I guess the GWNF is a hell of a lot bigger than I thought it was....I have been in Lovingston,VA and that's about it....

 

From what I can tell, it ain't tiny.

 

Its 1 million acres.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/flash_file/gwjmap.swf

 

I made it in my 88 4runner just fine, at night no less. In the morning we were all slack jawed at how tight it really was. I'm planning a trip in early spring as well from NOVA. NOVAJEEPERS do a run once every couple months for people with stockish vehicles. They do flagpole etc...

 

From the pictures it looks like you did Flagpole. Did any of your stock vehicles have trouble? I'm guessing most likely not. One of the great things about GWNF is that almost every obstacle (besides water fording) has a bypass that a stock 4wd vehicle can do.

 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/dryriver...asonally.shtml

That is a list of which trails are open, and when they are supposed to be. Some of the local land owners have been locking gates this past year on their own, as well a couple of the better trails have been shut down.

 

I have a bone stock 2WD, and I only ahd trouble in one spot. Like you said, there's usually a hard path and an easy path.

 

You used to need 4WD, or atleast a rear locker. I guess they graded it AGAIN.

 

Dude, we were on trails...rocky, muddy, imaginary trails. 2WD Xterras are actually quite capable trucks. There was a muddy area that I made it through that two 4wd trucks got stuck in. Granted that was mostly luck, but luck can only take you so far, ya know?

Who cares, it wa fun using the X as it's supposed to be used for a change.

 

There are two long trails you can go on with your trucks I go I few times every year there is more rock then mud so if you like mud this trip is not really for you its a bit of a challenge in some spots though It looks big but If you get there early in the morning like 9 you can have both trails done by 11 or 12 we have gone with stock explorers before and they had no truble