Hike Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Etlan, Virginia

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Details

Distance

9 miles

Elevation Gain

2415 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Caitlyn Bevard

Old Rag is by far the most popular hike in Shenandoah National Park and for good reason. The scramble to get to the summit is tough, yet fun and exciting and the views once you get there are incredible!

Distance: 9.1 miles

Elevation gain: 2,415 feet

Difficulty: Strenuous

Trailhead Location: 2509 Nethers Road, Sperryville VA

We did the route that takes you up Ridge Trail to the summit and then descends on Saddle Trail. The first 3 miles or so are within the forest and nothing all that special in my opinion. But then you’ll reach the rock scramble! This is not an easy scramble. There are some narrow cracks and passages, small caves and climbing that requires a decent amount of upper body strength. There were several parts where I actually needed to get a boost from my husband! As tough as it is, the scramble is a lot of fun and so worth the views when you get to the top. We even got to see a bear walking around a nearby summit. It’s nice to watch them from afar! It’s also worth a quick side trip to see the Balance Rock near the Byrd’s Nest Shelter before descending on Saddle Trail.

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Hike Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Reviews

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