dbmorris

This may be the wrong forum but figured I'd start here.

Want to take the wife on a day trip in the mountains this weekend. Last year we went thru to Salt Log Gap in the GW National Forest, took about 6 hours. Thought about Shoe Creek Trail but looks like it's either closed or way limited (abuse on private property). Any suggestions for the area? We live in Mechanicsville, Va just east or Richmond.

Danny

karls10jk

Salt Log Gap isn't one I've done but I've hit all of the "trails" in Virginia. Shoe Creek is gated off from both sides just a short ways in due to negligence, as you noted.

Pott's Mountain is neat but you've got to have a little build and not mind the metal of your skid plates being used. I can't recommend Big Levels or Cold Mountain because they scratched my paint quite a bit and the 'trail' was really a dirt road. Flagpole Knob is a neat spot to visit and I'm sure with the fall colors that it'll be quite a view. Other little runs off of the north side of Flagpole have been closed by locals, presumably due to negligence by the groups.

dbmorris

That sucks. Have a trip planned for big levels Saturday. Lol. Hopefully it’s not to hard on the paint. By watching the YouTube videos most of it looks passable in a station wagon but the ranger station told me we would need a ‘lifted vehicle’ and that they’ve seen suvs not make it thru. I’d like a slightly tough road, not like the rubicon trail but I would like some challenge.

karls10jk

Big Levels wasn't difficult but there are a couple spots where the jeep shines more than the average suv. There was a guy with a stock Tacoma out there when I went. I chose to go through the week and it was extremely quiet.

If you go in the right season, you can get fresh blueberries right off the bushes there on the trail. Hopefully with the winter setting in the trees will die back a little and be easy on the paint. It sounds horrendous but a good day of buffing cleared most of it up.


Also- this forum has a thread "Official VA Thread" where you'll find more info towards the end. A member posts pretty regularly there to check up on the group.

dbmorris

Went thru the Cold Spring Bald Mountain trail Saturday, it was a blast. Based on your post I picked up a tube of MagArmor (Smittybilt) and they did the trick. Took 5 minutes to put them on and 5 minutes to take them off, made me feel 100% better as I listened to branches drag the side of my Jeep for 4 hours stright, hahaha. I've been 4wheeln 40+ years and it was one of the most fun times I've had in a while (might be because the Jeep is probably the most capable vehicle I've used in that time so it amazed me with every rock). Just challenging enough to keep the wife on the edge of her seat but not so much that I was too worried about walking out 10 miles. One mud hole got a little deep at the end but it pulled thru like a champ. We saw one Jeep about half way thru and a couple other vehicles toward the bottom. Highly recommend that trail for a fun day but like you said be ready for some branches as it is just barely wide enough for a JK and in some places not wide enough.