Snead Farm Trail, Skyline Drive, Virginia

We hiked the Snead Farm Trail off of Skyline Drive in Virginia. The trail is right off the Dickeys Ridge Visitor Center area with the farm being on the eastern side of the ridge. At first, the trail was paved, quite the luxury. It did not last long, though.

Trail head fit for a king

The trail turns to gravel

We leave the gravel trail to head to the farm

A rocky road, but also power lines!

We were sure we were going the right way even though the conditions kept getting lesser and lesser. At least the trail is marked with signs for the right path.

Which way to go

All the frills are gone

The original settlers for the farm were Thomas and Martha Fox, who came to the area in 1856. The last Foxes left in 1935 and the farm was abandoned in the 1950s when Skyline Drive was being completed. The main structure that still stands is a barn. It hasn't grown any moss or shown many cracks. It's hard to see inside, so we just wandered around the outside.

View from the "road"

In good shape for its age

Behind the barn is a small structure that looks like a root cellar or other storage building dug into the hillside.

Actually creepy, unlike the barn

Nearby are the foundations of the farm house. Only the stone work and a pipe are left. The front must have been a yard, judging by how big the trees are...and the stone staircase is set some ten feet back from the retaining wall (or foundation if the house really went that far).

Bottom part of the house

Near the house but unidentifiable

Stairs too short to be interior ones that lead to a second floor

A bit of plumbing

Big tree inside the retaining wall/foundation

My family not posing for a picture

Cracked foundation

Climbing down the wall

Trail leading away from the farm

The trail continued on in a loop around Dickey Ridge. It had the usual assortment of sights.

Rocks lining the way

Scat we couldn't identify

Deer in the woods

More of the same deer

Stopping for a snack

Little rocks and big rocks

At one point, the trees did not block the view out over the Shenandoah Valley, which looked fairly spectacular.

Shenandoah

More of the valley

Sunshine in the distance

Looking from higher up

Me and the missus

Kids waiting to continue on

We were delighted that snow fell a few times while we were up there. It didn't accumulate and the air wasn't too cold for comfort. It was a longer hike with some more challenging terrain, but we had a good time. 

We went back to the visitor center to warm up a bit and see some exhibits. We avoided the gift shop.

Map of Skyline Drive

View from the visitor center

Bear-proof trashcans