Rockfish to Reeds: SECTION 5

1.1 Miles

AT Relo Intersection (with blue-blaze to HB Rocks Parking Lot) to Howardsville Turnpike

(also maintains the Glass Hollow Overlook Trail)

Northern End (AT Relo Intersection w/ blue-blaze to HB Rocks Parking Lot) -

The AT at the beginning of Sec. 5, looking south - there is a pretty fern field on the left.

Signage going South on the AT.

Signage going North on the AT

Glass Hollow Overlook - This overlook, facing east, has a view of Glass Hollow, thus the name. It is a quiet, secluded spot.

Signage at the intersection of the AT & the Glass Hollow Overlook approach trail going south on the AT (hiking north, you see the back of the sign and a blue blaze)

Summer views from Glass Hollow Overlook (Photos: Lori A.)

Fall Views (Oct. 20) - Left: Rockfish Valley; Right- Humpback Rocks

Rock steps - There is some nice rock work along this section and here are some examples (unnamed steps):

A small set of steps (heading north)

Some fabulous Konnarock work - steps and rock work to get the AT across a steep, slick rock slab (you can see the slab under the large rock on the left & it extended to the large rock on the far right). This area was so steep slick, thought was given to putting in a cable hand hold ... until some experienced Konnarock crew members figured out a solution. This view is hiking south.

Charlotte's Rock - This section was the very first section of the multi-year Humpback AT Relo. The assistant crew leader was Charlotte and for several days, while we worked in the area, she ate her lunch up on this rock.

Charlotte's Rock lunch spot.

Left: looking north - Charlotte's Rock to the right, overlooking the crew lunch spot on the left.

Right: looking south - a good view of the flat rock with room for several people to have a seat during lunch.

Manatee Rock - This rock is in the trail bed and unless you know exactly where it is, it has become invisible. When the trail was first being put in, this rock was smack in the middle of where the trail needed to go. The rock looked a little like a manatee and it was large enough that you could sit astride on it. Konnarock crew leader Dana said "dig it out and move it". After three days of digging, the rock started tilting toward the outside edge of what would be the trail where we had undermined it, trying to get it loose. It appeared that if we let it tip on over .... it would be level with the trail where it was and we would not have to move it any more. So ..... slowly, we guided the rock as best we could into a good position with rock bars and it has been there ever since. We cribbed up the undermined spot and Manatee rock disappeared into the tread.

Manatee Rock (looking south) - the top of the rock is in the middle. The pile of smaller rocks to the far left is the top of the cribbing to fill the huge hole where the original plan was to dig MR out & remove it.

The view of the trail as it crosses over Manatee rock, going south on the AT.

Southern End of Sec. 5 at Howardsville Turnpike -

Hiking north on Howardsville/AT this is the intersection where the AT goes to the right (white blazes) and the blue-blaze to the Humpback Parking Lot goes straight (left - see the blue blaze on the log to the left of the sign)

Hiking down the blue-blazed Howardsville Turnpike, the AT is coming in from the left at the sign. To go north, turn left, to go south, continue straight down the AT/Howardsville Turnpike (white blaze).

WILDLIFE & WILD FLOWERS: