Chimney Rocks - George Washington National Forest - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Chimney Rocks - George Washington National Forest
Country:	United States
State:	West Virginia
Nearby Town:	Petersburg
Rating:
Directions:	For the North(closer) trailhead of the North Fork Mountain Trails: From Petersburg, WV, travel on I-28/55W about 7 miles, then turn left onto Smoke Hole Rd. (at a T-intersection, onto a bridge). Travel about 0.4 miles, and park in a small gravel lot on the right. there should be a signboard in the lot mentioning the North Fork Mountain Trail.
Total Hike Distance:	6.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Moderate to Difficult
Permit Required:	No
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	at the North trailhead of the North Fork MT. Trail on Smoke Hole Rd.
Trails Used:	North Fork Mt. Trail-blue blazes on trees
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	None
Management:	U.S. Forest Service
Contact Information:	George Washington National Forest
Best Season:	Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	Chimney Rocks are a curious formation of stones found on the North Fork Mt. Trail(NFMT), a 24-mile hiking trail found in the GWNF in West Virginia. The easiest way to reach them is from the North Trailhead of the NFMT, although the trail can also be accessed from the Redman Run trailhead or the South Trailhead, both on Smoke Hole Rd. From the North Trailhead, you will first hike southward along some switchbacks, with moderate to difficult elevation change for about 1.5 miles. The trail will change to thorny and denser forest until you see a series of smaller unmarked trails to your right, which will take you ridge overlooks of the West Virginia landscape. One of the small trails will take you to Chimney Rocks, a geological feature of the rocky ridge shaped like two protruding chimneys. If you go to one of the overlooks further south, you can look northward to fully appreciate the shape of the Rocks. Hike back to the North Trailhead to end the hike. There are suitable camp sites sited along the trail on the NFMT, and fires are allowed.