Alleghany County Virginia Hiking Trails
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George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
Cove Trail may be reached via Fortney
Loop Trail.
Cove Trail is a short branch
trail with a gradual descent to Lake Moomaw across from Coles Point.
The Fortney Loop Trail
descends about 200 feet to Lake Moomaw across from the Fortney Branch Boat
Launch, about one mile from trail’s beginning at the south end.
The trail is well marked with a graded open tread in good
condition.
At first the descends gently along the ridge line through open forest before
dropping more steeply downhill along several switchbacks to the abandoned
asphalt surface of old Route 600, which was inundated under Lake Moomaw when
the Gathright Dam was constructed in the 1980.
Turn right along the abandoned
road to reach the lake with a view of the Fortney Branch boat launch.
At the lake, stone steps, constructed by a Student Conservation
Association work crew, lead to the return trail that winds pleasantly
along the lakeside before gradually ascending through open forest to the
intersection with the Cove Trail.
Bicyclists should use care navigating the abrupt switchbacks and the
stone steps.
Fishing access to the bank of Lake Moomaw is possible from a number of
points, especially when coupled with the Cove Trail.
Directions:
Fortney Loop Trail is adjacent
to the Morris Hill Campground, north of Covington.
From I-64 take Route 220 north, turn left onto Route 687. Turn left
onto Route 641, Indian Draft Road, and continues as Route 641 becomes
Route 666. At the Lake Moomaw
Recreation Area entrance, turn right onto Route 605 to the Morris Hill
Campground, on your left.
Fortney Loop Trail is accessible from two points in the campground - the
dump station, and the south end of the main campground loop road at
campsite 33.
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