Seniard Ridge Trail Map

Route map of the Seniard Ridge Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Seniard Ridge Trail Map

Route map of the Seniard Ridge Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Seniard Ridge/Case Camp Ridge Trail Junction -- 3,440'

About a quarter mile above Case Camp Gap, via the Case Camp Ridge Trail, is the eastern terminus of the Seniard Ridge Trail. This shot is taken as arriving via the Case Camp Ridge with the Seniard Ridge departing to the left...

Seniard Ridge/Case Camp Ridge Trail Junction -- 3,440'

The Seniard Ridge Trail, as seen departing its eastern terminus at the Case Camp Ridge Trail...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,460'

As you can see the trail begins by following an old, now defunct, forest road...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,440'

Perhaps a quarter-mile from its eastern end the Seniard Ridge Trail leaves the old road, switching back to the left off the hillside. This junction is marked, as you can see, but could still be easy to miss if you aren't watching for it...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,440'

The Seniard Ridge Trail as it switches back down off the old forest road...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,360'

Young pines now dot the forest floor...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,300'

In winter, the bare canopy allows for some broken views up towards Seniard Ridge itself, which the trail will soon be climbing...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,250'

The path is now making a gradual descent towards its eastern junction with Forest Road 5043...

Seniard Ridge Trail @ F.R. 475B -- 3,220'

Arriving at the junction with Forest Road 5043, which continues beyond the gate you can see ahead. Forest Road 475B curves by to the left along which sits a large pull-off. This is a popular trailhead, as it provides the closest access to the series of waterfalls you'll see in the next part of the album...

Seniard Ridge Trail @ F.R. 475B -- 3,200'

This large sign describing the benefits of good forest management sits uphill from the junction with F.R. 5043...

Seniard Ridge Trail @ F.R. 475B/F.R. 5043 Junction -- 3,200'

For the next 1.8-miles, the Seniard Ridge Trail will follow the route of gated F.R. 5043 to wind along the base of the ridge...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,220'

The route now flattens out some as the old road crosses a large wildlife opening...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,200'

Descending slightly now as the trail enters the drainage of the North Tributary of Log Hollow Branch...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,180'

The trail crosses the North Tributary at this sturdy wooden bridge. This is where the first of a few waterfall side trips can be made from this trail. This spur trail, leading to Discovery Falls, enters the rhododendron on the right just before the bridge...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 @ Discovery Falls Path -- 3,180'

The spur trail to Discovery Falls as it is seen leaving Forest Service Road 5043 just before and to the right of the bridge in the previous shot...

Discovery Falls -- 3,450'

If you decide to make the hike up the spur to the falls, it involves a half-mile (round-trip) hike that gets fairly steep as it approaches the base of the cascade. As you can see, though, the effort is completely worth it...

Discovery Falls -- 3,450'

Another view of the stunning Discovery Falls...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,200'

From the North Tributary of Log Hollow Branch the old road/trail now ascends slightly, for a short time, as it follows the contour of the ridge...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,240'

Descending into the next drainage, this one containing Log Hollow Branch...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 @ Log Hollow Branch -- 3,200'

Yet another sturdy wood bridge crosses Log Hollow Branch, while Log Hollow Falls can be seen through the trees on the right...

Log Hollow Falls -- 3,200'

Log Hollow Branch is a favorite...It's form and setting are such that its almost impossible to shoot a bad picture of it...

Upper Log Hollow Falls -- 3,300'

A short but steep tenth of a mile climb up an obvious spur trail leads from Log Hollow to Upper Log Hollow Falls. As you can see, it's well worth the effort to visit if you've never been...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,240'

Leaving the drainage of Log Hollow Creek the road/trail once again begins a brief climb...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,280'

Before long the trail rounds another bump in the ridge and begins descending into yet another drainage...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,240'

This area, in recent years, saw harvesting activities which has left large stretches of the adjacent hillside devoid of trees...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,220'

The trail as it makes its approach on the South Tributary of Log Hollow Branch...

Logging Road Falls -- 3,220'

Logging Road Falls is the last of the series of waterfalls along this section of the trail. It's a high waterfall but, because of thick surrounding brush and the small size of the stream, it's the least scenic of the bunch...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,240'

Looking back as the trail departs the South Tributary of Log Hollow Branch...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,260'

The next 3/4-mile is fairly uneventful as the old road keeps along a fairly level grade, bouncing along the contours of the ridge...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,300'

Looking Glass Rock, only a couple miles south, can be seen through the trees for much of this portion of the trail. It's not until this spot, however, that the trees part enough to get an almost unobstructed view of its imposing north face...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,300'

The shear size of Looking Glass Rock from this vantage point is impressive to see...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,350'

An impressive stand of what are likely young oaks cover the hill above the trail here...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,400'

Nearing the western end of Forest Road 5043...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,420'

Looking behind, the dome of Looking Glass Rock can still (just barely) be made out through the winter trees...

Seniard Ridge Trail/F.R. 5043 -- 3,420'

Arriving at the western end of Forest Road 5043. Here the Seniard Ridge Trail once again reverts to a traditional footpath, as it switches back up the hill to the right...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,420'

The Seniard Ridge Trail as it makes its tight right-hand switch up from the western end of F.R. 5043...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,450'

The climb from the road is brief and soon the trail is descending into the broad drainage of Big Bearpen Branch...

Seniard Ridge Trail @ Big Bearpen Branch -- 3,440'

Big Bearpen Branch, as you can see, isn't much of an obstacle...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,450'

Though unseen, the rhododendron belie the location of the nearby stream...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,450'

Crossing a tiny tributary of Big Bearpen Branch...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,500'

At this point the trail turns up the drainage of Big Bearpen Branch. Here the climb begins...over the next 1.2-miles you'll ascend nearly 1,300 feet...

Seniard Ridge Trail -- 3,580'

Shortly after beginning the climb of the ridge the trail crosses old Forest Road 5045, which is now gated about a mile south of here...