Three Ridges

Lovingston, Virginia

5 Reviews

Summary Trail Guide Topo Map Reviews Photos GPS

DESCRIPTION FROM:

Hiking Virginia

by Bill and Mary Burnham (Falcon Guides)

The term wilderness conjures visions of craggy peaks and untamed woodland far from the beaten track. Virginia’s newest designated wilderness area, Three Ridges and The Priest region, isn’t quite that. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Appalachian Trail (AT) traverses both peaks and the two AT shelters on either side of Three Ridges suits an overnight hike perfectly.

The link between them, the Mau-Har Trail, follows Campbell Creek past a 40-foot waterfall and numerous smaller cascades. The treacherous terrain, soaring views, and sheer elevation gain makes this one of the most strenuous and dramatic hikes in Virginia.

View Guide Topo Map

Trail Statistics and Information


Activity Type:	Hiking
Nearby City:	Lovingston
Distance:	13.8
Trail Type:	Loop/Lollipop
Skill Level:	Difficult
Duration:	10 hours
Season:	Year-round
Additional Use:	Hunting
Features:	Waterfalls
Local Contacts:	Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District, Natural Bridge Station (540) 291-2188 www.fs.usda.gov/gwj
Local Maps:	USGS Massies Mill, Horseshoe Mountain, Sherando, Big Levels
Driving Directions:	Directions to Three Ridges

Recent Trail Reviews

Anthony L.

Rating:

Date of Trip: 10/13/2012

My son and I hiked Tye River to Reid’s Gap for a and overnighter on our continuation of the AT through VA. We frequent the Mau-Har trail as an in-out overnighter on several occasions to "tune-up' for more difficult hikes as the season progresses. The AT up to Reid’s Gap can be difficult but staying overnight at Maupin Field makes it a leisurely affair with a few exceptions. Great views on the AT and while the Mau-Har doesn’t really have the views, Campbell’s Creek is usually running well and the sound of the rushing water makes a good nighttime tranquilizer. Plenty of existing cap sites/fire rings on Mau-Har beside the falls.

Brook B.

Rating:

Date of Trip: 4/25/2009

Great overnight hike with nice vistas of the valley and plenty of water sources. Hike up the ridges can be a bit strenuous, but use the time to take in the scenery.

Chris R.

Rating:

Date of Trip: 9/6/2005

Did the trail in the opposite direction starting at Reed's Gap. Beautiful scenery and great camp sites but extremely challenging terrain. This is a very hard hike. Wonderfully uncrowded--Labor Day weekend and only saw two other groups of hikers. The Harper's Creek shelter is especially nice, located right on the Creek.

jay J.

Rating:

Date of Trip: 9/13/2003

A really good trail. With a pack it took about 4 hours for the 6 miles up (including stops for pics, etc.). There were a quite a few overlooks but most were obscured by cloud cover. It also took about 4 hours for the 8 mi. decent using the mau-har trail. This trail had many great views of waterfalls along the way. Note: The mile by mile description in "Hike Virginia" is pretty close, but the elevation graph was off by hundreds of feet at times.

jessica P.

Rating:

Date of Trip: 3/1/2001

This was a beautiful hike around and around three ridges mountain. My dog and I spent 3 hours going up and 1.5 hours coming down. Their is a shelter about halfway up where a nice cup of tea can be made with a little burner. Just up the way there is a rock where you can sit and have lunch a take a view of Charlottesville, stunning!