I did not intend to hike this trail. My intention was Scott Mountain Trail but not being able to find the trailhead on the narrow farmroad, Schoolhouse Gap Road, I ended up here. Ace Gap is the end of the trail where it connects with Beard Cane Trail and a trail which continues onto the Blackberry Farm B&B property.
It was a delightful stroll out and back. The only persons I encountered were two park service employees at the gap. They were supposed to be working on Beard Cane Trail but were quite happy to spend 20 minutes clowning with me (see photo of me "working").
Spotted Wintergreen above. It was flowering, as was Indian Pink, Fairy Wand and Galax. This trail is loaded with Pink Lady Slippers. I saw hundreds in one gap. They have finished blooming now. The park service guys say you can't even park when they are blooming. "The word is out" they told me.
Beard Cane Trail suffered more than any other trail in the area from the the Spring tornado 2 years ago. It is open and passable now but you can easily see the effects.
At the beginning of the trail, another path leads left to a couple caves. Above is the entrance to Bull Cave. It appears the sunken entrance is a sink hole within an sinkhole within a sinkhole. There is a small stream that drops into the entrance. I'm told it descends down 420' and is one of the deepest caves in the Southeast.
Indian Pink
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