Pocosin Mission Trail

The Pocosin Mission Trail is a short trail off Skyline Drive to the ruins of the building from the Pocosin Mission. The trail follows a fire road, and is very wide and mostly gravel/packed dirt. From the parking lot, cross the gate and begin on the fire road. After the first .1 mile cross an intersection with the Appalachian Trail, and at .2 miles the trail curves beneath the Pocosin Cabin, a primitive cabin available for rent through the Potomac Appalachian Trail club. If the cabin is unoccupied the picnic table on the porch is a nice spot to stop for a snack and take in the eastern views. Past the cabin the trail crosses a seasonal stream, then descends for the remaining .8 miles to the intersection with the South River fire road, and the ruins of an old Episcopal mission. Here you can (carefully) explore the ruins, including the remains of the church and old cemetery, but beware the fragility of the structure and broken glass on the ground, and keep in mind that it is illegal to remove artifacts from National Park property. To complete the Pocosin trail retrace your steps back to the car for a total distance of 2.2 miles.