Hiking in Virginia?

[puddingboy]

Im am going out to go hiking in the Virginia portion of the AT with my uncle who lives in Washington D.C. We have not decided where to go yet but we would like to hike Old Rag and the AT. Is there any way to hike from Old Rag to the AT in shenandoah? Are their any other places nearby that are better hiking? We will be hiking for probably 3-5 days. Also does the AT guide/map include Old Rag?

[Blissful]

Yes the PATC map of the central section of Shenandoah contains the Old Rag area. You can get to the AT via connector trails from Old Rag, but Old Rag is not part of the AT.

[TrippinBTM]

The Shennies are nice, but I liked southwest Virginia better, fewer crowds for one thing. But that may be a long drive for you, time you'd rather be hiking. When are you going?

[puddingboy]

Thanks, I will be going sometime in the summer.

[Cookerhiker]

Old Rag is a great, fun hike. You can access it from the AT via the Limberlost Trail connecting to the White Oak Canyon Trail. Lots of up and down but well worth it. White Oak Canyon is a series of cascades bordered by hemlocks - very picturesque.

[johnnybgood]

If Old Rag is your beginning point then you will first need to get to the trailhead which is near the small community of Nethers

I would suggest ordering a PATC book on circuit hikes for the central district of SNP.

Old Rag Fire Road on the descent from the summit will take you to the Limberlost Circuit Trail . The AT can be reached by crossing the Skyline Drive at Skyland milepost 42 .

[Newb]

In the Summer in virginia you want altitude. The shennies would be perfect.

[Skyline]

Unless you want a 5-mile climb after doing Old Rag, to get up to the AT, here's a suggestion:

Position a vehicle along the AT--most likely in the Skyland area or perhaps Thornton Gap (parking just reopened there last week)--and get shuttled to where you want to begin hiking. Hike toward where you parked.

Hike on the AT first, then leave the AT when you get to the Skyland Resort Stables, and descend for a few minutes by road to Skyline Drive. Cross the Drive to the large White Oak Canyon trailhead, and descend on the White Oak Canyon Trail. You can get a more direct route to the Saddle Trail of Old Rag by diverting from the WOC Trail to Old Rag Fire Rd., but WOC Trail itself is very much worth your time--one of the best hikes in the Park IMHO as it follows scenic cascades and waterfalls. At the end, turn left on VA600 and use PATC map 10 to get to that Saddle Trail.

You'll be most likely doing the Saddle Trail first (unless you want to roadwalk Weakley Hollow Rd. around to the other side, then repeat that roadwalk a second time later), climbing Old Rag from it's "back" up to the viewpoints, then continuing by bouldering over to the Ridge Trail. Once you've done that, it's an easy, graded trail down to the 8-car Ridge Trail parking area. Follow the road--also named VA600--to the right 0.8 mi. to the 200-car Old Rag parking lot. You may leave a second vehicle there, or call a shuttle (1-877-789-3210) to take you back to where you left Skyline Drive, or to where you parked the vehicle at the start of this adventure. There is a ranger contact station at the 200-car Old Rag lot and they can call for you if you can't get a cell signal. Open daytime hours during the season. It is advisable to get on the shuttle service schedule ahead of time so they will be expecting your call.

You will probably want to do both White Oak and Old Rag over one or two weekdays. On most weekends they both get crazy-crowded. If you study Map 10, you will likely be able to scope out areas where you could seek a primitive campsite somewhere along the way or to be 100% legal--away from both WOC and Old Rag. I'd recommend cutting over to Cedar Run or perhaps going up Nicholson Hollow aways and looking for something. Map 10 will provide plenty of clues, and the shuttle service referenced above can give you more.

[puddingboy]

Thanks everybody, Skyline I might follow your advice but I will need to over go it with my uncle first.