Hightop Mountain hike

Hightop Mountain is the tallest park in the southern district of Shenandoah National Park (between Swift Run Gap and Rockfish Gap). The Appalachian Trail goes very near the summit and a short side path leads to an outstanding views to the south and west. This viewshed looks right down on the area that was once owned by Frances Shiflett and later John William Allen. I have attempted to annotate the picture below with an outline of the land as well as some significant local landmarks. Click on the image to view it at full size.

 

The outline of the land is just an estimate and the lower elevations of the land are obscured a bit by the ridges in the foreground.



large boulders along the trail


The hike itself is a very pleasant one. It's approximately 1.5 miles each way from the Hightop parking area on the Skyline Drive. The elevation gained is about 950 feet, so it's a bit steep. The trail, actually the Appalachian Trail, is in very good condition.



View towards Swift Run and Elkton

The hike begins by passing through a small clearing that is beginning to become overgrown. It then passes through an area with many large boulders alongside the trail. In May, the area reportedly is covered with many trillium flowers. 

 

Ferns and flowers near the summit

This deer watched us from right off the trail

The boulders fade away as you climb more steeply. Many ferns begin to appear along the trail. Soon you approach the summit. The first path on the right leads to a rock outcrop without a view. This one should be skipped. The second one provides the viewpoint seen at the top of the page.  If you continue a few yards down the trail, you'll come to a concrete marker. A smaller path to the left will take you a couple hundred yards to the summit of Hightop. There's no view from there, but you can see the remains of an old fire tower. 



Lucy also enjoyed her hike