We are all in need of some mountains at the moment and since the weather is unprecedently warm for February it would seem wrong not to make the most of it! The plan is to enjoy the sunset over Shenandoah from the Stony Man summit this Sunday. It is a pretty chill hike around 1.6 miles out-and-back so if you …
Hey bird enthusiasts, we’re heading to Lickinghole Creek for a quick birding trip! According to eBird, Lickinghole Creek is a birding hotspot with 200 species listed, so there should be a lot for us to see. The trail is easy to follow and takes us along the creek to the lake, providing an opportunity to spot both wetland and songbirds …
Howdy folks, We’re incredibly lucky to have some amazing hiking and biking trails so close to Charlottesville, but winter storms have taken their toll on the forests and many trails are currently blocked by downed trees and limbs. Mill Creek Trail near Sherando Lake is in particularly rough shape, with a few spots of localized heavy damage. The plan for …
**DRIVERS GET PRIORITY** Looking for a not too difficult hike with a super cool waterfall? Then this is the hike for you! We plan to leave around 3pm and will likely arrive at Crabtree around 4pm. The hike is about 1 mile to the top of the waterfall and then 1 mile down, making it a pretty easy 2 mile …
If you’ve been itching to get out and hike but haven’t had the time yet this semester, this hike may be for you! Ragged Mountain has an excellent 6.7 mile loop with about 1000 feet elevation gain that goes around the reservoir and is a very short drive from UVA. This hike is great for both beginner and experienced hikers …
Come hike Stony Man with me this Friday! Stony Man is about a mile and a half and is a pretty easy trail- there is supposed to be a beautiful view of Shenandoah at the summit where I’m thinking we can hang around for a while (as it will be around the time the sun sets). The drive is about …
Join me on a very chill walk/jog around ragged on this relatively very warm Sunday morning! I have an injured knee that hurts whenever I run more than a mile, so I’m trying a new method of easing back into running via intervals. The plan with this trip is to run for 5ish minute intervals and walk in between for …
Hi friends! Come with me to explore the Rose River Falls Trail in Shenandoah! I’ve been dying to explore more of the park, and I think this one will be great. It is a 3.8 mile loop trail with 800ish feet of elevation gain, and boasts three small but lovely waterfalls. Hopefully they will be flowing steadily after the rains …
Join us Sunday morning for a quick birding trip to Ivy Creek Natural Area! Birding is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the natural world, and I think it’s worth trying at least once. Ivy Creek is only 15 minutes away and seems to be one of the biggest bird hotspots in the area. There have been lots of …
who: you outdoorsy people what: SUNRISE HIKE where: humpback rocks when: Monday morning @5:40am why: to start your week in the best way possible! hey y’all! I’ve had a sunrise hike kick recently and what better way to fix that than hiking humpback rocks! Humpback is a great sunrise hike (good for beginners and intermediate hikers) but be warned it’s …
Ease into the semester with Ragged Mountain Natural Area! This is a fairly easy 6.7 mile trail that is very flat, so it is almost more of a scenic nature walk than a hike. It takes around 3 hours to complete and is only a 15 minute drive from grounds. One more driver needed! Bring water and snacks if you …
If your looking for a fun afternoon hike with amazing 360º views to conclude your long week, then this hike is for you!! I love this hike for its quick summit, fun but not strenuous rock scramble, and gorgeous views. Its just around a mile, so not super long and a pretty easy hike, but I love it so much. …
Howdy ho! Buzzard Rock is a favorite of mine and a great day hike. With a moderately challenging hike up and some pretty cool views, its a good time. It also happens to be located near my old stomping grounds of Front Royal, Virginia which is the home of Spelunker’s (A.K.A a mighty fine place to grab a burger). I’m …
Knock, knock! Who’s there? Remarkably pleasant conditions for Virginia in mid-January! That means that I want to be outside, not in a classroom. I want to take advantage of the lovely cool weather, and this hike is a great way to do that. It is made up of a COMBO of the White Oak Canyon Trail and Cedar Run Trail, …
Sunny and a high of 50 degrees in January calls for a nature stroll! I say “stroll” because we will definitely not be racing to finish- just some time outdoors and in the sunshine after the FWOC to mindfully reset. Ragged Mountain trail is around 6.7 miles (and I want to do the whole thing, but again at strolling & …
hello salamander enthusiasts, Have you ever wondered about the amphibian life on O’Hill? WELL ME TOO! The only problem is iNaturalist barely has anything for amphibians up there (the photo is the species of the one salamander on iNaturalist at o’hill), so we’re gonna investigate for ourselves on a fun little herping trip. It’ll definitely be hard to find amphibious …
[Dates are approximate, TBD based on what’s best timing for participants and flights pricing. If interested in this adventure, please read through and then join the wait list – that’s how I’ll know who is *potentially* interested in attending.] Merry Christmas and Happy All Of The Holidays that are happening in the past and next few weeks everyone, from me …
Idk about you guys, but I am already missing the ‘ville. Soooo what better thing to look forward to than a Humpback hike before classes start for the spring?? Yes, Humpback is basic, but it’s one of my favorite spots near Cville and I have yet to do the full loop. So, that’s exactly what we are going to do. …
sooo the time has come for me to lead my first solo-led trip!!! nnn what better way than a sunrise hike
Hello beautiful people, Ah yes, finals season is upon us. I wish you all magical exam success, plenty of sleep, and laughter during these dark days. However, I wish even MORE that you will join me and Claire as we explore Mary’s Rock!! Mary’s Rock is about 3 miles out and back with what looks like some stunning views! Here …
This is probably my last hike leaving from Echols until the new year :((( But I find waterfalls to be very relaxing, so Tuesday I will be embarking on a trek to Crabtree Falls to celebrate the end of HE-double-hockey-sticks week (also known as finals week) and would love some company! There is no cost, but if another driver signs …
I finish my last exam Saturday and I am damn sure in the mood to see some waterfalls. This will be a really cool 5.1-ish mile loop that takes you past both Dark Hollow and Rose River Falls, two of the coolest waterfalls in the SNP. It seems to be able to be done in about 3 hours total but …
MOAB, UTAH 2023 We’ve got an extra special gift for all of you this last day of class: without a doubt the most legendary adventure of the year. ALL ABOARD THE GNAR TRAIN May we all blossom from this fake wintry East Coast of ours and emerge as sun children in the soft red sands of the Utah desert. There …
Join us Friday morning for a quick birding trip to Ivy Creek Natural Area. Birding is fun, I promise – like collecting Pokemon but IRL. But don’t take my word for it, come out and see for yourself. This park is only 15 minutes away and seems to be one of the biggest bird hotspots in the area. There have …
Hello everyone, we are once again asking you to go on a hike. This time to the Blue Ridge Tunnel. It’s probably more accurate to call this a walk as the there is almost no elevation change and its only 3 miles in length. Designed by Claudius Crozet (for whom the town of Crozet was named), the Blue Ridge Tunnel …
It’s time for my weekly sunrise hike, and we’re going to Glass Hollow (again)! The hike is around 2 miles round trip and leaves from the Humpback Rock Parking area. Unlike Humpback, this is a very chill hike with little elevation gain to cover, so I think it’ll be a great start (middle?) to the craziness of exam season. The …
Do you like hanging with cool people, gazing upon the midnight sky whilst sipping on delicious hot cocoa? Do you like rocks, and yearn to see them in dimmer lighting? Make your dreams come true by joining Josh and Cam and frolicking into the nighttime woods. Hanging rock trail has some pretty cool overlooks that should be EVEN MORE cool …
Hey friends! It’s almost exam season, and I’m stressed, so I wanted to organize a little chill social queer trip. Plan is to meet at Echols and probably walk over to O’Hill, and kind of just… do whatever our hearts desire from there. To bring: Snacks (if you have stuff to share, that’d be cool, but no pressure) Water Crafty …
Have YOU enjoyed using the beautiful land in good ole Virginia? Do you also want to learn how to better respect and acknowledge the land? Then join us on Dec 3rd for a service trip to the Monacan Nation Museum to learn about the land that we have been using. We will take a tour of the Monacan Nation Museum …
WOOHOO READING DAY. It has been a couple weeks since I’ve been hiking, and I’ve yet to summit Old Rag. I’m a big fan of rock scrambles, and now that the leaves have fallen, we should have great visibility through the trees. And the best part is, we don’t have to buy tickets anymore (until spring)! We’ll be hiking the …
It’s finals season and I need an overnight escape in the woods. Enter the Gittin’ Pickled Cabin, a beautiful getaway 0.6 miles east of the AT. Mcafee’s Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker cliffs trailheads just minutes away with a car. This is definitely glamping- the cabin has bunk beds, potable drinking water, a fire pit, toilet, hot water with a …
Helloooo everyone!! With finals season upon us, we all could use a relaxing day and what better way to do that than spending time outside?!! If you’re on the same page, join Chelsea and I on a hike this Saturday! We will be doing a 4.5 ish mile loop in Patricia Ann Byrom Forest Preserve Park (40 mins away). There’s …
I want to see the sun go down on blackrock while listening to some mountain music, and I’d love if you’d join me! Blackrock is about 1 mile trek to the rock scramble with a beautiful 360 view. After being in libraries studying for finals all week, some time outdoors will be nourishing- I don’t have a car, so drivers …
I haven’t been hiking in a couple weeks, so this weekend I will be taking a much needed trek into Shenandoah to knock out two hikes I’ve been wanting to try out. We will leave Saturday morning for Hawksbill Summit first. It is the highest peak in Shenandoah, and should take about 1 1/2 hours to complete. We’ll be going …
Calling all musicians! Let’s make some noise (music?) outside among the rocks and trees! We’re heading to Blackrock Summit, which is a very manageable 0.5 mile flat hike that will take us up to the boulder outcropping where we will breath fresh air and make music together. Bring your instrument(s) and some songs to share! Any and all instruments encouraged …
Hellooo fellow consumers in ecosystems, is anyone else feeling deeply enamored by trees as you navigate the world? Beckoned by their pine-needly-embrace? Harkened by their winding bark? Tickled by the secrets of their inner water tubes? My pondering and admiration of trees shall only reign stronger as we march towards winter, so I say let’s go putz around the woods …
Do YOU want to escape from an ever-growing sense that finals suck, it’s getting cold, and soon the outside is gonna become not-so-cozy?! Well, hopefully not, because it’s ski season soon(The most wonderful time of the year). Nonetheless, I want to take advantage of the lovely cool weather while I still can, and this hike is a great way to …
Rise and shine early birds! If you’re looking for a mid-week adventure with fabulous sunrise views, then this hike is for you! We’ve been wanting to do this hike for a while and don’t have class until 11 on Thursdays so it works out perfectly. The plan is to head to Black Rock Summit to watch the sunrise, then continue …
Hello fellow outdoors people with no Friday classes! This is an 8.3-mile loop with a giant boulder field and beautiful views. It takes about 1.5 hours to drive there, and we will be taking two cars so that we can take more people. Drivers get priority off the waitlist! The Plan 8:30 AM: Leave Echols 10:00 AM: Get to the …
Are you gonna be back from home and wanna end your thanksgiving break with a sunset? hey me too! This is a very short 1.5-mile loop hike that’ll take us maybe about half an hour to get to the top (with basically no elevation gain) to see a pretty sunset. I do not have a Shenandoah National Park pass so …
I was trying to think of something extreme and crazy cool to do tomorrow but after a few hours of thinking I’ve decided my body is begging for the opposite. Therefore, I present to you this very chill jaunt and hang out on Little Calf Mountain! It’s about 0.7 miles to the top area of Little Calf Mountain that has …
In honor of my first time leading a trip by myself, we will be recreating my first ODC trip ever: a sunrise at Bearfence! It’s less than a mile to the summit and involves a little bit of rock scrambling, which isn’t too strenuous. The trailhead is about 1 hr 8 min from Grounds, so the plan will be: 5:15 …
As the weather cools down, the sunrises seem all the more satisfying and… refreshing. This is a short ~1 mile hike up a fun little rock scramble. It’s not an extremely difficult hike, but it’s definitely enough to get your blood flowing. We will be hiking as the sun is coming up (to minimize waiting stationary in the cold), starting …
Why helloooo our dearly beloved outdoor-roving humans. Anusha, Ella, and I were pondering how connecting with our local land, trees, rocks, mud, minerals, and life brings us comfort amidst challenging times like these, so we wanted to make space for us to commune with the outdoors — and each other — however we need to for ourselves. We shall gather …
Hey All!! To say the least, it has been a hard week. It is important to spend time doing things you care about and getting outside (so for a lot of us, those two things are one and the same). So, if you would like, join me and Emi Saturday morning while we do some trail maintenance on the AT …
Hey y’all, With all the tragedy that happened this week, I really want some time outdoors to stare at lovely mountains and spend time with lovely people. Turk Mtn is one of my favorite hikes, and it’s super easy and beginner-friendly. I’m thinking we head out, hike in, do some staring/journaling/meditating, and then head out before it gets dark. The …
I could use some calm, quiet, and reflection in nature, and I am sure some of you could as well. This will be a beginner hike to Bearfence in the Shenandoah National Park this Saturday to see the sunrise. Bearfence is one of my favorite hikes and is a wonderful sunrise spot. I have a SNP pass so this trip …
Hey everyone, I hope you all are well and have been spending time with those closest to you. Yesterday’s tragedy has left everyone feeling shaken, and I know its caused a lot of anxiety. I think it’d be nice if we went for a little sunrise hike to combat that. Let’s hit Glass Hollow on Friday. It’s going to be …
Join us Friday morning for a quick birding trip to Ivy Creek Natural Area. Birding is fun, I promise – like collecting Pokemon but IRL. But don’t take my word for it, come out and see for yourself. This park is only 15 minutes away and seems to be one of the biggest bird hotspots in the area. There have …
Dripping Rock South is a super chill hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway, perfect for a lil Sunday reset before one last week (and a half) of school before Thanksgiving (yay thanksgiving). The hike’s about 2.5 miles round trip w/ a 240 feet elevation gain so it should be a piece of cake but we’ll still take it at a …