Twin Pinnacles Trail
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Trail Overview
This popular park route bags its two highest peaks of Little Pinnacle (5,089 feet) and Big Pinnacle (5,068 feet).
How to get there
Driving direction are given on the Grayson Highlands State Park page.
Trailhead is behind the visitors' center. Start at bright orange marker to begin following red blazed trail.
Alternatively, park at Massie Gap and take the 0.4 mile Big Pinnacle Trail up the mountain. Once at Twin Pinnacles Trail, head right for Big Pinnacle or left for Little Pinnacle.
Route Description
From the visitors' center, the hike begin walking through the forest until a large map sign is reached. At that point the loop can be taken either left towards Little Pinnacle or right towards Big Pinnacle. The path is through thickets of mountain laurel and rhododedron plus a favorite of many: huckleberries, which are like small blueberries (ripe in August to early September). The climb to top of Big Pinnacle is steep, but great place for lunch to look out over the valley. (Warning: Dangerous, sharp drop-off!) Part of the trail also proceeds through scrub forest with ferns.
Typical Conditions
Well established trail with some switchbacks through rocky outcroppings.
There are several covered 3-4 person shelters along the trail to provide some protection against sudden storms which can blow over the mountain.
Fees, Permits, etc.
Daily parking fee for passenger vehicles into VA state parks is $2 weekdays, $3 weekends.
After the Hike
Misc. Information
Maps
<googlemap version="0.9" lat="36.63002" lon="-81.50955" type="terrain" zoom="14" scale="yes" icons="http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/marker{label}.png"> http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/Twin Pinnacles Trail.kml
(G) 36.6248,-81.50103 Trailhead behind visitors' center (F) 36.6267,-81.5041 Temporary storm shelter (E) 36.63002, -81.50955 Big Pinnacle (5,068 feet) (E) 36.62678, -81.50507 Little Pinnacle (5,089 feet) (F) 36.62778,-81.50347 Temporary storm shelter </googlemap>
Photos
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