Beartree Gap Trail

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File:Placeholder.jpg
Trail Name Beartree Gap Trail
Nearest City Damascus
State Virginia
Trail Marking Purple(?)/Yellow
Trail Use/Features Dnr hiking.png Dnr bike.png Dnr dog.png
Difficulty Rating Medium
Hiking Time 22 Hours <br />0.125 Days <br />120 Min <br />
Distance, round-trip 3.23.2 mi <br />5.15 km <br />
Climb/Descent Elevation 667667 Feet <br />203.302 Meters <br /> / {{{Elevation Loss}}}"{{{Elevation Loss}}}" is not a number.
High Point 36333,633 Feet <br />1,211 Yards <br />1,107.338 Meters <br />
Nearest Medical Damascus, VA
Trip Reports Click Here
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Trail Overview

Connector trail between AT and Iron Mountain Trail - North.

How to get there

From Kingsport, TN

  1. North on I-81 into Virginia.
  2. Take Exit 19 (Abingdon) and turn right/east onto US-58.
  3. Go 12 miles to Damascus.
  4. Continue through town on US-58 and travel another 7 miles to the campground entrance on the left.
  5. Free parking on right in the fisherman’s lot.

Route Description

Beartree Gap Trail is Forest Service Trail # 4551. Two different blazes reported as purple (rectangles?) – or yellow diamonds.

Distance from IMT (mi) Distance from AT (mi) Elevation (ft) Feature
0.0 3.2 3570 Iron Mountain Trail - North at Shaw's Gap
0.1 3.1 3560 Shaw Gap Trail - 1.01 mile to Beartree Rec. camping area
1.6 1.6 3225 Intersect Yancy Trail – 0.26 mile spur to Beartree Gap Road
2.4 0.8 2970 Cross Beartree Campground Road/FS Road 837
2.6 0.6 3040 Fisherman’s parking lot
2.8 0.4 3000 Cross dam for Beartree Dam
3.0 0.2 3050 Cross Highway US-58
0.0 3.2 3025 Appalachian Trail

The Mt. Rogers AT Club suggests that Beartree Gap Trail could part of a 25 mile loop hike on the Appalachian Trail, Iron Mountain Trail, and Feathercamp Ridge Trail.

Another proposed 11.2 mile loop hike involving this trail would be to start at Fisherman's parking lot, take this Beartree Gap Trail across US58 to the AT (~0.5 mi), southbound towards Saunders Shelter to Virginia Creeper Trail (4.1 mi), left/westbound on VCT through Taylors Valley to rejoin the AT (4.2 mi), southbound to Beartree Gap Trail (1.2), and back to the parking lot. Suggested that it could be done in six hours.

Typical Conditions

Fees, Permits, etc.

Park for free at front lot (outside gate). Main gate is open 7 AM-10 PM during April 15 through October 31 with $5 day use fee per vehicle.

After the Hike

Misc. Information

Beartree Recreation Area website

Maps

Beartree Gap Trail is shown as red line below, while the Appalachian Trail is in yellow.

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Photos