Columnar basalt, plus burgers and shakes at Spelunkers!

Who: Bryce, Kristen

I've been trying to learn more about geology, since there's lots of cool things to see when you're hiking if you know something about rocks. I was looking at columnar basalts, which I had started paying attention to in 2022, when I had considered briefly making a side trip out to see Devil's Postpile National Monument when we were out in California. Of course Giant's Causeway and Devil's Tower are famous examples, and bucket list trips in and of themselves.

I was surprised to discover that there were columnar basalts in Shenandoah National Park, off of the Compton Peak trail. Compton Peak is in the northern section of the park, which is the section we've hiked the least. Kristen agreed to make it our hike this week.

The hike itself is nice enough, nothing too spectacular. After reaching the summit, you take a side trail that descends rather steeply to get to the basalts. The formation isn't quite as spectacular as some of the more famous examples you see in the places I've linked to above, but it's still amazing to see in person. Pictures really don't do it justice (they never do) - all they can really do is serve to remind you of what it was like when you were there.

Well worth the trip to do the hike and see something new. On the way back we stopped at Spelunkers in Front Royal for burgers and shakes. Spelunkers has quickly become a favorite post-hike destination. I think we managed to earn at least some of the calories on the hike.