View Full Version : AT to Old Rag?
How tough a hike is it from the AT near Skyland in the SNP to Old Rag peak and back in one day? Thinking about adding that to upcoming north-central section hike. What's the best route? - I have the trail books and maps, seems like several ways to go. Thanks for any advice!
depends on what you are looking for and what sort of miles you are up to doing - if all you want to do is to get up to the peak and back to Skyland area in 1 day I would suggest getting on the Old Rag fire road from the south entrance to Skyland hiking down to the Saddle Tr. (about 5 miles or so) then up the Saddle Tr. to the summit of Old Rag then reversing the hike for coming back out - total milage for the day about 16 miles with a lot of ups. This way is however one of the least interesting ways IMO - the Ridge Tr. from the other side of Old Rag is more interesting (a bit of a scramble in places) - using the ridge trail however would add about 5 more miles to the hike - when getting to the beginning of the Saddle Tr. go left on the fireroad instead, walking around to the other side of Old Rag then go up the Ridge Tr. and come down the Saddle Tr.
Have done a day hike from Corbin Cabin, down the Hughes River, over Old Rag via the ridge trail, looping back to the Hughes River on a fire road, and back up the river to the cabin. Left the cabin @ 10:00 am and returned @ 6:30pm. The distance was appx 15 miles. Did this with my then ten year old daughter and will do again next week with my now ten year old son. Corbin Cabin lies about 1 mile east of the AT, north of Skylands. Beautiful hike. Crowded on weekends.
Thanks! How about tenting near Skyland on AT? Map looks like that might be prohibited. I was thinking about setting up camp near there somewhere, walking to Old Rag and back the next day, then moving on the day after that.
to be in an area where it is not prohibited go down the Old Rag fire road until you pass the horse trail that leads up to the North entrance to Skyland - this is near the White Oak ranger station iirc - as a guess this is about a mile or so from Skyland.
There are some stealth sites near Skyland but do not think you can stealth near the water tower - here is an old post wrt stealthing: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=245091&postcount=4
chriscook02
08-14-2008, 20:45
depends on what you are looking for and what sort of miles you are up to doing - if all you want to do is to get up to the peak and back to Skyland area in 1 day I would suggest getting on the Old Rag fire road from the south entrance to Skyland hiking down to the Saddle Tr. (about 5 miles or so) then up the Saddle Tr. to the summit of Old Rag then reversing the hike for coming back out - total milage for the day about 16 miles with a lot of ups. This way is however one of the least interesting ways IMO - the Ridge Tr. from the other side of Old Rag is more interesting (a bit of a scramble in places) - using the ridge trail however would add about 5 more miles to the hike - when getting to the beginning of the Saddle Tr. go left on the fireroad instead, walking around to the other side of Old Rag then go up the Ridge Tr. and come down the Saddle Tr.
planning on doing this next month...
this mileage accurate? 16 miles
just from AT at skyland to old rag summit and back
this post says 10 miles round trip
just curious as to which is correct
not sure if wife can do 16 in one day
http://www.summitpost.org/route/164772/old-rag-fire-road-trail-from-skyline-dri.html
Route Description
Follow the WhiteOakCanyon trail south for approximately 1/2 mile. You will then reach the OldRag FireRoad. Follow the OldRag FireRoad E-SE for the next 3 miles. You will then reach the intersection of OldRag FireRoad and the Berry Hollow and Weakly Hollow FireRoads. Stay on the OldRag FIre Road and continue heading SE up OldRag for another 1.5 miles. At this point you have reached the top of Old Rag, but the fun has yet to begin
Blissful
08-14-2008, 21:02
Welcome to White Blaze.
There are two routes to Old Rag - one via the Ridge trail over a lot of rocks and one via the fire roads in Berry Hollow and the Saddle trail. The 16 miler is doing a circuit hike using both trails (and very difficult). Round trip via the fire roads and Saddle trail would be a quickest and easiest way to see Old Rag.
Suggest you purchase the PATC map of Central Shenandoah NP to help.
I think it might be closer to 10 or 12. However, I opted not to do this from the AT down because of the return trip -- almost all up, and because per the advice here, going over Old Rag the other way is much more fun, although much tougher. So, on a separate recent hike, I started at Old Rag, went over and down to White Oak Canyon nearby, camped there, hiked up the canyon the next day to AT/Skyline Drive, camped in woods that night off Old Rag Fire Road, then walked back down the fire road and the Berry Hollow Trail to the Old Rag parking lot. Coming up from Old Rag to AT on the fire road is not horribly steep, but it is probably about 5 miles of relentless uphill at the end of a long day, so not very appealing IMO.
Old Rag is like nothing else I've seen in VA and definitely worth the trip though. It was much rockier than I expected despite the posts here. Pretty wild with a full pack. I had to take it off and drop it down or pitch it up several times so I could scramble up or down to the next rock.
Also, check this out about Old Rag. It's about a billion years old, the rock dates back pre-Pangea to the formation of the earth itself. Amazing!
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2000/of00-263/of00-263.pdf
Old Rag area Road and trail map (http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/old_rag_area.pdf)
It's a long day from Skyland to do Old Rag and back to Skyland. If you can hike to north of Skyland on the AT the day before, then take the Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail down to near the Nicholson Hollow Trail (Corbin Cabin itself is across the stream), camp there.
Then it's an easier/shorter hike down to the road that leads right, to the Ridge Trail (the "more interesting" way to do Old Rag). Go up the Ridge Trail, down the Saddle Trail, then circle back to the Ridge Trail via the near-level Weakley Hollow Fire Rd. From there, just retrace your steps back to the AT. The Nicholson Hollow Trail is a mostly gentle climb. Parts of the Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail are a bit steep--but it's not all steep.
If you get PATC Map 10 (SNP Central District) the above route will become more clear.
chriscook02
08-15-2008, 05:14
thanks guys
I have the maps, only problem was they dont show actual distances on the trails
from the trail guide - Saddle Trail = 1.9 miles, Ridge Trail = 2.7 miles, Weakley Hollow Fire Road between Saddle and Ridge = 2.5 miles, Old Rag Fire Road = 5.0 miles (minus 0.3 if coming in from Whiteoak Canyon Trail), Whiteoak Canyon Trail = 0.6 from parking area to Old Rag Fire Road
my estimate of distance from Skyland Lodge to Whiteoak Parking Area - approximately 0.3 or 0.4
so - Saddle trail twice = 3.8 miles, Old Rag Fire Road twice = 9.4 miles, Whiteoak canyon trail section twice = 1.2 miles, walking to/from lodge twice = 0.6 to 0.8 - adding it up = 15 miles to 15.2 miles
NICKTHEGREEK
08-15-2008, 06:26
thanks guys
I have the maps, only problem was they dont show actual distances on the trails
http://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/OldRag/
thanks guys
I have the maps, only problem was they dont show actual distances on the trails
The Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park With Side Trails has the mileages for all side trails in addition to the entire AT within the Park. Hike descriptions too!
On sale through PATC's website, ATC, SNP Visitor Centers, SNP Gift Shops, and some outfitters/bookstores.
NICKTHEGREEK
08-15-2008, 10:43
thanks guys
I have the maps, only problem was they dont show actual distances on the trails
On second thought if you have the maps you have the actual distances, you just don't know how to measure distance on a map.
chriscook02
08-15-2008, 15:29
The Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park With Side Trails
is the one i dont have. didnt know it had side trail distances on it. they arent on the PATC ones.
thanks.
http://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/OldRag/
that route is from outside the park on a loop back to the parking area. thanks anyway, but not really relevant to the topic of from inside (AT)
old rag is about the only side loop we havent done up there.
the goat
08-15-2008, 15:37
gotta do the ridge trail, it's one of the coolest climbs around. (that is when it's not clogged with tourists).
Whatever you do, don't miss the ridge trail!
Jaybird62
08-19-2008, 11:52
Whatever you do, don't miss the ridge trail!
I'll third that notion:D
sweetpeastu
08-19-2008, 12:00
when is a good time to hike the Ridge Trail, or SNP for that matter, when there aren't a bunch of tourists?
I'd like to make it up there this year! :) (still haven't been...)
early weekday mornings are often good - try to get there just about sunrise and you can often get a parking spot in the upper lot saving a road walk from the lower lot
sweetpeastu
08-19-2008, 14:57
oh...that wont work...since its several hours away and I'm supposed to go to work...
So you're saying its always busy?
on the weekends with good weather - yes its busy - if you have to go on a weekend I would recommend finding a place to camp Friday night and get a real early start on Saturday morning (or Saturday night and Sunday morning)
hoyawolf
08-19-2008, 16:14
the other alternative is to go when it is cold as hades - last jan there were not a lot of folks up there.
the goat
08-20-2008, 09:59
old rag is usually not crowded:
-when it's really hot
-when it's really cold
-when it's raining
-after dark
by no coincidence these are also my favorite times to hike it.
It's worth taking a day off work for, even if you have to call in sick. I do this at least once a month :D
I've never had to park in the lower lot arriving before 9 on a weekday - generally I arrive at around 7:30 after leaving Ashburn at 6AM and I'm usually the first or second person on the mountain.
Note that parking in the lower lot isn't so bad - it's kind of a pretty walk most times of the year, if you don't mind the extra mile or two and a little more uphill.
Weekends? Not so much.. I wouldn't try.
Note that you can also park at an alternate area if you keep going past Criglersville / Syria. I don't like this as much, but it's OK if you want to approach from the fire road and take the saddle trail up. I'd rather do the Ridge Trail both ways most days :)