

Humpback Rocks: Panorama at the Top
This week, we finally make it to the top of Humpback Rocks. The climb takes you through dense woods and over slippery rocks. Near the top, three trolls and a sphinx guard the trail. Pick them out from a photo below. At the trail head, as you step out of the woods, a U-shaped opening in the rocks gives you a view of the valley to the west. Usually, if the weather is nice, there will already be other climbers at the top. It's popular with students, and Charlottesville is only


Humpback Rocks: Crossing the Meadow
The farm trail from the visitor center at Humpback Rocks leads to a meadow along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In the lede photo, the farm trail winds through the woods to the left of the parkway, and takes you to a gate in the split rail fence at the edge of the parkway. As you exit the gate, you cross the road to a picnic area on the right side of the photo. This is the staging area for a climb to the top. From the picnic area, the climb to the top is only about 800 vertical feet