big schloss

The hike starts out with an immediate 1000 foot ascent that will get your leg screaming and warmed up. Then you travel along the ridge to a great rock outcropping. Only 2 miles each way, it is a good quick hike for a day when you want to get away from the DC crowds at Old Rag.

If you love to hike, this is the place to go. Amazing views and overall an easy trail. Looking forward to warmer weather to go back.

I do a lot of local hiking, and had been meaning to visit Big Schloss for many years before I did it last weekend. I was not disappointed. I did a 12-mile loop and approached Big Schloss from the north. It was impressive, looming through the trees from a distance and then exposing its dramatic cliffs. I was mildly disappointed that the scramble to the summit was not more challenging, but I had no complaint about the beautiful views. I even had the summit all to myself on a sunny Sunday morning.

Great hike for sightseeing. Good views along the ridge and even better at the Big Schloss. Great cliffs with unmaintained camping spots near by. Could be pretty crowded though.Some of the kids go crazy there and this is spoiled fun a bit.

Big Schloss is a nice escape at Wolf Gap and fairly easy. Some people are dare devils at top in going to too close to edge of rocks but you will enjoy.

This is a fantastic hike. Gird your loins, it starts with a steep uphill but you'll want to persevere. After about a mile you get a sweet downhill break, then a much more moderate incline. If you start at Wolf Gap, it's just under 2 miles to the Big Schloss trail spur. Another .3 miles and you've reached it after crossing a couple of sturdy wooden bridges. Your reward? Stunning views in every direction.

I had work take me to southern West Virginia. So, I dragged a girl I really adore with me on the trip. Our first stop was Woodstock, VA. Now, the girl had been to 2 other Woodstocks. Despite my envy, she hadn't seen this one!After a night's stay at the Holiday Inn, (fyi recommend the Hampton Inn instead. see my other review for that) we went for a hike to the Big Schloss. Due to unseen forces, we actually did the hardest part of the hike twice! The first 3/4 mile is straight up. It isn't that pretty for the very first part. However, as you go up and up you start seeing the mountain ridges. Once you start to plane out at the top you start to enjoy the mountain. The path was beautifully grassy and rocky at the top. It is a bit hard on the feet. However, you feel like you are in Lord of the Rings. The trees have moss, and the rocks are good and ragged.Once you get to the zenith, there is a neat,aesthetically pleasing, little bridge that gets you across to the Big Schloss. At the end, you crawl up the rocks to enjoy your well-earned view. It is completely panoramic. Great for a sit and meditation. We had lots of traffic. But hikers were all friendly. I even left my phone mid trail and as we started to go down the mountain we hear a "did anyone lose their phone!" Ah ha! A nice pair of hikers found the phone.We didn't camp. But, there are some very nice campsites at the base of the trail. Enjoy it.

The is a hike that is worth the making. When you get to the top you will find that not only the hike but the view that takes your breath away. Of course Fall to me is the best.

My group of 21 (adults and teens) took this hike. GREAT hike, wonderful views along the ridge top with a SUPER rock outcropping as payoff at the end. Ample parking at Wolf Gap with latrine.I am a 46 year old Mom that does little fitness, so it was tough for me. Took breaks as needed for uphill, but once I was on the ridge, it was a very nice walk. Will prepare better next year.Wear proper shoes and bring water.

Tis was our third trip up and the earliest of any year. Gorgeous, gorgeous! The latrine off the parking lot is welcome both up and down. The 4.5 mile round-trip path is not to steep and the ridge line portion is lined with gorgeous native plants. The top is nothing short of spectacular!

I hiked to Big Schloss January of 2012 on New Year's Day. Great vistas and a relatively decent hike once you make it up the first big incline. The rock outcropping provides great views into Virginia and West Virginia. Trail is well marked.

This is a terrific long day hike, or two day backpack trip. It is roughly 12 miles as a backpacking trip. Approaching Big Schloss from the opposite direction would shorten the distance to seven miles round trip, but would be a very steep ascent on a very rocky trail.The focus is on Big Schloss--a large rocky outcrop from where you can enjoy 360 degree views of the Great Northern Mountain area. The word "schloss" is German for castle, and that is pretty much what this rocky outcropping looks like.For either hike, take route 42 from Woodstock, and take SR 675, Wolf Gap Road. You'll have to make several turns to stay on Wolf Gap road. Two miles after the junction with SR 717, (a "Y" intersection") you need to go slowly and look very hard for the sign for FR 92. The brown sign for it is no bigger than a dessert plate. You can also look for the stop sign that will face cars coming out of FR 92. Someone has painted 92 on the back of it.Take a right onto FR 92, and go about 4 miles. You should cross one river, but find the parking lot on your right before you hit the next river. The orange blazed trail runs along the river, if you want the longer 12 mile hike. For the shorter hike straight to Big Schloss, you will need to hike back along the road the way you came for about .5 miles. You should see hiking signs directing you into the forest--the trail is well blazed.I highly recommend the maps and trail notes available for free at midatlantic hikes.com