Camping in the Rain - Sara's Secret Campsite

Backpacking, camping in the rain, and trail cooking in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park.

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For this overnight backpacking trip, Sara, Denali and I decided to do some early spring camping on the Shenandoah’s Rocky Mount Trail and Gap Run trail. Combining the two would create a roughly 10 mile backpacking loop with sweeping mountain views on the first day, and peaceful babbling brooks on the second.

We had our dog with us on this trip, so we returned to using our budget tent to keep the group together. The weather on day one had a 100% chance of rain, so I also brought along a huge tarp to give us a common area with a view of the impending storm without being stuck inside the tent the whole afternoon. More details on our gear can be found at the bottom of this post.

Of course all of this would depend on whether or not we could find Sara’s elusive secret camping spot before the rain began to really come down…

For an easier read, more info, and GPS data, check out my full blog post
https://www.sintax77.com/camping-in-t...

There is an entrance fee for Shenandoah National Park to access Skyline drive. Backcountry camping is free, but you need to self register for a permit at the entrance station.

Trailhead Used: Rocky Mount Trailhead by Two Mile Run Overlook
38°17’56.8″N 78°38’49.9″W
Skyline Dr, Elkton, VA 22827

The Rocky Mount trailhead is located on Skyline drive, just north of the Two Mile Run Overlook. There is no parking available directly in front of the trailhead, so you’ll need to park at the overlook and do a short walk.

Trails Used, Day 1

Rocky Mount Trail to the summit of Rocky Mount
Camp near the summit of Rocky Mount
This is a dry site with no water encountered on the hike in, so make sure to pack in enough water. Despite the appearance of fire rings in the area, fires are not permitted in the backcountry of Shenandoah National Park.

Day 1 Mileage: 3.7 miles
Day 1 Gross Elevation Gain: 1,028 feet
Day 1 Gross Descent: 1,078 feet

Trails Used, Day 2

Continue on Rocky Mount Trail
Right (southeast) on Gap Run Trail
Left (south) on Rocky Mount Trail
Return to parking at the Two Mile Run Overlook

Day 2 Mileage: 6.7 miles
Day 2 Gross Elevation Gain: 1934 feet
Day 2 Gross Descent: 1,883 feet

Grand Total Mileage: 10.4 Miles
Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 2,962 feet
Grand Total Descent: 2,961 feet

Notable Backpacking Gear:

Shenandoah National Park Map https://amzn.to/3obXdEw
Sara’s ULA Ohm 2.0 Backpack https://www.ula-equipment.com/product...
My Fjallraven Kajka 75 Backpack https://amzn.to/2Uj8Ew4
Ozark Trails 4 Person Dome Tent https://amzn.to/3eOkfg6
Dutchware Xenon 2 Person Tarp https://dutchwaregear.com/product/two...
Outdoor Vitals Storm Loft 15° Mummy Pod https://www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...
Sara’s Amok Fjol XL Winterlight Sleeping Pad https://www.amokequipment.com/product...
Sintax77’s Unigear Sleeping Pad https://amzn.to/2Nu3nvV
Dutchware UP Booties https://dutchwaregear.com/product/up-...
MalloMe Camp 1L Pot https://amzn.to/33DJRYr
BSR Ultralight Canister Stove https://amzn.to/3vSwEYC
MSR Flex Skillet https://amzn.to/2L4B4IT
Light My Fire Mini Fire Steel Striker https://amzn.to/30S3rxm
Light My Fire Tritan Spork https://amzn.to/3vSPfDR
Vargo 450ml Mug https://amzn.to/3eHwXyM
Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets https://amzn.to/36p6DEd
Shawn’s Marmot Eclipse Hardshell Jacket https://amzn.to/2JZM1ek
Outdoor Vitals Adventure Jacket, Loftek version http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt...
Outdoor Vitals Satu Adventure Pants https://satu-adventure-pants-comfort....
La Sportiva Wildcat Trail Running Shoes https://amzn.to/36xsBoS
Nitecore NU25 Headlamp https://amzn.to/2YVsp0A
Nite Ize Lantern https://amzn.to/3tJCR6T
Casio ProTrek F30 Smartwatch https://amzn.to/3dtY7Xj
Sangean Radio DT-400W weather band radio https://amzn.to/3wcYBtv
Benchmade Bugout EDC Folding Knife https://amzn.to/2JVfBS5
Packit Gourmet Backpacking Meals https://www.packitgourmet.com/

Camera and Nav Gear used for this episode:

GoPro Hero 8 Black https://amzn.to/2D8n6lL
GoPro Shorty Tripod Grip https://amzn.to/2MPhGOM
128GB Sandisk Extreme Memory Card https://amzn.to/2YWsFIB
Spot X Satellite Messenger https://amzn.to/3adSjBr

FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of my links.

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