sharp top mountain shuttle

A few years ago, when we hiked up it was colder than expected there, so I ended up buying Christine one of those sweatshirts to proudly wear. Still a long way down a decline. The shuttle drops hikers within 0.25 miles of the summit, for a shorter, though still strenuous climb up the stairs to the top. I know they are not on the Appalachian. The trail is moderate with some strenuous climbs. Its like the feel of my feet doesnt match what my eyes are seeing. read more. Sharp Top (3,875 ft.): Pass the empty stone building (a former concession stand), then climb a few steps to the boulder-covered summit. Flat Top rises to an elevation of 4,004 feet with many scattered rock outcrops. read more, Just before you get to the Peaks of Otter Lodge on the left. Whats ur recommendation on them hiking all the way up? All Rights reserved.Designed by National Park Planner. A decision to make, too. Ive never seen horses/mules on that trail, so my *guess* is that pack animals are not allowed. Finally, Scottish settlers may have named the Peaks after Ben Otter, a mountain in their homeland that resembles Sharp Top.. On the stone in the monument, it is inscribed "From Otter's Summit, Virginia's Loftiest Peak, To Crown a Monument to Virginia's Noblest Son." The visitors Ctr is nice and the people who work there are informative. Buzzards Roost does require some rock scrambling and carefully navigating around large rocks, so it isnt for the faint of heart. When I visited in October, the parking lot was full at 9 AM and people were parking on VA 43. This no-nonsense trail has little use for switchbacks (there are only a few) as it shoots toward the summit. The hostess had to pitch in to help serve us. I dont see anything specifically about pack animals, so you may need to call/email to inquire specifically. The Peaks of Otter Visitor Center is small but the ranger is very knowledgable and friendly. It is a moderately strenuous trail and is self-guiding with written displays describing the forest community. Return to 'Sharp Top Mountain' main page. Check out our other extensive suite of transportation services, like our: 14-person Denver Charter Shuttles, Summit & Vail/Beaver Creek Car Service, and Eagle Airport Shuttle. Periodically, there are reprieves where the grade moderates and you get a chance to catch your breath. If your kids are fit and active, they may be able to do the entire hike. Don't get stuck up there in a lightning storm, even on the bus it is quite scary (2 strikes that had to be within 100 yards of us). The hike down was over pretty quickly and we were off to lunch! A peak's prominence, also known as topographic prominence or relative height, is a measure of how distinct a peak is from other peaks. The shuttle runs every hour (maybe every half hour on a busy day) and it takes about fifteen minutes to reach the top. The trailhead is next to the Sharp Top Store, a small camp store that sells snacks, supplies and souvenirs. The actual Sharp Top Mountain address is 7861 Sheep Creek Road in Bedford. It is manned by one Ranger. Its great and so helpful. I was hoping that someone could tell me if it is off to the left or right of buzzard roost trail and how far down the buzzard roost trail should I go. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. read more. The trail passes through a boulder field that looks out of place so high on the mountain. Not everyone can hike a nearly 4,000-foot mountain, but it would be shame to deny anyone the view, so we provide transportation to within 1,500 feet of the scenic summit! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Youll still have a short hike from the bus drop-off and lots of rocks to scramble on and views to enjoy! He was and is in a position to help the visitors to this area and he only gets in the way of enjoying this wonderful space. Tuesday-Sunday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Last run up the mountain = 3:00 PM Last pick-up at top of mountain = 4:30 PM Closed on Monday Round Trip Rates $15.00 Adults $7.00 Children (ages 2-12) One Way Trip Rates Even better, you are welcomed by a large Sharp Top Mountain sign. A right turn leads to the shuttle bus shelter. We got a really early start on our morning, and were headed up the trail by 9:30 or so. I wish I did it sooner. The Visitor Center was closed when we were there but we really came for the hike anyway. My wife and visit this area quite often. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Cant wait To hike it . Sharp Top has such a special place in my heart. Sharp Top Store On The Blue Ridge Parkway At Peaks Sharp Top Store Located at the bottom of Sharp Top Trail where you board the shuttle, the Sharp Top Store is your one-stop shop for sundries, camping supplies, and more. We then opted to return to Peaks of Otter for a shower and dinner. After the stop at Buzzards Roost, we started our final climb down. The shuttle driver is very good given that the road is very narrow and steep. On this trail, hikers can experience the changing forest ecology as they climb or descend 1,600 feet from the Parkway trail heads. Asheville Photos (4) Directions. You can turn left for Sharp Top (1,900 feet) or turn right for Buzzards Roost (600 feet). But I have to admit that mountain of fried chicken on the buffet table looked very compelling! Peaks of Otter Lodge Shuttle departs from the Peaks of Otter Lodge lobby at 8:30am, 10am, 12pm, 1:30pm, and 3pm. For some reason, this was the first time Ive taken the option. As you pass through a boulder field, look ahead for a rocky outcropping known as Buzzards Roost (whose overlook is reached by a short spur trail 1.3 miles from the trailhead). Personally, after using trekking poles for a while now, I dont know how I ever hiked without them! STP010 . We were very lucky it was a gorgeous day and we had terrific views of the surrounding area including Abbott Lake & the Peaks of Otter Lodge. No cars or hikers are allowed on the road to the top. This is also where you can purchase tickets for the Sharp Top Shuttlea bus to the top of Sharp Top Mountain. Breathtaking views from Sharp Top--pretty strenuous hike, but our 4 yr old made it (with a 2hr nap afterward! Carefully climb the massive rock or take a short spur path on the right for views. The Sharp Top Shuttle is operated by the same concessionaire that operates the Peaks of Otter Lodge. The view from the top on a clear day you can see mountains in all directions. (1), Images Skip the Drive, Enjoy the Ride. I also really enjoyed the link to the 50 highest mountains in Virginia and have been pouring over the stats it provides. Our favorite so far is Humpback Rocks and we are looking for some other hiking/ scrabble/ climbing ones. Trail is ADA Accessible.This is also a kid-friendly TRACK trail. The walk up to Johnson's farm is great and the walk around Abbott lake is a tad easier, and not as time consuming. Bring bug spray, I had forgot mine and the insects are relentless. If you are on blue ridge parkway take the time to appreciate this area and hike its fun trails! The Peaks of Otter hike to Harkening Hill also begins across the Blue Ridge Parkway. I had no idea that this hike is a very popular one, though I can see why. Fallingwater Cascades Trail the other segment of the National Recreation Trail, is a loop trail which takes hikers along cascades on Fallingwater Creek with its huge rock outcrops clothed in rhododendron and large hemlocks. 85554 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Peak of Otter shouldn't be The shuttle driver is very good given that the road is very narrow and steep. Begins behind the visitor center and across from the amphitheater. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Turn left to continue to the summit of Sharp Top. Peaks of Otter Visitor Center, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bedford, VA, USA. Small gift shop, restrooms and info on Begins behind the visitor center. Check out this 1.1-mile out-and-back trail near Blairsville, Georgia. On weekends, the parking lot can overflow. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Other than that, we had the trail mostly to ourselves. more. The trail is almost all uphill, somewhat steep at times, with plenty of rocks, roots and stairs along the way. Sharp Top Mountain - Review of Peaks of Otter Visitor Center, Virginia, United States - Tripadvisor United States Virginia (VA) Virginia - Things to Do Peaks of Otter Visitor Center Peaks of Otter Visitor Center 157 Reviews #209 of 3,068 things to do in Virginia Nature & Parks, Forests, More Blue Ridge Parkway, VA 24523 Save edsel13304 The shuttle delivers visitors to within .25-mile of the summit. The trailhead is beside the camp store. It's defined as the vertical distance between a peak and the lowest contour line surrounding that peak and no higher peak. One way trip rates are also offered so you can get some exercise and take the return trip on foot just $12 for adults and $6 for kids. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Trail runners are common on Sharp Top most mornings. The trail starts off with a slow but steady climb and then crosses the bus summit road at .25 miles. The Visitors Center was closed. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. We rode the bus almost to the top of this mountain, but to get to the very top, you have to hike up a steep winding trail. The The Sharp Top Trail is located on the south side, while the visitor center is on the north side. We hiked the Sharps Mountain trail and really enjoyed it. The most well-known trail of Virginia's Blue Ridge Parkway is the Peaks of Otter trail.It's a 1.5-mile hike to the summit of Sharp Top. Sharp Top Mountain Climber's Log on SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. There is a plaque there that mentions that Sharp Top was once believed to be the tallest mountain in Virginia and that a stone from this mountain was used to build the Washington Monument. The shuttle runs from 8:30 am to 5 pm and departs from the Peaks of Otter Lodge, on the northeast side of Abbott Lake, within Peaks of Otter Recreation Area. Hiking along the bus road is prohibited. Sometimes it sure seems like it. If you like the stair master at the gym, you will love the ups and downs of the hike. The least difficult of these trails, is a one-mile loop around Abbott Lake. Continue to climb up the trail which includes some sections of stairs. The name may come from the Cherokee Indian word, ottari, which means high places. The Peaks may have been named after the Otter River, which has its headwaters in the area. The trail soon coils steeply to the summit. I managed it with breaks every few hundred feet. Avoid the exposed peak during storms. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. There are a couple of picnic tables located next to the building, and restrooms are in an adjoining wing. If you are a serious hiker, Sharp Top Mountain is a definite must do. Length 1.1 miElevation gain 452 ftRoute type Out & back. Hiking around the lake, creeks, hills, mountains and all was incredible! We are a group in our 60's and wondered about the trail difficulty etc and virtually couldn't get any information from him. Every available space was taken, as was every patch of grass that could fit a vehicle. I even saw (allegedly) an otter swimming across the lake. The Peaks of Otter - Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill - have dominated the view in this region of Virginia for centuries, first attracting the attention of Native Americans who saw the area as a rich hunting ground. Is it possible to hike up and ride down? Sharp Top is 3.4 miles round-trip. There are numerous TRACK Trails in this area include five TRACK trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Still, its stone from Sharp Top that has a place inside the Washington Monument in Washington, DC. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 15 min to complete. The road to Mt Seymour is a mountain highway plowed and sanded during winter. Its a tough little climb, but the summit is spectacular. Near the 1.5-mile mark, youll see short spur trails on both sides of Sharp Top Trail. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. At the summit, there were no more than a half-dozen hikers. Small gift shop, restrooms and info on The Falling Water Cascades Trail is a 1.4-mile loop hike that leads to a series of cascades on Fallingwater Creek. What was I going to do at the top of Sharp Top Mountain for an hour? From the Blue Ridge Parkway-based trailhead (across from the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center at MP86), start a moderate climb along the mountains base. gkaufman - Apr 17, 2009 7:33 am Date Climbed: Apr 11, 2009 . I was also thrilled that I seemed to arrive at just the right time, a few minutes before 8 am on a Saturday. He was so friendly and personable! The summit offers an impressive 360-degree view of the Peaks of Otter area, the Piedmont to the east, and the Shenandoah Valley with the Allegheny mountains to the west. Check out my favorite hikes near Roanoke, Virginia. 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