Trail Map of Wildcat Mountain Natural Area
Solitude along with some settler houses
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Overview
Moderate:
3.0 miles, 1-3 hours
Other Information:
Family Friendly
Dog Friendly
Dog Friendly
Overview:
Settler house ruins and solitude make for a great day!
This hike is located right off of I-66, west of Gainesville.
starting the hike, grab a trail map from the board in the parking lot, there are some extra trails that you can add onto your hike making it longer.
The first part of the hike is strenuous as you have to climb over the 1st ridge using switchbacks, but the hike is flat after that, so given the distance of 3 miles it is being rated as moderate.
Great stone walls, wild turkey viewing, settler homes (that are intact) 3 buildings, some water views, a nice rock garden to have lunch on, and most of all..... SOLITUDE (i was the only one on this trail today!!)
no entrance fee.
have lunch in the rock gardens around points 15-17.
Tips: Some general tips
This hike is located right off of I-66, west of Gainesville.
starting the hike, grab a trail map from the board in the parking lot, there are some extra trails that you can add onto your hike making it longer.
The first part of the hike is strenuous as you have to climb over the 1st ridge using switchbacks, but the hike is flat after that, so given the distance of 3 miles it is being rated as moderate.
Great stone walls, wild turkey viewing, settler homes (that are intact) 3 buildings, some water views, a nice rock garden to have lunch on, and most of all..... SOLITUDE (i was the only one on this trail today!!)
no entrance fee.
have lunch in the rock gardens around points 15-17.
Tips: Some general tips
- bring bugspray in summer, the retention pond has some bugs
- lunch in the rock garden area is great, lots of huge rocks to sit on
- wild turkey viewing so be quiet!
parking lot
trail view
the climb of the only ridge
trail view of the ridge climb
intersection marked by stone wall
intersection, beware going wrong way
trail view
intersection
small retention pond
intact settler house and other ruins
2nd house, possibly for curing meats
small stream waterfalls
trail view
small slope, intersection
good lunch spots on rocks
grassy trails
the rock garden
POIs: numbers | icons
