezes and endless flowering mountain laurels, but still is tree shaded and nicely cool. You will notice John is carrying a chain saw since he is one of the OD's official "Sawer" certified by the Forest Service. We were passed... and profusely thanked... by a number of hikers who saw the fruits of our sweat and labor in the removal of downed trees and encroaching shrubbery. They also took delight in petting our very patient horses who, during each stop to remove deadfall, routinely munched down on the trailside grass, completely ignoring the roaring chainsaw and crashing trees
• Photo 6 - Karen and Kjra are now on the lower portion of the trail as it finishes winding it's way down off the Massanutten slope. The trail is much easier footing, excellent for picking up the pace, with the tree cover still providing lovely shade and coolness from the warm afternoon sun. At this point we've already come about 14 miles, with about 4 more left to go.
• Photo 7 - Karen and Kjra thread their way down the trail among the profuse growth that springs up in any section open to the sun. The trail has quickly become much more "civilized" with soft dirt from more foot traffic to keep it pounded down and clear. We are only a short distance (about 1 mile) from the parking lot at Camp Roosevelt (where a Vet Check would be stationed), and the end of our ride. From that point we are only 2 miles from Fort Valley Stables via a lovely gravel road with refreshing creeks along the way.

The Milford Gap and Veach Gap trails

• Photo 1 - Looking up the trail at Hebron Gap - part of the 50 and 100 mile trail that comes up from the gravel road at Foster's Landing, climbing up the steep side of the easter ridge of the Massanutten before descending into the valley via the Stephen's Trail.
• Photo 2 - The trail going along the crest of the Massanuttens heading south towards Milford Gap. This section of trail is seen by the 50 and 100 mile riders during the daylight hours. Absolutely beatutiful views of the Shenandoah Valley are seen from this section of the trail. It is scattered with rock so going can be a bit slow, but it does have some nice trotting stretches as well.
• Photo 3 - Tailing up Veach Gap. This is a tough trail with ascents and decents and lots of rocks scattered along the trail to make for slower going. But it does help rest and recharge a horse for faster going once the crest of the mountain is within sight.
• Photo 4 - The views from the top of the eastern ridge of the Massanuttens along the OD trail overlooking the Shenandoah Valley and the Shenandoah River 2100 feet below.
• Photo 5 - Coming down the Milford Gap trail as it descends back into Fort Valley. This was taken in late May when the mountain laurel was in full bloom. A very scenic, very easy trail.
• Photo 6 - The Massanutten trail as it descends towards the Milford Gap trail.
• Photo 7 - One of the scenic views overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Shenandoah Nat'l Park in the distance. This view will be enjoyed by both the 50 and 100 mile riders.
• Photo 8 - The fire road that runs along the western ridge of the Massanutten leading to Mudhole Gap. This is used only by the 100 mile horses and is a wonderful opportunity to "open up" and really get a good hand-gallop going after having negotiated the rocky, stream-strewn stretch between Mudhole Gap and the Picketts Spring vet check.
• Photo 9 - Heading up the trail towards Sherman's Gap after crossing Passage Creek. This part of the trail is actually quite nice and you can move at a good trot, taking breaks for small gathering of rocks. As the trail climbs higher, the rocks start to converge more and more until the slope takes a hard upward turn and becomes all rock and sliding shale. At this point it is very, very difficult and must be walked by both horse and human. For the 2007 OD the trail will go the other way, heading down Sherman's towards Passage Creek and Pickett's Springs vet check.
• Photo 10 - Sherman's Gap. This photo says it all, and this is the *easy* part! The 2007 trail will be going down Sherman's Gap this year -- which should bring joy to the hearts of all 100 milers who won't have to climb it.
• Photo 11 - On Stephen's Trail between Hebron Gap and Camp Roosevelt at the valley bottom. A tiring trail that is a lot of trot and walk and trot and walk and trot and walk because of the groupings of rocks. It does a lot of rolling up and down, but thankfully it is heading downhill, and the rocky section finally gives way to really nice, dirt trail with grass alongside for the horses to get a bit of a snack. Photo by Barb Horstmeier

1978