Hawksbill Mountain is the highest point in the park, and ironically one of the easiest hikes in the park! The peak has a man-made stone summit with a plaque set into the low wall....perfect for posting to your social media site of choice so you look outdoorsy. There is also a fairly impressive shelter and a picnic table or two a few hundred yards from the summit with an awesome view...pack a dinner and watch the sunset for the perfect date hike.
The drive is a little further than other park offerings, but still within about an hour to hour and 15 minutes of Charlottesville. Take 29 North to near Stanardsville, then Route 33 West to the Swift Run Gap park entrance. From here, drive north for 20-30 minutes to milepost 46-47 area. There are three starting points to approach the mountain, as outlined in the pdf file...I recommend Hawksbill Gap parking for the shortest hike (1.7 miles of fairly steep hiking), but there are several options. We snapped a bunch of great photos on our trip around February 2012...enjoy!