Iron Mountain Trail - North

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File:Placeholder.JPG
Trail Name Iron Mountain Trail - North
Nearest City Damascus
State Virginia
Trail Marking
Trail Use/Features Dnr hiking.png Dnr bike.png Dnr dog.png Dnr camp.png Dnr horse.png Dnr shelter.png
Difficulty Rating Hard
Hiking Time 1818 Hours <br />1.125 Days <br />1,080 Min <br />
Distance, round-trip 2424 mi <br />38.624 km <br />
Climb/Descent Elevation ~650"~" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property. / {{{Elevation Loss}}}"{{{Elevation Loss}}}" is not a number.
High Point 4,6264,626 Feet <br />1,542 Yards <br />1,410.005 Meters <br />
Nearest Medical Abingdon, VA
Trip Reports Click Here
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Trail Overview

What is now the Iron Mountain Trail (IMT) was the route for Appalachian Trail until 1972 when a major relocation moved the AT over to the Grayson Highlands. Today, IMT offers a more secluded experience with spectacular overlooks. For this trail wiki, the trail is being listed as two major sections with the city of Damascus as the dividing point.

North of Damascus, the Iron Mountain Trail is multi-use, thus appears to be very popular with mountain bike riders as a technical challenge.

How to get there

Southern access is from Beartree Recreation Area, such as Lum Trail, which begins at the Chimpmunk Loop of the campground. (Note: Campground gate only open 7AM to 10PM during April 15 through October.)

From Damascus, VA:

  1. Head east out of town on US-58 for just under eight miles.
  2. Turn left/north onto Beartree Gap Road and drive around three miles to campground.
  3. Parking areas at each trailhead.

GPS address for Bear Tree Recreation Area is 20993 Beartree Gap Road, Damascus, VA 24236.

Route Description

Typical Conditions

Iron Mountain Trail in Virginia is located in Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No permits for hiking, horseback riding, or backpacking, unless you are using a fee area to gain access to the Iron Mountain Trail. If so, day use fees run $5 per vehicle. Beartree Recreation Area website

Misc. Information

Maps

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Photos