Carroll County High Point Trip Report

Date: August 16, 2002
Author: Ryan Richardson

Failed attempt

I followed the trip report posted by Mike Schwartz and found the dirt road off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since my little car just doesn't handle gravel roads, I parked my car on the side of the BRP and I began to hike up the dirt road. I found the roads just as Mike described them, and hiked up the grey stone road for about a mile, passing several houses. At this point a black bear ran across the road in front of me, maybe 100 feet away. It appeared to be a juvenile, but was still bigger than a large dog. It ran into the thick woods beside the road and out of sight. Since I was unprepared for this contingency, and mama bear could be right around the corner, I turned around and walked back to my car. Bears are rare near populated places in Virginia, but perhaps the extended drought this year in Virginia has forced them to go farther afield to look for food.