GWNF Spring 2014

shadow247

shadow247

New member
Ok I'm finally ready to go camping with the 4runner. I'm looking at the first weekend in April as a tentative date. The plan is to leave the Hampton Roads area the morning of Friday April 4th, camp 2 nights in the GWNF, then return on Sunday the 6th. My rig is bone stock except for a 1.5 in lift, so I won't be looking to run any hardcore trails. I just want to do some light wheeling and give my daughter (she will be 15 months old then) a chance to experience the outdoors. Who's in? Post up any ideas for trails, camping spots, etc here, and I will keep the top of this thread updated.

Possible Dates.

Mar 21-23
Apr 4-6
Apr 11-13
Apr 18-20
Apr 25-27

Attendees

1. Shadow247
2. Brian757
3. Thatfield
4. Trailblazer
5. Hearno
6. wrestler157
 
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If I'm available, I'd love to go! My wife and I used to go up to GWNF once or twice a year for a long weekend of primitive camping, drinking, and mild wheeling. We haven't been since we've had the kids as we've stuck to campsites with bath houses for the little ones to break them in.
April might be a decent time to head up there.

My T4R is bone stock and I'd remove the running boards for the trip. That's all I'd bet I'd need to do for the trails around there.
I used to do the, "tougher" trails in my Tacoma with the old TTORA-Va guys back in the late '90's and never had to engage 4wd...
 
Trailblazer said:
If I'm available, I'd love to go! My wife and I used to go up to GWNF once or twice a year for a long weekend of primitive camping, drinking, and mild wheeling. We haven't been since we've had the kids as we've stuck to campsites with bath houses for the little ones to break them in.
April might be a decent time to head up there.

My T4R is bone stock and I'd remove the running boards for the trip. That's all I'd bet I'd need to do for the trails around there.
I used to do the, "tougher" trails in my Tacoma with the old TTORA-Va guys back in the late '90's and never had to engage 4wd...
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I'd love for you to attend too. I've got almost no experience leading a trail ride, other than tons of dirtbiking in the woods around the Red River in Texas. I was hoping someone would go along that has experience with the area.
 
shadow247 said:
I'd love for you to attend too. I've got almost no experience leading a trail ride, other than tons of dirtbiking in the woods around the Red River in Texas. I was hoping someone would go along that has experience with the area.
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It's hard for me to plan that far ahead but I'd like to get in on this. I have been there a few times but it was almost 10 years ago and it was for dirkbiking only. My boss is big into it tho and gets out there regularly. I'll check with him and see what he says. He is admin on a local 4wheeling site and organizes these things regularly.
 
hearno said:
It's hard for me to plan that far ahead but I'd like to get in on this. I have been there a few times but it was almost 10 years ago and it was for dirkbiking only. My boss is big into it tho and gets out there regularly. I'll check with him and see what he says. He is admin on a local 4wheeling site and organizes these things regularly.
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me. The date is not set in stone, we could bump it up to the next weekend. I just can't do the last weekend of the month because of work issues. I'm going to add a poll later with some dates and we'll vote on it. For now I just want to see who is interested in attending then we can nail down the date as it gets closer.
 
I'm down to go. Depending on my work schedule I may have to meet you guys up there if I can't take off. I may bring my daughter also if i have her that weekend. Also flagpole trail isn't bad if you are stock. I've ran it once and pretty much everything has go arounds.
 
I might meet with you guys. As somebody else said, it's a bit far off to make plans, but I like to get there a couple of times a year. As some others noted, a basically stock truck can handle all the trails down there. I've been 4 wheeling/camping there since about '96 or '97 so if I can make it I don't mind leading a group around.
 
BeaterToyota said:
I might meet with you guys. As somebody else said, it's a bit far off to make plans, but I like to get there a couple of times a year. As some others noted, a basically stock truck can handle all the trails down there. I've been 4 wheeling/camping there since about '96 or '97 so if I can make it I don't mind leading a group around.
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Sounds good to me. Any tips you can give on good spots to camp or hang out while we are there would be much appreciated.
 
GWNF is one of my favorite places to wheel. The views from Flag Pole, and Meadow Knob are outstanding.

As far as camping spots - I highly recommend the Flag Pole area. The road up from Switzer Lake (Google Switzer Lake GWNF) is easy, and stocker friendly. I've even seen soccer mom SUVs taking that route.

The run from Flag Pole to Meadow Knob can be done stock, but I'd recommend following someone who's done the run before, and can help spot you. I've made the run back and forth numerous times when my 93 4Runner was bone stock, and have even done it in 2 wheel drive when my ADD went south.

To get to Switzer Lake take Route 33 out of Harrisonburg VA. When you are going through the GWNF you will come to a series of switch backs (25 MPH - and they aren't kidding!). About 3-4 miles of that you will come to the left turn for the drive down to Switzer lake. There's a nice parking area that's just right for a meet-up, and airing down location.

Harrisonburg to Switzer Lake - MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

Switzer Lake to Flag Pole Knob - MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

Flag Pole Knob to Meadow Knob - MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

I'd recommend the middle to late April time frame. March can surprise you up there with an unexpected snow storm, or a lot of rain. Not much fun for camping.

Post a date, and if it doesn't coincide with another planned trip (Moab Utah) I'll be there.

:hungry:
 
RiFF RaFF said:
GWNF is one of my favorite places to wheel. The views from Flag Pole, and Meadow Knob are outstanding.

As far as camping spots - I highly recommend the Flag Pole area. The road up from Switzer Lake (Google Switzer Lake GWNF) is easy, and stocker friendly. I've even seen soccer mom SUVs taking that route.

The run from Flag Pole to Meadow Knob can be done stock, but I'd recommend following someone who's done the run before, and can help spot you. I've made the run back and forth numerous times when my 93 4Runner was bone stock, and have even done it in 2 wheel drive when my ADD went south.

To get to Switzer Lake take Route 33 out of Harrisonburg VA. When you are going through the GWNF you will come to a series of switch backs (25 MPH - and they aren't kidding!). About 3-4 miles of that you will come to the left turn for the drive down to Switzer lake. There's a nice parking area that's just right for a meet-up, and airing down location.

Harrisonburg to Switzer Lake - MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

Switzer Lake to Flag Pole Knob - MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

Flag Pole Knob to Meadow Knob - MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

I'd recommend the middle to late April time frame. March can surprise you up there with an unexpected snow storm, or a lot of rain. Not much fun for camping.

Post a date, and if it doesn't coincide with another planned trip (Moab Utah) I'll be there.

:hungry:
Click to expand...

Potential Dates are posted at the top of the thread. I will add a Poll to decide on the date once it gets a little closer and more people have signed on. Thanks for the Mapquest directions too.
 
shadow247 said:
Potential Dates are posted at the top of the thread. I will add a Poll to decide on the date once it gets a little closer and more people have signed on. Thanks for the Mapquest directions too.
Click to expand...

Not a problem.

Any of the April dates work for Team Honey Badger. Put me down on the list, and I'll also run it by my club to see if anyone else wants to go. One of our guys knows every trail in the GWNF including Second Mountain which we did a trail clean up on a couple of weekends ago.

:cool:
 
if its going to be trails i can take my stock 09 on without worrying about trail damage i will try to go.

are there any water crossings?
 
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I should be in for any dates except that last weekend in April. My son turns 1 on April 30th, so I can only guess we will be celebrating the weekend before.
 
kevinpt said:
if its going to be trails i can take my stock 09 on without worrying about trail damage i will try to go.

are there any water crossings?
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[MENTION=77471]kevinpt[/MENTION]

Depends on how much rain or snow melt. All the times I've been there the areas that do have a water crossing - the level has been much lower than my hubs.

Nothing to sweat.

The only thing you might want to worry about with a truck that new is what we call "West Virginia Pin-Striping". Some of the trails have lots of raspberry thickets growing close to the sides. You might get some scrapes.

:violin:
 
kevinpt said:
if its going to be trails i can take my stock 09 on without worrying about trail damage i will try to go.

are there any water crossings?
Click to expand...

You WILL get some pinstriping, shouldn't be anything that can't be buffed out though. You just have to be OK with the sound of fingers on a chalk board running down the side of your truck.

There are some water crossings and mud holes...when I went back in July, they weren't anything to worry about though. I was with a group of mostly stock 4th gens and nobody had any trouble except for a bent factory running board.
 
shadow247 said:
Bring him along. My wife and I are going to be bring along our baby girl. She will be 17 months.
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If it were up to me, I would bring him and my 4 year old daughter...unfortunately the Boss and I don't see eye to eye. It is very primitive camping in that area though...so I will try to break them (the kids and my wife) in at a camp ground with toilets and showers first! I don't want to scare them off....
 
kevinpt said:
if its going to be trails i can take my stock 09 on without worrying about trail damage i will try to go.

are there any water crossings?
Click to expand...

You will be fine dude, I accidentally ended up running this entire trail (from switzer lake to the knob and out) in a bone stock 4runner thinking it was "just a fire road", lol.

Some parts get a bit hairy, but with a spotter you'll be fine. Like other's have mentioned, pin stripping for sure; and when I was there I recall only one/two "major" water crossings which were hardly anything to worry about (~6" or less depth).

The only thing that was a bit concerning for me were these huuuge ruts/mud holes filled with muddy water, but I kind of just gunned it and flew over them in fear of getting stuck, lololol. Clearly, I'm not the most knowledgeable at proper wheelin' techniques :lmao:
 
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