Shenandoah National Park

Jarman Gap is most easily reached by entering the Shenandoah National Park at Rockfish Gap; after about eight miles, the trailhead can be found at milepost 96.8 on the Skyline Drive. Another entrance is at Bucks Elbow Road and Jarman Gap (Rt. #611), but parking is limited to 1 car at park gate, with limited parking along the road.

Jarman Gap remains a cultural and physical legacy of the earliest settlers of the area. Jarman Gap was the site of the first settlement of the mountain lands. The first European settler of this section of the Blue Ridge, Michael Woods, came from Pennsylvania in 1734 and settled at Woods Gap, now known as Jarman Gap. In 1737 Michael Woods purchased 2006 acres, and settled in permanently in his mountain home he called “Mountain Plains”; he died in 1762 and was buried on the property.

Woods Gap served as the main crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains. First a buffalo trail, then a Native American path and still later, the Three Notch’d Road all passed through the gap. Three Notch’d Road ran along present-day Main Street in Charlottesville, and was marked by three notches or blazes on trees to guide travelers.

The name Jarman comes from Thomas Jarman, who had settled on Moormans River in 1762, and whose children were married to various children of Michael Woods and other earlier settlers. In about 1800, his grandson Thomas bought the land at the summit of the ridge in Woods Gap, and since then it has been known as Jarman Gap.

Shenandoah National Park lies astride a beautiful section of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Shenandoah River flows through the valley to the west, with Massanutten Mountain, 40 miles long, standing between the river's north and south forks. The rolling Piedmont country lies to the east of the park.

Skyline Drive, a 105-mile road that winds along the crest of the mountains through the length of the park, provides vistas of the spectacular landscape to east and west.

The park holds more than 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Trails may follow a ridge crest, or they may lead to high places with panoramic views or to waterfalls in deep canyons. Many animals, including deer, black bears, and wild turkeys, flourish among the rich growth of an oak-hickory forest. In season, bushes and wildflowers bloom along the Drive and trails and fill the open spaces. Apple trees, stone foundations, and cemeteries are reminders of the families who once called this place home.

Camping, horseback riding, cottages, and lodging are available at different locations along the drive.

A wonderful world of wispy hemlock and cascading water. White Oak canyon is a part of the life of the mountains you will miss if you stay on the road. The water cascades over a wonderland of rocks and pools that will tempt you to go wading. In a little over a mile you will come to the first of a series of falls. Here the trail gets steeper and you will want to take it slowly. When you decide to turn around the way back is all downhill.Round Trip Distance: 2.6 mile or more, to first fall and 4.5 miles one-way to Skyline Drive.