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HUMPBACK ROCKS Milepost 5.8 |
Places to Stay
Places to Visit Things to Do
The early European settlers of the
Appalachian mountains forged a living from the native materials so abundant around them.
Hickory, chestnut, and oak trees provided nuts for food, logs for building, and tannin for
curing hides, while the rocks were put to use as foundations and chimneys for the houses,
and in stone fences to control wandering livestock. Many self-sufficient farms sprang up
in the Humpback Mountain area.
Today, visitors can tour a collection of Nineteenth Century farm buildings. The Mountain
Farm Trail provides access to the cabin and various outbuildings. The area also houses a
visitor center with new exhibits prepared for the spring 2000 opening, a picnic area, and
trails.
- Campground - Although there is no Parkway campground at this location, the U.S. Forest Service operates a campground at Sherando Lake, located south of Humpback Rocks four miles off of the Parkway.
- Visitor Center - The visitor center has a small museum and is a good first stop for visitors traveling south from Shenandoah National Park. Look for brand new exhibits in the Spring of 2000 that may challenge your thinking about life in the mountains during the late 19th and early 20th centuries!
- Picnic Area - A 91 site picnic area is located at milepost 8.5 with tables scattered around the nearby overlooks and parking areas.
- Humpback Rocks Mountain Farm - The trail around the farm is open year-round, but only during the summer months are the buildings open. Composed of structures relocated from nearby locations, this collection of buildings represents one type of mountain farm of the 19th century.
- Interpretive Programs - During the summer months the area is staffed with costumed rangers who demonstrate mountain crafts and skills.
- Trails - At milepost 6.0, you have your choice of a short trail detailing the geology and flora of the area, a longer more strenuous hike up Humpback Mountain, and access to the Appalachian Trail. Or travel a little further to the Greenstone Parking Overlook for a self-guiding nature hike at milepost 8.8.
