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Escape Wednesday's 101° by going to the mountains. Visit three the waterfalls around Big Meadows on a 9 mile hike with 2300 feet elevation gain. Cool off by
dipping your hat/toe (or more) at the base of the falls (if there is any water)
eating blackberry ice cream, blackberry ice cream pie, or blackberry cobbler a la mode at New Market Taproom in the Lodge basement
making sure your carpool uses a car with air conditioning
cutting the hike to six miles by skipping the loop to Lewis Falls (arrange carpools to accomodate this option)
Carpoolers meet at Oakton at 8am. (The hike leaders will not be there.) Start the hike from the Big Meadows lodge parking lot at 9:45am. Big Meadows Lodge is behind the Bird Visitor Center/Big Meadows Wayside near Skyline Drive mile marker 51. Follow the signs from Skyline Drive to the Lodge parking lot.
The hike will follow the Story of Nature Trail along the Big Meadows Swamp towards Skyline Drive. Cross Skyline Drive to the Dark Hollow Falls Parking Lot and take the Dark Hollow Falls Trail past Dark Hollow Falls and on to the Rose River Loop Trail past Rose River Falls and back up to Skyline Drive at Fishers Gap. Cross Skyline Drive and go around Fishers Gap Overlook to the AT. Turn left (south) on the AT and follow it around Big Meadows Campground and Amphitheater. Take the right fork onto Lewis Falls Trail to Lewis Falls and back to the AT. Turn left (north) on the AT and pass below Blackrock on the way back to the Lodge.
