Best Hikes In Shenandoah National Park – There are various activities to engage in when touring Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, like canoeing, ice skating, golfing, whitewater rafting, fishing, horseback riding, and boating. But most people are drawn to this park due to its amazing hikes.
This article makes choosing a trail easy by highlighting all the best hikes you can take in Shenandoah National Park. There are options for trekking in the park for every difficulty range, from simple strolls at the waterfalls to challenging treks on rocky mountainsides.
Best Hikes In Shenandoah National Park
1. Upper Hawksbill Trail
This trail has one of the best views, with two close to the peak. They’re the highest points in the park, paving the way for striking views without vegetation getting in the way. If it’s a busy day with a lot of hikers, there will still be enough room to spread out and take in the breathtaking panoramic views. Located near the peak is a stone hut with a picnic area that is only accessible during the day.
The track starts from the Upper Hawksbill parking lot at milepost 46.7 and goes on to the pinnacle, encompassing 2.1 miles round-trip. The ground is flat, and it follows a fire road section of the path, making it ideal for hiking enthusiasts.
The Upper Hawksbill Trail is an excellent late afternoon trek and usually takes approximately one and a half hours to complete.
2. Bearfence Mountain Trail
This trail is one of the shortest, but it’s very strenuous. However, you will be rewarded with some of the most amazing views of Bearfence Mountain Trail, stretching out to the encompassing valleys and mountains, giving you a look at the entire area. This hike is not suitable for everyone as it involves scrambling over some rocky parts. These treks are best for experienced hikers in good shape.
Generally, this hike is clockwise, but some individuals would rather begin in the opposite direction via the Appalachian Trail, which leads them to a viewpoint near the summit with a 180-degree perspective and then go back the same way they came.
This alternative is simpler as it doesn’t involve going over rocks. The Stony Man Trail and the Upper Hawksbill offer excellent options if you don’t want to go all the way to the peak but still want to see the view.
The parking lot of the Bearfence Mountain Trail is at about milepost 56.5. The unfortunate thing is that you cannot bring pets on this trail.
3. Mary’s Rock Via The Pinnacle
The trek over the summit to Mary’s Rock cuts through some of the most stunning parts of the Appalachian Track via Shenandoah National Park. Take in the nice-looking Pinnacles Picnic site and tour The Pinnacle for outstanding views. For even more striking scenery across what is probably the best landscape in the whole park, check out Mary’s Rock.
The rewarding views of this hike are worth the effort. Altitude changes culminate to ascents and descents of 450 feet each, which is quite impressive.
The Pinnacles Picnic Site is at pole 36.7 on Skyline Drive. From the entry point at Thornton Gap, take Skyline Drive and go south for about 5.2 miles until you get to the Pinnacles Picnic Site.
After reaching the picnic site, turn right to get to the Appalachian Trail before the course starts looping. Get to the south area of the outlook and access the Appalachian Trail.
4. Old Rag Hike
The Old Rag trek is the most extreme in the entire park and rated among the most difficult hikes. You have to claw and scramble through some miles of bumpy ground to finish the hike and take in the beautiful forest scenery. This path is among the few trailheads that aren’t directly accessible from Skyline Drive.
This full-day hike involves a 9.2 miles circuit, goes above 2,000 feet, and takes over 7 hours to finish. There’s the Old Rag Summit trek through the Berry Hollow Parking spot, which gets you to the peak and goes around the rocky area. Though shorter (5.4 miles) and less involved, this option is also difficult.
5. Stony Man
If you are pressed for time, this is the perfect hike as it is short and rewards you with amazing views. You can park at the lot close to Skyland Resort, in the middle of poles 42 and 41. If the parking lot is full, leave your vehicle at the Little Stony Man parking lot close to pole 39.
Regardless of where you park, you’ll need to take the Appalachian Trail to finish this trek, then go back the same way. Don’t forget to be on the lookout for white blazes.
6. Dark Hollow Falls Trail
The Dark Hollow Falls track is a favorite among many. This hike is short (1.4 miles), and anyone can do it, making it one of the best family hikes in the park.
The track descends from the parking lot to a mainly flat path with rocky patches. At the foot, the falls plunge 70 feet above the ledges into surface pools close to the trail’s edge, making it one of the most accessible falls in Shenandoah Park.
Even though most people turn back when they get to this point, you can keep going down to where the trail joins the Rose River track. The area where the trails connect features another gushing waterfall, which is also a lower part of the Dark Hollow Falls.
Whether you continue with the trail or turn around after reaching the main viewpoint, the trip back is a steep ascent and will take you twice the time it took you to go down.
Luckily, there is shade in most parts of the trail, so you’ll escape the scorching sun at midday. How long it takes to complete this hike also varies, but it should take 1.5 hours on average.
The trail’s parking lot is north of the Visitor Center at Byrd. The parking lot is quite large, though it can fill up fast on the weekends, especially Saturdays. Since this trail is short, visitors are constantly in and out, and pets aren’t allowed.
7. Whiteoak Canyon Falls
Tour six falls back-to-back, varying from forty-five to eighty-six feet while climbing a bumpy, rocky gorge at Whiteoak Canyon Falls. It culminates with a spectacular view of the uppermost falls.
You can hike this one during the spring and winter without worrying. The Shenandoah rock base sticks out above the dense forest in this area, so get ready for crowds when the weather is nice.
From Madison on US 29 south of Culpepper and north of Charlottesville, steer north on VA 231 for five miles to VA 670, then turn left and drive for five miles to VA 643. Take a right on VA 643 and go for not more than one mile to VA 600, then take a left and steer for 3.7 miles until you reach Berry Hollow. The trailhead will be on your right behind the far parking lot.
8. Hawksbill Mountain
Hawksbill Mountain marks the highest spot in Shenandoah National Park, though the trailheads past milepost 45 from Skyline Drive, located south of the Thornton Gap entry point, are above 3,000 feet.
There are only a few options for getting to the summit. The hike on Hawksbills Loop is an average three-mile round trip. After linking to the Appalachian Trail, observe the markers painted blue on the Salamander Trail leading to the summit.
The hike to Hawksbill Summit is shorter, at over one and a half miles, but steep and rocky, just like many other hikes at Skyline Drive. The trail ascends uphill and levels out at the summit.
The top Hawksbill Trail is one mile south of the two other hikes. It is a two-mile round trip with a less dramatic ascent than those mentioned above and a lot easier than most trails in Shenandoah.
9. Lewis Falls Trail
Lewis Falls tumbles 81 feet over the ledge of a rock and is among the most attractive waterfalls in the park. The amount of water trickling over it depends on recent rainfall and the time of the year. All in all, it’s a great hike to take any day.
The loop trail is 3.3 miles, and it follows the Appalachian Trail for the better part of the hike. The key feature is Lewis Falls, but you’ll also see some stunning views on the trail in different sections. Please note that you’ll find some parts of the trail are steep, uneven, and rocky.
At Big Meadows next to the Byrd Visitor Center, you can begin the hike at the campsite amphitheater or Tanners Ridge Overlook, south of the Skyline Drive visitor center. If you begin at Tanners Ridge Overlook, stop by the Big Meadows lodge for lunch and a mid-hike rest.
If you only want to see the falls and aren’t interested in hiking the entire loop, start at the Tanners Ridge Overlook and take an out-and-back trek to the falls. Hike downhill for 0.9 miles to the falls and return using the same path for a round-trip of 1.8 miles.
10. Rose River Loop Trail
Consider the Rose River Loop Trail on hot days since it weaves through giant trees and past streams and waterfalls. The two significant features on the trail are the lower part of Dark Hollow Falls and the Rose River Falls.
If you’re trekking in a clockwise manner, the trail proceeds past Rose River Falls then gets into an up-and-and-down region next to a stream with tiny waterfalls until it connects with the Dark Hollow Falls trail.
You can take a brief detour up at this point to get a better view of the upper part of Dark Hollow Falls. After experiencing the beautiful scenery, you can return and continue on the Rose River Fire Road, which begins at the Fishers Gap Overlook. It’s an average 4-mile loop.
11. South River Falls
You can hike in and out to the falls and return using the South River Falls Trail or walk in a loop using the fire road and return with the Appalachian Trail. The primary viewing point is some distance away from the falls, and the view there is almost as great as it is for the other waterfalls in the park.
There’s a highly recommended alternative round-trip spur, which is 1.4 miles and heads to the base of the waterfalls. The main track follows a winding creek for a small distance, and it is a perfect chance for photographers searching for easy access to little falls and running water. You can also stroll into the stream and over the stones to get close-up pictures.
The out-and-back trail to the South River Falls viewpoint is 2.6-miles, and the entire trail, including an additional hike to the falls on the lower side, is 4.7 miles. The parking area for this trail is at the South River Picnic site, north of milepost 63.
Where to Stay Near Shenandoah National Park
Visitors can stay in a few nearby cities and towns outside the park. Harrisonburg is among the well-positioned cities for accessing Shenandoah National Park.
Just a 30-minute drive from Harrisonburg is the entrance station to the Swift Run Gap at Skyline Drive. This is a central area in the park near some highlights and excellent hiking trails.
This tiny city is a university town with several restaurants and a fun vibe.
Harrisonburg has no luxury hotels, but it does have several accommodation alternatives like chain hotels. The following are a few of the highly ranked hotels you can find in Harrisonburg:
- Sleep Inn & Suites Harrisonburg
- Hampton Inn Harrisburg South
- The Village Inn
- Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
Choose Your Best Hike in Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park offers hikes that are all-inclusive for beginner, intermediate, and advanced hikers. Even if you want a quick trip, you can find something that meets your needs in this stunningly beautiful park. Learn the best time to visit Shenandoah National Park for the optimal experience.
Green Mountain National Forest
Best Time to Visit Acadia National Park
Best Hikes in Acadia National Park
National Parks in the USA That Should Be On Your Travel List
