This popular out-and-back day hike is unique in the Shenandoah region because it begins not from the Parkway but rather from VA 663. Following the Furnace Mountain Trail, the path switchbacks up the side of Furnace Mountain. Take the Furnace Mountain spur by turning left and enjoy the views of Trayfoot Mountain and Austin Mountain in the distance. As the path continues along the rugged ridge line, hikers will pass through oak and evergreen forests with possible glimpses of deer and numerous bird species that inhabit Shenandoah National Park, or perhaps even signs of the reclusive black bears that roam the mountains in spring. When the trail intersects with the Trayfoot Mountain Trail take a left to arrive at the Blackrock Summit, which allows more stunning views of the shadowed hills of Shenandoah.