Mount Pleasant and Mount Pompey Henry Lanum Trail in Amherst County

Begin by taking the old road to the right (there are actually two roads, take the one which has the fence to prevent vehicles and motor bikes, as the other is a Forest Service road). This trail starts out level but then begins to climb steadily up the side of the mountain. There are small creek crossings through some large boulders. The trail will come the saddle Mount Pompey and Mount Pleasant. There are some apple trees in the area for a fall snack.

In the saddle is a trail junction. To the right is the .5 mile trail to the summit of Mount Pleasant. There is a spring to the left of the trail as you hike up with water for overnight camping. At the summit of Mount Pleasant are rock outcroppings with views to the east and west.  Return back to the saddle on the same trail junction. Turn right at the trail junction to climb Mount Pompey (the left will take you back down the trail from which you originally came).

The trail to Mount Pompey is a gentle climb. The side trail to the Mount Pompey rock outcropping with views is easy to miss, so look for the side trail to the right which goes 100 yards to the rocks.  If you begin a steep descent, you just passed the side trail. The trail then continues back down to the parking area. The Hotel Trail at the parking lot provides a .4 mile connecting trail from the Mount Pleasant parking area to the Appalachian Trail at Hog Camp Gap.

  • Difficulty: Moderate

  • Drive Time: 45 minutes

  • Hike Time: 3 hours

  • Distance: 5.2 miles

  • Views: Wild

  • Elevation: 3,435' to 4,021'

Directions

Take US 60 East 15 miles through Buena Vista and past the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Drive one mile past the Oronoco and Lynchburg Reservoir exits. Take a left at the general store onto Route 634, Coffeytown Road (follow the Forest Service signs to Mount Pleasant). Drive 1.7 miles to the fork in the road. turn right on Route 755, (again, follow the forest service sign to Mount Pleasant). State maintenance of this road ends and this road can be bumpy and steep. Drive several miles to Hog Camp Gap (open field on the left). Drive over the Appalachian Trail and past the small parking area on the left. The dirt road will come to a fork, bear to the right, which will shortly bring you to the Mount Pleasant and Mount Pompey parking area.