Big Schloss Overnight Adventure

Labor Day has certainly not been very laborious for Hubs and I. We've been recovering from our first overnight backpacking experience! I'm happy to report that we didn't get lost or attacked by wild animals! And Hubs hung a bear bag! It was a great weekend, but totally exhausting.

A friend recommended we go down to Big Schloss in VA. It's in the George Washington National Forest. After reading the fantastic reviews from multiple places online, we decided to give it a go. I'd been searching for a good place to do a group weekend hike, and this place seemed perfect! So Hubs and I packed up after work on Friday to scout it out for a group hike next month.

We followed a trail guide from MidAtlantic Hikes again. Just like the last one, it did not fail us. It was simple, concise, and clear. On the trail guide, there were many suggestions of places to camp out for the night, which were very handy. Props to MidAtlantic Hikes on another great guide =].

The fun (hah!) background story to this is that Hubs and I were unable to arrive as early as we planned. In fact, we pulled into the park shortly before dark, and rushed to the first camp site to get set up as quickly as possible. Once we had the tent all set up, it dawned on me that we would be doing the entire hike in one day.. 11.5 miles.. with 25lbs+ on our backs.. O..M..G..

But on the plus side, look how cute our tent was!

So the next morning we packed up and hit the trail. The first part of the hike was the hardest, as it was mostly uphill, but overall the hike wasn't too bad. We enjoyed the quiet of the woods together with the dogs. There were very few hikers on the trail, probably because of the clouds that seemed to be threatening rain at any moment. We had some great views, and I'm really proud of us for hiking so far.

The first overlook we came to.

 

Big Schloss (we didn't climb it this time)

So, while everything might not have worked out as planned, it was the perfect trip for our first overnight adventure! We're looking forward to the next one in a month. Next time we'll actually climb up Big Schloss to see the view. I've heard its spectacular!

After 11.5 miles in one day (another record broken!), you can imagine how tired we've been. The pups are still a bit worn out, too. So while the bathroom is calling out to be scrubbed, I must admit that I'm comfortably tucked into my bed snuggling with my doggies. And after such a weekend, I don't feel bad about it for one second.

Been on any hikes recently? What did you do this Labor Day? I'd love to hear all about it =]

Thank you so much for visiting My Journey from High Heels to Hiking Boots! Happy Trails!