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Section 25 - Jennings Creek Road (VA 614) to Bearwallow Gap (VA 43) Displayed from North to South
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  Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club http://www.nbatc.org/ hammerhike @ yahoo.com Tye River at VA 56 to Black Horse Gap

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Mile
Marker		  
 Hiker Rated
Parking Safety
Directions Comments Number of Vehicles  Map   &  
 Weather  
 Source
0.0
Jennings Creek Road (VA 614)		   Poor           Great




 From Exit 168 of I-81, go east on VA 614. Eventually this bears south. The trail crossing is 4.6 miles from I-81. The parking area is on the left just after the road crosses Jennings Creek on the Panther Ford Bridge.
From the Blue Ridge Parkway at Powell Gap (Mile 89.1) follow VA 618 north for 4.1 miles to the intersection with VA 614. VA 618 goes right. Bear left onto VA 614. Continue on VA 614 for 1.8 miles to the trail crossing. Parking lot is on the right just before the bridge over Jennings Creek.Most of this route is on gravel roads. Total distance from Powell Gap 5.9 miles 		The northbound trail (to Sec. 24) goes into the woods at the entrance to the parking area. The marker on the attached map indicates this point. GPS:N37.52928 W79.6230 The street view to the south from this point shows the northbound trail. The view to the east shows the parking area. The southbound trail (to Sec. 25) follows the road and crosses the bridge. It goes goes left into the woods at the point labeled Jennings Creek Appalachian Trail. GPS at this point: N37.5297 W79.6219. Rotate the street view from this point to the north to see the southbound trail. Revalidated in April 2024 by Nancy H. 10-15
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  1

David Cullen
4.6
Little Cove Mt. Trail 		   Poor           Great




 See directions for AT crossing of VA 614 (Mile 0.0). Trailhead for this trail is 0.7 miles further south on VA 614, (0.4 miles south of the junction of VA 614 and 618). The trailhead is 5.3 miles from I-81 and 5.1 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway at Powell Gap. Look for the footbridge spanning Jennings Creek. Ther is also a large sign for the trail and a hiker logo sign. Parking is in a pullover on the right (coming from I-81). The marker on the attached map indicates the trailhead. GPS:N37.5214 W79.6244 The street view from this point to the west shows the footbridge . Rotate from west to south to see the parking. This 2.8 mile trail crosses the footbridge and then climbs 1500 feet to meet the AT. The GPS coordinates at the intersection are N37.4971 W79.6489. I have not hiked this trail but have checked out the trailhead. For a good description see: http://www.wanderingvirginia.com/2012/11/atlittle-cove-mountain-trail-loop.html 07/07/19 3-4
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  1

David Cullen
6.6
Bearwallow Gap (VA 695)		   Poor           Great



 
 Coming from Buchanan alternate parking at Bearwallow Gap can be reached by following VA 43 to the Blue Ridge Parkway. On the other side of the overpass, the road becomes VA 695. (Southbound VA 43 joins the parkway until near the Peaks of Otter.) The dirt parking area on VA 695 is on the left only a short distance after the overpass. The marker shows the location of this. GPS:N37.4829 W79.6688 The street view to the east to south from this point shows the parking area. Any parking safety comments recorded here should be for the VA 695 area. Note supposedly VA 695 can be used as an access road from Montvale and points to the east and south. However I know nothing about this route. Follow the highway back under the parkway and past the dirt parking lot VA 43 parking lot on the right. The trail crossing is 0.1 miles past this. See next listing for more details about the crossing. 07/08/19 5-6 in VA 695 lot
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David Cullen
6.6
Bearwallow Gap (VA 43)		   Poor           Great




 VA 43 diverges from US 11 just south of the James River crossing in Buchanan. It goes east then south meeting and then joining the Blue Ridge Parkway for several miles. The AT crosses VA 43 about 0.2 miles north of the Parkway (approximately 4.8 miles from Buchanan). There is no parking at the crossing. In another 0.1 miles there is a dirt parking lot on the left. This is just before VA 43 reaches the Parkway. The red marker on the attached map indicates the parking area. GPS: N37.4845 W79.6684. There is a rotatable view on the left side of the map. Click on that and rotate to the east and south to see the parking area. People using this area should be aware of the following statement in the Appalachian Trail Guide to Central Virginia (3rd ed., 2014). "Beware of a large deep culvert at the edge of the parking area. Numerous vehicles have requiring towing from here." Note There is another parking area on the other side of the Parkway overpass. The route designation on that side is VA 695. See next listing. Any parking safety comments here should be for the VA 43 area. There is by design no direct trail connection between the parking area and the AT. Walk north along VA 43 for 0.1 miles to the crossing. The northbound trail (to Section 25) goes right climbing some rock steps. The southbound trail (to Section 26) goes left. The trace of the Appalachian Trail shown on the map is not entirely accurate. The position of the crossing indicated by the green marker labeled Appalachian Trail is accurate. GPS: N37.4856 W79.6686 Click on this and then on the thumb nail picture on the left of the page that appears. Several photos of the crossing will be displayed. The last photo in the Pictures for this section (25) also shows the parking area. The first photo for section 26 shows the crossing. 07/08/19 3-4 in the VA 43 area
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David Cullen

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