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This is the fire road for the Byrds Nest Shelter No. 2, located at the summit on Hawksbill Mountain.


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Map Key

0.9

Miles

1.5

KM

77%

Runnable

4,037' 1,230 m

High

3,579' 1,091 m

Low

458' 140 m

Up

2' 1 m

Down

10%

Avg Grade (6°)

16%

Max Grade (9°)

Dogs Unknown

Features Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Description

Access the start of this fire road at mile 47.1 along the Skyline Drive. You'll have a steady, easy climb through a young oak forest.

The fire road also intersects with the Upper Hawksbill Trail, which will be on the right. Keep going straight on the fire road.

After another quarter of a mile, the blue-blazed Salamander Trail on the left goes about 0.8 mile to the Appalachian Trail; to the right, the Lower Hawksbill Trail goes to Hawksbill Gap, at mile 45.6 along the Skyline Drive. Continue ahead on the fire road to the Byrds Nest shelter, then go another 75 yards to the observation platform on the summit.

The summit on Hawksbill is at elevation 4,050 feet, the highest point in Shenandoah National Park. There's a broad view here. At the far left is the town of Stanley; just to the right of it, and much closer, is the rounded crest of Nakedtop, with cliffs on its right-hand slope. To the right of Nakedtop is Buracker Hollow, with the town of Ida at its mouth. From Ida a ridge rises toward the right to the angle at Millers Head, then to the rounded summit of Bushytop. The high point, with rocky cliffs on its left face, is Stony Man. Further right and closer, down below you, is Crescent Rock. Still farther right, in the distance, is the rocky summit of Old Rag.

Please note that camping is not permitted on or near Hawksbill summit.

Contacts

Shared By:

Larry W Brown

Trail Ratings

  3.0 from 1 vote

#29454

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Trail Rankings

#833

in Virginia

#29,454

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1,483 Since Dec 1, 2015
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Photos

View from Hawksbill Peak
Jun 3, 2022 near Stanley, VA
Views from the summit of Mt. Hawksbill.
Dec 10, 2015 near Stanley, VA
Hawksbille summit view.
Oct 6, 2020 near Stanley, VA
Panoramic from the top of Hawksbill Mtn.
Mar 13, 2016 near Stanley, VA
The observation platform on Hawksbill Mountain, the highest point in Shenandoah National Park, elevation 4,050 feet.
Apr 2, 2016 near Stanley, VA
Looking East from Hawksbill Summit.
Sep 23, 2016 near Stanley, VA

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