any body going to be whelling in (see title) on the weekend of january 13, 06??:confused:

What part of GWNF are you wheeling?

i have no idea , i think up near harrisonburg im not sure never been, im going with a friend and a group of people i went wheeling with before but like i said i have never been to this place

Any idea of how to get there from around the cheasapeake virginabeach area of virginia. Wouldnt mind goin, only problem is id be in the stock Disco, and i have no idea were to find a trail map.

umm im going out to my friends house(the guy im going wheeling with) this weekend..and ill find out all the info and see who all is goin...i think most of the people going are from the tidewater 4 wheelers accosiation..or something like that. i think they have a website

we are leaveing from currituck nc

This is a long one, so keep up. :D

There are basically 4-5 main trails in GWNF that are open.

Dictum Ridge, Dry River Run, Kephart Run, Slate Springs Run (Meadow Knob and Flagpole Knob) and the backside of Second Mountain (the road at the top has been gated by the property owners.) There are some trails in the NE area of the park also: Peter's Mill Run, etc.

Your best bet is to contact the ranger's office and request a "Quad Area" map. It's approx 500'-1", it very detailed for the trails in just the Dry River Ranger District. GWNF is broken up into 6-7 different districts.

If you cannot get ahold of one, you can purchase a "Delorme's Virigina Atlas". On pages 66 and 72 are the maps for the trails in GW that most people frequent.

Directions are fairly simple:

Take Va 64 West to 81 North to 33 West. (exit 247).

33 west will wind about 8-9 miles through farmland. As you make a sharp right turn into the mountains, you can start looking for the signs that say each trail.

Dictum Ridge is kinda tricky to find as you have to go down someone's driveway about 10 yard before you get to the left to go up.

Dry River Run can be found on the left after you cross Kephart run (the stream). Make a left by the old red barn/ salt shack, and the trail winds behind the old dam.

Kephart Run make a right onto the trails just before you cross the bridge the say "Kephart Run". make sure you stay on the trail, because this trail is endanger of being closed down.

Slate Springs Run. From McDorman's Store, take 612 South to 733. Make a right on 733 and it will turn into a gravel road and then dirt as it heads into the hills. At the top make a sharp left by the yellow gates (other side is private property).

Second Mountain used to accessable from 33, but overuse and people tearing up Second Mountain Rd, has led to a gate being installed at the top by the folks who live on Second Mountain Rd. It's private property from 33 to the yellowgate, but GWNF property on the other side. You can reach the other side by go to the top of Dictum Ridge and then making a right by the ATV offloading ramps. You can travel down to the backside of the gates, but will have to turn around, (unless it's hunting season down there, when the gates may be open). The powerline trails are off of the trail and you can get a nice little ticket by the Rangers who travel around up there especially during hunting season.

Peter's Mill Run is found in the town of Edinburg in the NE disrict of GWNF. As you make a left off of 81 going South towards the town of Edinburg, continue straight until the road "T"s. Make a left, and then travel until you get to the Jeep dealership (ironically). Make a right and then go straight until you reach the Edinburg Gap (top of the mountain). At the peak will be ATV parking areas on the right, and on the left will be the trail.

We usually meet at the Food Lion (mapquesters can use the address of 924 W. Market St, Harrisonburg, VA to get directions). Last gas stop will be at the Shell station, which is right beside the Food Lion.

We used to stop at a small store right before you get into the mountains on the left hand side. A few gas pumps, kinda like for last minute supplies. In regards to parking at McDormans....

It is true that lately, the folks who live at, and run McDorman's have not been as welcoming as they were in the past. The sign says:

"NO PARKING WITHOUT PERMISSION"

They are serious. We have taken to asking each time we go there, no matter how many vehicles are present. We are always reminded to avoid blocking the driveway so that they (the people who live there) can get in and out.

This map here is from GWNF. click on it to go to the full size version (3.5mb) at imagestation. you can save it from there and use it as you wish. i'm still working on pulling up the waypoints though to help find the way through the park.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/quadna71/Kephartjpeg.jpg (http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4291034299&idx=58)

thanks for that NZRFU thats more then the guy im going with knows..

No worries.

Have fun. :smokin:

what about massies mill and crabtree meadows - wheeled there in the mid 70's bought a '46 2a from a guy at the bottom of one of those trails in 1974.

Can any of these trails be run with a stock 4x4. My dodge is still underconstruction but i got a stock discovery i wouldnt mind taking.

Can any of these trails be run with a stock 4x4. My dodge is still underconstruction but i got a stock discovery i wouldnt mind taking.

They can all be run with a stock rig, except the rock ledge on Dictum. (You can get a stock rig down it, but not up it).

Last time we were out there, there was ALOT of rock stacking at Dictum's Ridge. I saw a stock s-10 blazer make it up.

2 more days...anybody headed up there besides me??

you can do alot of GWNF stock. With the recent rain, expect the creeks to be higher than normal. However it should still be fun.
I would love to join, but my son is due Monday.
This is a few pics from two months ago:
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/4040/4rinthewater0yc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/6318/dsc025436jn.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/3808/dsc018927zi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

pretty easy stuff, but FUN