Edition 11/21/2009

Section 7a
VA 39 at Bath Alum to Left Prong Wilson Creek
Little Mare Mountain – Brushy Ridge
13.0 miles, 2.3 miles road walk, 0.8 mile paved

Parking

 1. North end of section: From I-64 Exit 29, take VA 42 north 17 miles to VA 39, then west 7 miles to VA 630 at Bath Alum.  Parking on left of VA 39 just after VA 630.
  2.  Little Mare Mountain Trail parking: From I-64 Exit 29, take VA 42 north 17 miles to VA 39, then west 6.3 miles to VA 683, Blue Grass Hollow Road, left 0.8 miles, parking on right. 
 3. Lasso Loop Parking: From I-64 Exit 27, take VA 629 north 9 miles to FDR 125, left 1.5 miles, right to turnaround and parking. 
 4. South end of section: From I-64 Exit 27, take VA 629 north 9 miles to FDR 125, left 1.1 miles, park on right after crossing creek. 

Shuttle

North to south: Take VA 39 east 0.7 mile to VA 683, Blue Grass Hollow Road, right 1.7 miles, right on VA 629 9.6 miles to FDR 125, left 1.1 miles. 
South to north: Take FDR 125 back 1.1 miles to VA 629, left 9.6 miles to VA 683, Blue Grass Hollow Road, left 1.7 miles to VA 39, left (west) 0.7 mile. 

Maps

  USGS 7½’ Quadrangles: Bath Alum, VA; Warm Springs, VA; Healing Springs, VA
  National Geographic Map 791 – Staunton Shenandoah Mtn, Map 788 – Covington Alleghany Highlands

Trail Description, North to South

Miles   Data
0.0 Bath Alum: Intersection of VA 39, Mountain Valley Road, and VA 630, Stage Coach Drive.  Great Eastern Trail follows VA 39 east. 
0.7 Intersection of VA 39 and VA 683, Blue Grass Hollow Road.  Turn right on VA 683.  Cross Thompson Creek. 
0.8 Pavement ends. 
1.5 Little Mare Mountain Trail parking on right.  GET follows Blue-blazed Little Mare Mountain Trail, which starts out as an old forest road. 
1.8 To left, field behind fence. 
1.9 Trail leaves forest road on foot trail to right. 
5.4 Intersection with Little Mare Mountain Spur Trail, to right. 
7.2 Trail descends to right off ridge. 
7.6 Saddle between Little Mare Mountain and Little Brushy Mountain. 
8.1 After short very steep descent to Little Wilson Creek, Little Mare Mountain Trail turns into Brushy Ridge Trail, climbing up hill. 
8.6 High point on Brushy Ridge, elev. 3550’.  Trail begins long descent by switchbacks. 
9.8 Intersection with yellow-blazed Salt Pond Ridge Trail, to left. 
10.9 Trail emerges on dirt road, Lasso Loop Trail.  Brushy Ridge Trail and GET follow road to right, downhill. 
11.7 Brushy Ridge Trail and GET leave road.  Trail is both blue and yellow blazed. 
12.0 Trail crosses Wilson Creek. 
12.6 Lasso Loop Trail to parking goes to right.  Continue ahead following blue-blazes. 
12.7 Brushy Ridge Trail ends on FDR 125, Smith Creek Road.  GET goes left on FDR 125. 
12.9 Road to right goes to camping sites along Left Prong Wilson Creek. 
13.0 South end of section, FDR 125 crosses Left Prong Wilson Creek.  GET continues across creek, then to right on Middle Mountain Trail in Section 7b. 

Trail Description, South to North
Miles   Data
0.0 South end of section, FDR 125 crosses Left Prong Wilson Creek.  GET continues on FDR 125 to west. 
0.1 Road to left goes to camping sites along Left Prong Wilson Creek. 
0.3 Blue-blazed Brushy Ridge Trail goes to right (in 2009, there was a post, but the sign for it was missing).  GET continues on Brushy Ridge Trail. 
0.4 Yellow-blazed Lasso Loop Trail goes left to parking, and also ahead, joining Brushy Ridge Trail.  Trail is blazed both blue and yellow. 
1.0 Trail crosses Wilson Creek. 
1.3 Trail reaches dirt road, Lasso Loop goes all three direction.  Brushy Ridge Trail and GET route goes left, uphill. 
2.1 Brushy Ridge Trail leaves road to left at sign.  GET follows Brushy Ridge Trail. 
3.2 Intersection with yellow-blazed Salt Pond Ridge Trail, to right.  Brushy Ridge Trail continue up, with switchbacks. 
4.4 High point on Brushy Ridge, elev. 3550’. 
4.9 Brushy Ridge Trail descends to Little Wilson Creek, becoming Little Mare Mountain Trail just before reaching it.  Trail climbs very steeply from Little Wilson Creek a short distance, then ascends gradually on Little Brushy Mountain. 
5.4 Saddle between Little Brushy Mountain and Little Mare Mountain. 
5.8 After rocky climb, reach crest of ridge of Little Mare Mountain. 
7.6 Intersection with Little Mare Mountain Spur Trail. 
11.1 Trail joins old forest road, continue to left. 
11.2  To right is a field behind a fence. 
11.5 Little Mare Mountain Trail ends at parking along VA 683, Blue Grass Hollow Road.  GET goes left along VA 683. 
12.3 After passing though some houses and businesses and crossing Thompson Creek, VA 683 ends on VA 39, Mountain Valley Road.  GET goes left (west) on VA 39. 
13.0 Intersection of VA 39 and VA 630, Stage Coach Drive, at Bath Alum, north end of this section.  GET continues on VA 39 into section 6d. 

Trail condition report

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