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VA- Big Levels / Stony Creek Jeep Trail (FS 162)

casm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Oklahoma
This is an approximately nine-mile trail signposted as FS 162 in the George Washington National Forest near Stuart's Draft.

3L3Hl.jpg


North entrance is on Coal Road; South entrance is from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Can be run either direction, but keep an eye out for hikers and mountain bikers. Makes a good afternoon run; figure on 2 hours to complete it with stops or if in a group.

The trail is typically narrow with sporadic places to pass other traffic, and climbs substantially if being run North-to-South. Lots of hairpin switchbacks (many mildly off-camber) and water runoff using the trail as a creek bed for short stretches; there is a risk of flash flooding in inclement weather. Large unavoidable mud puddles with soft beds after rain. Lots of embedded rock (including slickrock) in the trail surface but may be doable by a stock 4WD XJ with careful driving; lockers not necessary for main trail. Quite a few more-technical offshoots which typically rejoin the main trail.

Burned-out hippie bus is approximately 1.75 miles from the South entrance along the main trail and makes a good stopping point; has parking for 4-5 vehicles without blocking the trail if you do it carefully.

Trail photos:

http://www.fm2cd.com/chapters/VA_Chapter/wheelin/biglevels073104.htm

http://www.jk-forum.com/showthread.php?94456-Big-Levels-trail-Stuart-s-Draft-VA

http://4x4icon.com/offroad/big_levels/index.htm
 

Attachments

  • Big Levels : Stony Creek Jeep Trail (FS 162).gpx
    40 KB · Views: 13
1) The burned out Hippie bus is no longer there. Someone took a plasma cutter about a year ago and took it apart in multiple trips. Not sure if it was Park Service or someone looking to make a buck.

2) The GPX is not 100% accurate. The north part of the trail that goes up the mountain is not legal. The legal trail is switches back which can be seen in the first picture.

The second is screenshot for the Motor Vehicle Usage Map 2012 (MVUM) for GWNJF.

Need to make sure you stay on 162(main trail), 162A(Cold Spring/Bald Mountain Trail) and 162B(Kennedy Ridge)



MVUM can be found here. Map 27 http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5392127.pdf

Big Levels.jpg Mvum.jpg
 
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