Gap to Gap

Gap to Gap, the brainchild of Mike Bur, is a popular preparatory run for the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100, covering miles 69.6—96.8 of that race.

Most people drive to the Gap Creek trailhead from Route 211 to the south, and aid can easily be planted at the Massanutten Visitor Center and/or the Route 211 Trailhead on the way in.

Note: Crisman Hollow Road is closed in the winter and early spring. In that case, you can do the same run from the Route 211 Trailhead.

Directions

From Gap Creek Trailhead at Crisman Hollow Road (FDR 274), take the take blue-blazed Jawbone Gap Trail for 1.3 miles to ridge saddle. Left on orange-blazed Massanutten Trail for 4.7 miles along rocky crest of Kerns Mountain to Crisman Hollow Road crossing. Right on unblazed dirt (for 0.7 miles) and paved (1.7 miles) road to Route 211. Cross Route 211 and bear left 100 yards to Massanutten Visitor Center parking lot at mile 8.2.

Take white-blazed Wildflower Trail from the Visitor Center for 0.3 miles. Right (at bench) on orange-blazed Massanutten South Trail and climb Bird Knob section. Stay on orange-blazed Massanutten South Trail for a total of 3.1 miles. Be alert for a left turn (at a wooden post, 1.85 miles from turn off Wildflower) to stay on orange (do not follow white blazed Bird Knob trail), then continue to end of double track (“Ant Road”) at a gate.

Continue downhill on gravel orange-blazed Big Mountain Road for 0.85 miles. After the first small climb, look for wooden post at trailhead on left and turn left onto purple-blazed Roaring Run Trail. Follow up and then down for 1.0 mile to Browns Hollow Run Trail (be alert for this trail junction — if you cross any stream, wet or dry, you have gone too far downhill). Take a left on pink-blazed Browns Hollow Run Trail and follow 4.2 miles to orange-blazed Massanutten South Trail (it will be a sharp right — if you reach a gate you have gone about 100 feet past the correct turn). Right off pink onto orange-blazed Massanutten South Trail for 1.6 miles to Route 211.

Cross Route 211 to gate and enter white-blazed Massanutten Connector Trail (dirt road for 1.1 miles, then left for 0.7 mile on single track trail). Right on orange-blazed Massanutten Trail 2.0 miles to yellow-blazed Scothorn Gap Trail (there will be a wooden post at this trail intersection). Left on yellow blazed trail for 1.4 miles to Crisman Hollow Road. Right on Crisman Hollow Road for 1.7 miles to Gap Creek.