Smyth County Highpoint Trip Report

Mount Rogers

Date: August 3, 2006
Author: Thomas Harper

I was a little worried about this hike, as I was new to hiking in general and never went for so long heading upward. I started soon after sunrise and drove the winding roads to the trailhead from Abingdon and followed the Rhododendron trail up. I saw the ponies, continued up over the stile and through the gap, made a wrong turn onto a horse trail, turned around, reached the AT junction and got on the right trail to the summit.

One of my favorite photos I have ever taken I took just before the summit of the woods. These woods are pristine. I expected elves to pop out from behind the trees.

This was the most exhilarating hike I had done up to this point. This hike was the reason I had eaten all sorts of junk food on the road and came back home three pounds lighter.

photos