I just completed a three day 820 mile tour of the GWNF in the area south of Harrisonburg and west of Staunton. My goal is to drive every forest road in the GWNF and find interesting spots to wheel.
Since January I've done 85% of the open year round forest roads from just north of Hwy 55 (northern GWNF boundary) to about even with Staunton in the south (about 1200 square miles). I'll visit the seasonal roads in the Fall when they are open.
My observations so far.
- Touring the GWNF is great but don't expect to find much in the way of technical wheeling. The Flagpole steps and a water crossing on a VA public road are the only marginally spicy spots that I have found so far. For the most part you could do 95% of this in a Subaru Outback.
- What few seasonal roads I've done tend be a little rougher than roads open year round. I have hope that some of those seasonal roads turn out to be wheeling gems. I did find one seasonal road near Wolf Gap that was a true Jeep road and much better than Peter's Mill.
- Snow conditions are the best time to get out and wheel in the GWNF.
- Very long forest roads of more than an hour in length are uncommon.
- When planning a GWNF tour it's difficult to create a coherent driving circuit. There's a lot of in and out on dead end roads, pavement driving, and backtracking. Expect to spend most of your miles on pavement, although some of that pavement is very scenic country roads.
- Night driving can be fun.
- I have seen very few fellow wheelers in the GWNF. My guess is that most folks restrict themselves to the Flagpole run.
- Wheelers are probably the most underserved demographic of all the primary GWNF users. The pecking order goes something like hikers, loggers, hunters & fishermen, equestrians & mountain bikers, and then wheelers. Why can't we have one technical all day trail in the northern GWNF???
- The National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps are invaluable. The Forest Service Motor Vehicle Usage Maps (MVUM) are also important.
- There is a lot of private property in the GWNF.
- There are tons of roadside camping spots.
- Know where the gas stations are before you head out on a tour. I top off every chance I get. Plus I feel better about putting money into the local rural economy. Stop at those small country stores and given them your business.
- Pay the Forest Service $20 and get yourself an annual GWNF wood gathering permit. That way you can legally use a chainsaw to gather wood with the 'ancillary' benefit of clearing a blocked forest road. In fact, I would say that a chainsaw is necessity for winter forest road travel.
- Mechanical tire deflators are pretty sweet.
- A CB with weather radio is great to have.
- Winter weather advisory conditions seem to be the optimal time to get out on the forest roads as long as you can avoid ice conditions.
- Mud and snow tires are the way to go. Your gas mileage may suck but you can get into fun places.
- You can never have enough off road lighting. Especially when your night vision declines in your old age and decrepitude.
Favorite and/or long forest roads so far:
- FR 344 Squirrel Gap
- SR826-CR3/1 Camp Run Rd.
- FR 151
- FR 87 Rough Run to FR 72 Long Run Rd complex. This is probably the best bang for the buck since there are lots of side roads, even more so during seasonal road access dates.
- FR 549 to FR 547 link up.
- FR 85A-225 (Flagpole) Slate Mtn. complex. There are some fun side roads worth exploring.
- FR 85 (Reddish Knob) complex. There are lots of connecting roads. FR 64 was nice.
- SR 688-FR 77 complex and the connecting FR 82-381-382 complex.
- FR 173 Benson Run Rd. Very scenic.
- SR 612 & Swope Hollow Road. Short VA roads but interesting and steep.
- SR 627 Scotchtown Draft- FR 394 (the longest forest road I've found so far)
- FR 61 Clayton Creek Rd. Connecting F387 is seasonal. This looks like a classic ridgeline run.
- FR 465
GPS Track Logs and Waypoints: I have all my tracks recorded and many dozens of waypoints for road side campsites, gas stations, and forest roads. If you want a gpx file just ask.
Interesting facts from my recent 820 mile 3 day tour:
- Gallons of fuel burned: 55.
- Cost of gas: $204
- Cost of gas per mile: about 25 cents.
- Average MPG: I calculated 14.7 while my Jeep's Eco estimator says 16.2 MPG. Either way it really sucks.
- Average speed: 25 mph
- Total ascent: 50,000' feet
- Low temperature: 7 degrees.
- Having Reddish Knob all myself at sunset: Priceless!
- Wildlife seen: Deer, bobcat, fox, coyote, skunks, and hawks.
- Curious local wheeling activity: midnight convoy of about 10 trucks wheeling down south down Braley Pond Rd.
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Since January I've done 85% of the open year round forest roads from just north of Hwy 55 (northern GWNF boundary) to about even with Staunton in the south (about 1200 square miles). I'll visit the seasonal roads in the Fall when they are open.
My observations so far.
- Touring the GWNF is great but don't expect to find much in the way of technical wheeling. The Flagpole steps and a water crossing on a VA public road are the only marginally spicy spots that I have found so far. For the most part you could do 95% of this in a Subaru Outback.
- What few seasonal roads I've done tend be a little rougher than roads open year round. I have hope that some of those seasonal roads turn out to be wheeling gems. I did find one seasonal road near Wolf Gap that was a true Jeep road and much better than Peter's Mill.
- Snow conditions are the best time to get out and wheel in the GWNF.
- Very long forest roads of more than an hour in length are uncommon.
- When planning a GWNF tour it's difficult to create a coherent driving circuit. There's a lot of in and out on dead end roads, pavement driving, and backtracking. Expect to spend most of your miles on pavement, although some of that pavement is very scenic country roads.
- Night driving can be fun.
- I have seen very few fellow wheelers in the GWNF. My guess is that most folks restrict themselves to the Flagpole run.
- Wheelers are probably the most underserved demographic of all the primary GWNF users. The pecking order goes something like hikers, loggers, hunters & fishermen, equestrians & mountain bikers, and then wheelers. Why can't we have one technical all day trail in the northern GWNF???
- The National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps are invaluable. The Forest Service Motor Vehicle Usage Maps (MVUM) are also important.
- There is a lot of private property in the GWNF.
- There are tons of roadside camping spots.
- Know where the gas stations are before you head out on a tour. I top off every chance I get. Plus I feel better about putting money into the local rural economy. Stop at those small country stores and given them your business.
- Pay the Forest Service $20 and get yourself an annual GWNF wood gathering permit. That way you can legally use a chainsaw to gather wood with the 'ancillary' benefit of clearing a blocked forest road. In fact, I would say that a chainsaw is necessity for winter forest road travel.
- Mechanical tire deflators are pretty sweet.
- A CB with weather radio is great to have.
- Winter weather advisory conditions seem to be the optimal time to get out on the forest roads as long as you can avoid ice conditions.
- Mud and snow tires are the way to go. Your gas mileage may suck but you can get into fun places.
- You can never have enough off road lighting. Especially when your night vision declines in your old age and decrepitude.
Favorite and/or long forest roads so far:
- FR 344 Squirrel Gap
- SR826-CR3/1 Camp Run Rd.
- FR 151
- FR 87 Rough Run to FR 72 Long Run Rd complex. This is probably the best bang for the buck since there are lots of side roads, even more so during seasonal road access dates.
- FR 549 to FR 547 link up.
- FR 85A-225 (Flagpole) Slate Mtn. complex. There are some fun side roads worth exploring.
- FR 85 (Reddish Knob) complex. There are lots of connecting roads. FR 64 was nice.
- SR 688-FR 77 complex and the connecting FR 82-381-382 complex.
- FR 173 Benson Run Rd. Very scenic.
- SR 612 & Swope Hollow Road. Short VA roads but interesting and steep.
- SR 627 Scotchtown Draft- FR 394 (the longest forest road I've found so far)
- FR 61 Clayton Creek Rd. Connecting F387 is seasonal. This looks like a classic ridgeline run.
- FR 465
GPS Track Logs and Waypoints: I have all my tracks recorded and many dozens of waypoints for road side campsites, gas stations, and forest roads. If you want a gpx file just ask.
Interesting facts from my recent 820 mile 3 day tour:
- Gallons of fuel burned: 55.
- Cost of gas: $204
- Cost of gas per mile: about 25 cents.
- Average MPG: I calculated 14.7 while my Jeep's Eco estimator says 16.2 MPG. Either way it really sucks.
- Average speed: 25 mph
- Total ascent: 50,000' feet
- Low temperature: 7 degrees.
- Having Reddish Knob all myself at sunset: Priceless!
- Wildlife seen: Deer, bobcat, fox, coyote, skunks, and hawks.
- Curious local wheeling activity: midnight convoy of about 10 trucks wheeling down south down Braley Pond Rd.
