[Kar]

Bit of a map nerd here, thus my awareness (though not quite knowledge) of GIS! The property lines shown on Warren County’s GIS viewer are not entirely accurate, but the viewer is certainly useful in trying to figure out who owns what and where the property lines might be.

I misspoke about Hazard Mill Road– the state appears to own none of it. Headed west from Panhandle Road/Indian Hollow Road, the first mile or so of Hazard Mill Road passes through federal (Forest Service) land before reaching the large privately-owned farm (chickens?). The road doesn’t hit federal land again for a mile and a half, where the logging road (gated) branches off to the right and the old campground road (also gated) branches off to the left, and the main road heads down toward the river to reach a dead end.

I have only traversed Hazard Mill Road once myself, from the campground side headed back toward civilization (as I was doing a loop). My memories are vague, but I do know I was not harassed that day– but the “PRIVATE ROAD” and “NO TRESPASSING” signs for westbound travelers were copious and clear, and they delivered the message to me sufficiently. I have not passed through again.

The old campground itself is recognizable as a campground and is surely still used by hikers once in a blue moon. The access road between the campground itself and Hazard Mill Road, however, is overgrown and unmaintained. Has not seen a vehicle in many many years. Basically a sea of grass. It is semi-passable on foot in the wintertime, but in the summer it would be a jungle. Ground Zero for ticks. Not worth using it to loop down to the end of the logging road.

Side GIS note: Waze’s map editor wiki has a convenient link list of Virginia GIS utilities. I can and have gotten lost down that rabbit hole.

Side side note: For anyone visiting the Massanuttens, I’d strongly recommend picking up the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club’s Map G (and the companion Guide to Massanutten Mountain Hiking Trails). Map G shows all the trails, parking locations, and access points in the north end of the Massanuttens. Still much better than any online resources I’ve seen; really invaluable. (Plus the PATC is heavily involved with the maintenance of these trails.)

[Kar]

I live out here, and yes, Hazard Mill Road is private. The state only owns a very short portion of the road from the Indian Hollow Road/Panhandle Road intersection. Check Warren County’s GIS site– you’ll see the property lines. (Google Maps and the USGS topo quads erroneously show USFS property as extending much farther than it actually does.)

I believe this access issue is why the Hazard Mill campground (which is on USFS land) was abandoned many years ago. Many trailheads that lead through private property depend on the goodwill of the landowners… and obviously the Hazard Mill Road landowners don’t have a lot of goodwill here anymore. So please don’t try to access the old campground that way.

As to the various Page Valley Road access points, I think these are all on public lands– Habron Gap Trail, Indian Grave Ridge Trail, and Tolliver Trail (which starts off as an old logging road). I have never had any issues (as a runner) accessing these trails or running along Page Valley Road itself.

On the Fort Valley side of Milford Gap, though, there are some land ownership issues over there that led to the abandonment of the west side of the Milford Gap Trail some years ago. Technically you may be in the clear to head up to the ridge from that side, but you may have issues with some of the locals, and I’m not sure there’s a legal place to park a car anymore.

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