Boyce, Virginia

The round trip is a total of 6.7 miles (10.8 km) from the Skyline Drive parking lot to the Whiteoak Canyon Trailhead parking lot (mile 42.6) to the final waterfall of the lower three. The elevation is moderate with a 900-foot drop to the upper falls, but an additional 1,100 feet to the lower fall...

Between mile 42 and 43 of Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park is the trailhead for WhiteOak Canyon. Begin at the trailhead from the parking lot and cross the Limberlost Trail in .3 miles. Continue on and you will cross your first footbridge shortly. After another mile you will cross the s...

The Limberlost Trail is a loop trail within Shenandoah National Park. It is classified as 'accessible' as the trail is flat and has features that would help those in a wheelchair or with other needs access the trail (boardwalk, bridge, benches).  There is little-to-no elevation change and the pat...

Robertson Mountain is often overshadowed by the nearby Old Rag Mountain, but standing 5 feet taller than Old Rag, this hike offers seclusion and gorgeous views to the south.  Starting from the Limberlost Trailhead parking lot at MP 43 on the Skyline Drive, take the chained off Old Rag Fire Road. ...

Tucked inside the heart of Reston, Virginia, the Lake Anne Blue Trail Loop is a 1.65-mile loop with 274 feet of elevation gain winding through wooded terrain along the shores of Lake Anne. It's one of the more underrated walks in Northern Virginia — quiet, scenic, and easily accessible from the...

Berry Hollow to Old Rag Mountain Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you through a nice forest located near Syria, Virginia.

Park on Clarksburg Road (see map) and head onto the marked trail. It can get muddy at times so pack accordingly. Great for kids, and dog friendly too. 

A hike to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain will not only put you at the highest point in Shenandoah National Park (4050'), but you'll have a 270 degree view perfect for a sunset. This moderate hike is located at MP 45.6 on the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, so you'll have to pay a $2...

This is one of 2 trails that will take you to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain. The other is the Upper Hawksbill Trail (which I also wrote an adventure about!). This trail is a combination of the Lower Hawksbill Trail, the AT, and the Salamander Trail. The parking are area for this hike is at mi...

This route combines Cedar Run Falls and White Oak Canyon Trail (one of the more popular hikes in SNP, with separate adventures detailing those hikes). Parking is easy, but gets very crowded due to the popularity of White Oak Canyon (WOC). When starting from the parking area/Shenandoah ranger stat...

Cedar Run Falls is located in the central district of Shenandoah National Park.  This is a pretty waterfall that flows into a deep swimming hole.  There are two ways to get to the Cedar Run Waterfall: from the top of the mountain off of Skyline Drive and from the bottom of the mountain off of Wea...

There are two sections that you can fish on the Robinson River. The first section is about 15 minutes away from the trailhead of White Oak Canyon. The river is on the right side of the road and you can see where it has bee stocked from the white diamonds on the trees on the side of the road. This...

The Black Hill Regional Park has 1300 acres of oak forests that have views of the Little Seneca Lake. This lake offers a place for visitors to canoe and stand up paddle board.  This trail is open to hiking and mountain biking. In addition, dogs are welcome to use the trail but must be on leash a...

The trailhead has a small parking area at mile marker 46.7 on Skyline Drive, just past the Old Rag overlook (on the opposite side of the road) if you're driving south. The hike is a 2-mile out-and-back that takes you right to the summit. The first ~2/3 of it is relatively flat and very easy walk...

Bird Knob trail and aptly-named Emerald Pond are a not-so-well-kept secret worth sharing. Located just two hours away from Washington DC, this hike has everything: bouldering, views, and the perfect swimming hole.  Even the drive to reach the hike is scenic and enjoyable with mountain views and f...

Rose River Falls is often overshadowed by it's more popular cousin, Dark Hollow Falls, as both hikes begin at the same trail head. But because Dark Hollow Falls is such a short and well known hike, it can get extremely crowded. It is also one of the few trails in Shenandoah where dogs are not al...