Bootens Gap to Bear Church Rocks overlook 10 miles, about 2000 ft elevation gain

This is another way to get to the beautiful Bear Church Rocks overlook, that starts on Skyline Drive as opposed to starting from the Graves Mill Trail. Come explore this alternative version with me on a warmish November day! Bring a chair and drink/snack if you like to rehydrate in the parking area after the hike.

What: We will all meetup at Bootens Gap parking lot at Mile Marker 55 on skyline drive in the central section of SNP. We will begin our hike hiking north on the AT. In about .5 miles, we will reach the junction with Laurel Prong Trail, where we will take a right. Laurel Prong goes through a relatively steep decline through a loose, rocky section. The trail will eventually bottom out and reach a junction with the Cat Knob Trail and begin a steep incline. The trail will hit another junction with the Jones Mountain Trail at 2.2 miles. We will take another right on the Jones Mountain Trail. Here the trail is relatively flat or downhill to Bear Church Rock. As we get close, there will be some pretty amazing standalone boulders along the way. We will be close to the viewpoint when the trail takes a sudden, precipitous downhill drop. At 5.1 miles, we will reach an unmarked side trail that takes us up about 10 feet through the mountain laurels onto a large rock outcrop with majestic, wilderness views.

After enjoying lunch here, we will return the way we came back to the parking lot.

Difficulty: Strenuous
Note on difficulty: This hike will have approximately 2,000' of elevation gain, making it not an appropriate hike for beginners. We will hike at approximately 2.0 miles an hour so please make sure you are in shape for this level of effort.

Where: Milepost 55.1 Bootens Gap Parking Lot (please use your maps and don't strictly rely on my map point)

When: We will begin our hike at 9:30 so make sure to give yourself enough time to be ready to start at 9:30.

Carpool: It is a good idea to organize a carpool for this hike, so please put a comment in to indicate if you are willing to drive/ride in a carpool and from what point you would meet riders for pickup. Remember, gas is not cheap, so please give your drive at least $5.00- $7.00 to cover your share of the cost.

Supplies: please bring plenty of water and wear hiking boots or hiking shoes. Trekking poles are recommended for this hike. Lunch and snacks are always a good idea. Bug spray and sunscreen are also good to have in your pack.

Weather: If inclement weather necessitates canceling or postponing the hike, the decision will be made no later than 730 a.m. - cancellations will be posted on the hike comment section... Steady rain with not much chance for clearing will most likely call for postponing the hike.

RSVP: If you find that you're not going to be able to attend the hike, please update your RSVP to "No" as soon as possible. This allows those on the waitlist to have the opportunity to attend.

Disclaimer: GetHiking Charlottesville's Organizers are not professional guides. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would take if you were hiking alone. With your RSVP you agree with this disclaimer- GetHiking Disclaimer (https://4142298.xyz/GetHiking-Charlottesville-Charlottesville-VA/pages/21088739/Disclaimer/)