Hungry Mother

TRAIL SAFETY • Know your limits and abilities. Some trails in the park are strenuous and long. • Wear proper footwear for hiking. Trails are often rocky and can be steep in sections. • Check weather forecast and be prepared. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the summer. • Pack plenty of water and snacks for your intended distance. • If possible leave an itinerary with someone. Not all cellular carriers have reliable service in the park. • More detailed trail information is available from the park office or by asking a park ranger. BE BEAR AWARE - Although bear sightings are rare, this area is home to black bears. As a reminder, please review the following tips about hiking safety. If you encounter a bear while hiking: • Enjoy the experience from a distance, don’t panic. • Hiking at dawn or dusk may increase your chances of meeting a bear, so always be aware of your surroundings. • Use extra caution in places where hearing or visibility is limited, such as brushy areas, near streams, where trails round a bend and on windy days. • Reduce your chances of surprising a bear on the trail by making noise such as talking or singing. • Make sure children are close to you or within your sight at all times. C.C.C. TRAIL - This multi-use trail is 1.9-miles long. It intersects Lake Trail in the boat ramp area, runs all the way to Vista Trail and loops back to Lake Trail on the back side of the lake. It climbs up and down many ridges and crosses a creek several times. Vast thickets of rhododendron line much of the trail. several places where the trail may be flooded. It begins at an elevation of 2,217 feet, peaks at 2,565 feet and drops back to 2,320 feet where it meets Lake Trail farther along the loop. RAIDER’S RUN TRAIL LAKE TRAIL - This 5.7-mile trail for hiking and biking closely follows the edge of the lake. It makes brief diversions along ridges and away from the shore where it connects to the Ridge and C.C.C. trails. This relatively wide trail features numerous changes in elevation and many sharp turns and switchbacks resulting in constantly changing vistas of the lake and surrounding mountains. Shady thickets of rhododendron, dense leafy forest, cool creek beds and abundant wildlife make this trail an interesting and ever-changing panorama. This loop trail starts and ends at 2,212 feet. The first mile, which parallels Park Blvd., is gently rolling and relatively flat. Once the trail crosses the dam, it begins steeper rolling sections. The section along the back side of the lake has significant elevation gain and loss. The trail’s highest point is at 2,374 feet. RIDGE TRAIL - This 0.2-mile trail connects Lake Trail and Molly’s Knob Trail. The single-track trail primarily follows a ridge with a fairly steep incline. It passes through a densely forested area with numerous rhododendron and mountain laurel, providing an alternate route up and down Molly’s Knob. • Don’t run. Do get loud, get big and back away. It begins at 2,300 feet where it leaves Lake Trail and peaks at 2,487 feet where it intersects Molly’s Knob Trail. • Please report all bear sightings to a park ranger or the park office. MOLLY’S KNOB TRAIL TRAIL INFORMATION DIFFICULTY SCALE EASY - From .5 to 1 mile; grades are short, typically fewer than 100 feet and less than 10 percent of the trail length; easily accomplished by all users, including the elderly and those with physical or mental disabilities, with little risk of injury or fatigue. MODERATE - From 1 to 5 miles; steepness and grade lengths vary; at least 60 percent of the length is fairly flat; healthy people can accomplish the trail with little risk of injury or fatigue. DIFFICULT - Trail length is greater than 5 miles; more than 70 percent of the trail is on a grade; experienced hikers only or groups of three to five people recommended; there is a risk of overexertion or injury to those not conditioned. - The 1.9-mile multi-use trail takes users from a parking lot below the group lodge to Vista Trail, which leads to the highest point in the park, Molly’s Knob, elevation 3,270 feet. Molly’s Knob Trail gradually becomes steeper and narrower. While hiking various switchbacks on this trail, users could see Catawba (pink bloom) and rosebay (white bloom) rhododendron, many varieties of fern and other colorful wildflowers. The trail’s elevation changes from 2,280 feet at the trailhead to 2,927 feet where it meets Vista Trail. From Vista Trail, Molly’s Knob Trail drops to 2,530 feet at the intersection with CCC Trail. OLD SHAWNEE TRAIL - This 1-mile multi-use trail extends Raider’s Run Trail, from which it is accessible in two places. The trail undulates gently through the woods, has only a few steep inclines and is less difficult than the hills on Raider’s Run Trail. While this trail is listed as having moderate difficulty, bikers should note there are It intersects Raider’s Run Trail in two places. The eastern intersection’s elevation is 2,447 feet, and the western intersection is at 2,359 feet. Its highest elevation is 2,491 feet. - This 0.9-mile multi-use trail forms a loop accessible from the Raider’s Run trailhead at parking lot 2. This trail passes through quiet and peaceful woods. It is fairly steep and narrow. This trail is the only means of access to Old Shawnee Trail. Virginia State Parks Hungry Mother State Park This loop trail begins and ends at an elevation of 2,232 feet and peaks at 2,483 feet. CLYBURN HOLLOW TRAIL - This is a 0.5-mile multi-use trail. It is accessed from Clyburn Ridge Loop Trail. The trail travels through the cool shady forest along the creek’s edge, which it occasionally crosses, and is used as a connector by visitors not wishing to hike the entire Clyburn Loop Trail. The trail’s elevation starts at 2,250 feet at its south end, near the parking area by Camp Burson. The trail climbs to a high elevation of 2,385 feet on the north end by its intersection with Stone Lick Trail. CLYBURN RIDGE LOOP TRAIL - This 4-mile multi-use trail may be accessed from the Clyburn Ridge trailhead across from Camp Burson or from Stone Lick Trail. It offers unique terrain and an amazing view of Hungry Mother Lake. This trail starts at the parking area across from Camp Burson at an elevation of 2,215 feet, climbs to 2,584 feet at the lake overlook, and drops and climbs again to 2,566 feet at the Stone Lick intersection. The highest elevation of the trail is 2,625 feet and the lowest is 2,210. VISTA TRAIL - This 0.4-mile trail is accessed via Molly’s Knob Trail and leads visitors to Molly’s Knob. This trail reaches the highest elevation in the park – 3,270 feet – and offers a stunning 180-degree view of the countryside. It climbs from an elevation of 2,923 feet at the intersection of Molly’s Knob Trail to 3,270 feet at the Molly’s Knob summit, a gain of 347 feet. STONE LICK TRAIL - This 0.8-mile multi-use trail is accessible from the Stone Lick trailhead off of Route 16 just past the Discovery Center. It climbs along ridgelines to access the back side of Clyburn Ridge Loop Trail. Along the way, there are views of the highest point in Virginia, Mount Rogers, with an elevation of 5,729 feet. This trail begins at an elevation of 2,236 feet at the parking lot, climbs to 2,646 feet and intersects with Clyburn Ridge Loop Trail at 2,597 feet. TRAIL GUIDE VIRGINIA STATE PARKS ARE A TONIC FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT. Museums, visitor centers and nearby historic sites make state parks cultural treasures. The recreational opportunities in state parks are endless and easy to see – from swimming and boating to horseshoes and hiking, there’s always something to do in a Virginia State Park. 2854 Park Blvd. Marion, Virginia 24354 276-781-7400 hungrymother@dcr.virginia.gov WWW.VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV 800-933-PARK St on n Cam pB Old Shawnee Trail urs on 16 tch ell Va ll ey il ail Raider’s Run Trail lvd kB Mi Tr a w Tr llo n Ho ur Clyb ick e er Lak Moth Hungry Rd 617 Par La rai ke T E op l Lo Hu ng ry Mo th Ridge T rail Lake o To B Molly’s Knob Trail mp Camping Area Boat Ramp C.C.C. Trail Point of Interest 0 0.5 Miles Dr Roy a Cam l Oak pgr oun d C. C. CabinCreekside 348 Campground at Ra Parking ck lo Ln m n He ave H Dr C. Information Station er Rd bu r C ly e dg i R a il op Tr Lo eL 750 Vista Trail Trail Blaze Mileage Usage Difficulty Access C.C.C. Clyburn Hollow Clyburn Ridge Ridge Lake Trail Loop Vista Molly’s Knob Old Shawnee Stone Lick Raider’s Run Orange Gold Lime Green Green Navy Blue Purple White Yellow Red Royal Blue 1.9 0.5 4.0 0.2 5.7 0.4 1.9 1.0 1.2 0.9 H, B H, B H, B H, B H, B H H, B H, B H, B H, B H = Hiking B = Biking = Easy = Moderate PA = Partially Handicapped Accessible PA = Difficult