How to Hike Old Rag Mountain: A Guide to Shenandoah’s BEST Day Hike!
Old Rag is often considered Shenandoah National Park’s best day hike. It’s a fun and challenging scramble with awesome views along the way. Here, we go over everything you need to know to hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park, including what to expect, how to get there, how to get a permit to hike Old Rag, what to bring, and more!
If you are considering a trip to Shenandoah National Park, chances are you’ve heard of the hike to Old Rag Mountain. And if not, we are happy to be the ones to introduce this amazing hike to you!
Old Rag is without a doubt the most popular hike in Shenandoah National Park, and people from all over come here to attempt the climb. And after completing this hike ourselves on a quick trip to Shenandoah, we can certainly attest to its awesomeness.
So, what’s so special about Old Rag?
Well, the most popular route to hike Old Rag, known as the Old Rag Circuit (we’ll talk more about this below!), is an amazing trail. In fact, it’s one of the most fun trails we’ve ever hiked (and we’ve hiked a lot!).
We say this not because of the views you get along the way (although we certainly can’t complain about those either), but the trail itself up to the summit of Old Rag is a super fun and challenging rock scramble. You’ll scramble over countless rocks, squeeze through narrow passageways, crawl down tall boulders, and climb up shallow rock faces, all while admiring some of the best views over Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains. With Old Rag, the beauty of the hike is certainly not all just with the summit views, but in the journey along the way.
As you might guess, hiking Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah via the Old Rag Circuit certainly won’t be a walk in the park. Because of the scramble, it’s definitely on the more physically demanding side, and not for everyone. The good news is that you can still summit Old Rag via less strenuous trails that don’t involve the rough scramble. They won’t be as much fun, but the views will be just as beautiful.
Think you’re ready to take on the challenge?!
In this article, we cover everything you need to know about how to hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park, including how to get to the trailhead, which trails to take, what to expect, what to bring, and more, so let’s get to it!
In this Old Rag hiking guide:
Where is Old Rag Mountain?
Old Rag is located in one of the few National Parks found along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. – Shenandoah National Park.
Shenandoah is a gem of the Eastern U.S., showcasing some of the best views of the Blue Ridge Mountains that run through Virginia. The crown jewel of Shenandoah is Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive is the park’s main road that runs 105 miles from the North and South entrances of the park. It is along this road that you’ll find most of the park’s trailheads, visitor centers, campgrounds, and general points of interest.
However, Old Rag is not one of them.
Old Rag is Shenandoah National Park’s most popular (and arguably, the best) day hike, but it’s not found along Skyline Drive like most other hikes in the park. It’s found in Robertson, located at the park’s eastern boundary. See below for more info on how to get to the trailhead.
Fun side note: why is it called Old Rag?
Yea, we wondered that, too. Seems like an underwhelming name for such a fun climb!
There’s actually a really cool reason for the name (well, cool for a science nerd like me!). The quick explanation is that the mountain is basically formed by a rock known as Old Rag Granite. I didn’t even know that was a rocky type until I leaned about Old Rag! But basically, when North America was part of a supercontinent colliding with other present-day continents like Antarctica and Australia, a mountain range resulted, known as the Grenville Mountain Range, which stretched the entire length of the present- day U.S. Magma was formed deep within this range, and slowly rose through cracks and fissures, crystallizing into rock that eventually became exposed at the surface through erosion.
There’s a lot more to it, of course, but hopefully that gives you a better understanding of the Old Rag name!
Best Hiking Trail on Old Rag in Shenandoah: Old Rag Circuit
There are actually several options when it comes to hiking Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, but only one winner in our eyes!
The best way to hike Old Rag, and the route that makes Old Rag so popular and sought out, is to hike the Old Rag Circuit.
The Old Rag Circuit in Shenandoah National Park is a loop trail that connects the Ridge Trail (the trail with the fun rock scramble) that goes to the Old Rag summit, to the Saddle Trail, which comes back down the other side and eventually connects to the Weakley Hollow Fire Road. We highly recommend hiking the Old Rag Circuit to experience what makes Old Rag so fun to hike. With that said, it’s a tough and challenging trail, so read through the rest of this post to decide if you’re up for it!
If you feel like the Old Rag Circuit is a little bit too difficult, there are definitely other options. The best trail to hike to Old Rag to avoid the tricky rock scrambling is to simply take the Saddle Trail out and back to the summit. You could park at the Berry Hollow parking lot on the opposite side of the mountain to do this.
Finally, it is possible to hike to Old Rag from Skyline Drive. The Skyland Area of the park has options for this, but it would be a long day with lots of elevation changes for an out and back hike, as you would have to drop off of Skyline Drive and hike back up onto Old Rag and then go back. And again, it would cause you to miss the popular Ridge Trail that this mountain is known for. We can’t speak to this option, but we just wanted to throw it out there anyway!
For this Old Rag hiking post, we will be describing the Old Rag Circuit, as this is what we did and is the most common and popular way to hike to Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park. If you’re opting to do the out and back via the Saddle Trail, this post will certainly help give you an idea of what that hike would look like, too, as we hiked down the Saddle Trail off of the summit.
Old Rag Trail Map
Here is map showing all the trails on Old Rag, with the popular Old Rag Circuit highlighted.
Hiking trails on Old Rag in Shenandoah (courtesy of the National Park Service). The trail highlighted in Green is the famous Old Rag Circuit Loop.
How long is the Old Rag hike in Shenandoah National Park?
Here are the hiking stats for the complete Old Rag Circuit in Shenandoah National Park:
Distance: 9.2 mile loop (4 miles to the summit on the Ridge Trail; 5.4 miles down the Saddle Trail and Weakley Hollow Fire Road)
Elevation Gain: 2,348 feet
Time: 6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
How hard is the Old Rag hike in Shenandoah?
The Old Rag hike is definitely challenging if taking the Ridge Trail up. Most of this hike involves a lot of rock scrambling, which requires using your hands and feet to pull yourself up rock faces and large boulders, and squeezing your way through narrow passages in between rock walls. It requires a bit of upper body strength and being okay with the idea that you might walk away with a few bumps and bruises. The Old Rag hike will certainly take a bit more energy than a normal hike would. When we talk about our experience on the Old Rag hike below, you’ll see what we mean!
Again, when hiking the Old Rag Circuit, we strongly suggest doing the loop in a clockwise direction, taking the Ridge Trail to the summit and the Saddle Trail and Weakley Hollow Fire Road back down to the parking lot. It’s much easier and fun to climb up the tricky rock scrambles than to climb down!
We thought the Old Rag Circuit hike was challenging in a really fun way, but not everyone may be able to do or up for this kind of hiking. Hiking Old Rag via the Saddle Trail out and back is more of a standard hiking trail. It has consistent elevation gain but no tricky trail obstacles, and you’ll still get to enjoy the same amazing summit views!
Is A Permit Required to Hike Old Rag in Shenandoah?
Yes! Because of the popularity, a permit is now required for the Old Rag hike between March 1st and November 30th if you plan on accessing the summit by either the Ridge or Saddle Trails.
How to get an Old Rag hiking permit
You’ll need to reserve an Old Rag permit in advance at recreation.gov. Permits are sold my person, not by hiking group, so each person you want to hike Old Rag with must have their own permit, but they only cost $1!
There are 800 Old Rag permits available for each day between March and November. Half of these will be released for reservation 30 days in advance, and the other half will be released five days in advance. Permits are released at 10 am EST on that day, so be ready and signed onto to your recreation.gov account before then for your best shot at getting one!
Remember to download or print your Old Rag permit before coming to the park! Cell service is spotty in the area so you might not be able to access it from your email if you wait until you’re at the trailhead.
If you struggled to get a permit in advance, there might be some available on the day you plan to hike to Old Rag, so you can try your luck. But they aren’t sold in person at the Old Rag entrance station…you’ll still have to go online to purchase and download the permits. Keep in mind that cell service might be limited around Old Rag, so do this before driving here.
While the new system of permitting the Old Rag hike may seem like a pain, it really is a good thing. The Old Rag hike has become very popular, meaning crowded trails. And on a trail like the Ridge Trail with lots of rock scrambles, crowds can be dangerous, and cause long bottlenecks at difficult sections that make the hike less enjoyable. The reduced crowding that comes with permitting will really make the Old Rag hike better for everyone!
Shenandoah National Park entrance fee
In addition to the Old Rag permit, you also need to have a Shenandoah National Park pass. This is $30 per vehicle and good for 7 consecutive days in the park (check out our other favorite hikes in Shenandoah to help you fill up some of that time!). Buy a pass online in advance, at one of the entry stations along Skyline Drive, or at the Old Rag entrance station at the Old Rag parking lot.
How to Get to the Old Rag Trailhead in Shenandoah
The trailhead for the popular Old Rag Circuit hike is located at the Old Rag Parking Lot, which can be found on Google Maps and is located just outside the Shenandoah National Park boundary in Robertson.
Below is a route from the Thornton Entrance Station midway along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah to the Old Rag trailhead, which is about a half hour drive.
Directions to the Old Rag trailhead in Shenandoah National Park from Google Maps
As you get closer, you’ll begin seeing signs for Old Rag that you can follow to know you’re on the right path. These signs will bring you to the main parking lot run by the National Park Service, a huge area with a self-service fee/entry station (this may not be self-service any longer now that Old Rag permits are required!). Parking for the Old Rag hike here is free, but if you haven’t already purchased one by driving Skyline Drive, you will need to use this fee station to buy the Shenandoah Park pass.
If this lot is full, there are some private lots nearby that charge for parking, so definitely make sure this free lot is unavailable before you look for other options. Parking along the road is not allowed, and you might get fined if you try to do so. Your best bet is to get there early (think 7 am-ish), especially on summer and fall weekends, to guarantee a spot.
From the parking lot, you have two option to start the Old Rag hike.
The first is to start the Ridge Trail at the far end of the parking lot.
The other option (what we did), is to walk a little bit further up the road (about .8 miles). The official road ends and turns into an old logging road (the Weakley Fire Road) that you will continue to walk along. Not too far in, you will see a trailhead sign to your left for the Ridge Access Trail. Take this short segment until it meets up with the Ridge Trail and continue up to the summit from here.
I don’t think there’s a benefit to starting the trail either way. The only reason we walked along the road first was because that’s the way we had read to do the loop when researching the trail a while back!
Things to Know Before Hiking Old Rag via the Circuit Loop
One of the many rocky obstacles on the Old Rag hike!
The Old Rag hike is physically demanding. The Ridge Trail on Old Rag is rated as “Very Strenuous” by the park service, and is not a hike to take lightly. The rock scramble to the summit, while lots of fun, is surprisingly exhausting, and you will be using both lower and upper body strength to get you through various sections of the trail. Be aware that you’ll be climbing, crawling, and sliding, and may get some scrapes and bruises along the way!
This hike can be dangerous. Because of the nature of the Old Rag hike, its popularity, and its accessibility, there are a high number of injuries and rescues from this mountain. Make sure you know your limits and come prepared – wear sturdy hiking boots that give you excellent ankle support and grip on rocks, and bring along a first aid kit. And if at the beginning of the scramble you feel a little in over your head, there’s no shame in turning around. The further up the scramble you get, the harder it will be to do so.
Watch the weather. Definitely don’t try the Ridge Trail in bad weather or if the trail is still wet. Slippery rocks will make this Old Rag hike way more difficult and potentially dangerous.
Don’t expect solitude. The Old Rag hike is one of Shenandoah National Park’s most popular hikes, after all. If you can swing it, it’s best to hike Old Rag on a week day, and try to get there on the earlier side to make sure you can get parking, and to avoid the heavier midday crowds. We hiked on a weekday and while there were a good number of people on the trail, we didn’t feel it was crowded at all. The new permitting may also help with this!
Give yourself plenty of time. If it is crowded, you might be going a little slower than you expected. On a nice summer weekend day especially, the tougher rock scrambling sections on the Old Rag hike may create bottlenecks and you may find yourself waiting in line to get through them. Also, if you are waiting behind someone trying to navigate through a harder rock feature, be patient and don’t try to rush them through. We saw a few instances of that on the trail when we were out there and it just causes stress and possible mistakes.
Pets are not allowed on any of the trails that make up the Old Rag Circuit.
Hiking Old Rag in Shenandoah - An Overview
We’ve talked a lot about the Old Rag Circuit and how challenging it is, but the best way to really show you is through our experience and pictures, so without further ado, here is our experience hiking the Old Rag Circuit in Shenandoah!
The Ridge Trail
The Old Rag Circuit hike in Shenandoah National Park, whether you start at the parking lot or further up along the service road, starts off deceptively easy. It begins as a wide, easy- to- follow dirt trail that consistently climbs and switchbacks up to the tree line.
After not too long, you’ll be rewarded with your first views over the valley.
After this point, the trail morphs into the famous rocky scramble that the Old Rag hike is known for, and you’ll soon find yourself ducking, crawling and climbing your way through the bouldery obstacles…the fun part!
It’s certainly more than just your average trail, and you’ll be using your upper body strength to pull yourself up and over boulders and rocks. The breaks from this rocky terrain are few and far between until you reach the summit.
Keep in mind here that there is no completely obvious trail when you are walking through this terrain, so make sure you are following the blue blazes painted onto the rocks to find your way, even when they look like they are leading you astray up places where you think you can’t be expected to go!
You’ll pass through fun rock caves, narrow passageways, crawl on your hands and knees up boulders, and even do some mild rock climbing up short but fairly vertical rock crevices.
Honestly, the best way to tell you what you can expect is to show you…so here are a few pictures to give you a good idea of what you’re in for! We couldn’t narrow it down to just a couple of representative pictures of the Old Rag hike in Shenandoah, because there are just so many cool features along the trail! So feel free to click through the images to open up bigger versions for a better look.
Looks pretty fun, doesn’t it?!
All this climbing is certainly a blast, but I won’t lie, it’s quite exhausting. By the time I reached the summit, my exhaustion level was a bit higher than usual for the distance hiked, for sure. You’ll be relieved when you finally reach the junction to the summit, where a trail sign here will lead you to a short walk up to the center of the Old Rag summit.
The summit is a wooded area surrounded by open rocky ledges that are a great place to relax, take in the views, eat some snacks, and revel in your accomplishment.
Not to burst your bubble here, but remember- at the summit, you aren’t even half way done with this Old Rag hike! Luckily, the way down the other side of the loop is much easier and much more straightforward than the route you just took.
The Saddle Trail
When you are finished enjoying the summit, trace your steps back to the junction with the summit sign and take a right to continue onto the Saddle Trail.
This Saddle Trail down Old Rag is mostly a dirt path, with an occasional view point, and descends pretty consistently. There are some steeper rockier parts, and quite a few rocky staircases, but this is not the majority of the trail and it is not a scramble by any means, and it will feel like a relief after tackling the Ridge Trail.
You’ll pass by two day use shelters along the way. At the second, the Old Rag Shelter, you’ll take a right onto the trail that has now morphed into a service road. Ahead, you’ll take another right at the fork to put you back onto the Weakley Fire Road. From here, it’s a straight flat walk out all the way back to the Old Rag trailhead.
Best Time to Hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park
The best time to hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park is during the summer, late spring, and early fall months when trail conditions are good and free of snow. The fall can be particularly pretty when all the leaves are changing, but this is also a very busy time as well.
Avoid hiking Old Rag during wet and rainy conditions, as the Ridge Trail gets far too slippery and dangerous.
Be sure to check trail conditions before heading out. We like to use Alltrails to get reviews from other hikers on the current status of the trail and its conditions.
What to Pack for the Old Rag Hike
Here are some things we would pack particularly for the Old Rag hike:
Hiking boots – If you are hiking the Ridge Trail, a good pair of boots with ankle support and good grippy soles are really important to have, since the majority of this part of the hike involves climbing up and across granite rock. You definitely don’t want to pull out your old pair of faded and worn running shoes for this one.
A small pack – Having a big pack can make it much more difficult to maneuver and squeeze through some of the tougher rock features, and just adds more weight to yourself as you climb up and over boulders.
Water and snacks – Bring plenty with you, as the hike can be taxing, and it can get hot in the summer.
Layers – A light windbreaker would be useful at the summit.
Map – The trails are well- signed and well- blazed but it’s always good to have a map to know where you’re going and how far you have left.
Flashlight – Just in case the hike takes longer than you anticipated and you have to hike out in the dark.
Trekking poles - To be honest, trekking poles would not be useful for most of the hike up on the Ridge Trail, but bring them along for the hike down if they are something you use often on trails.
Where to Stay Near Old Rag in Shenandoah
There are surprisingly not too many campground options near Old Rag itself. The closest ones outside the park are about a half hour east (Shenandoah Hills Campground and Cedar Mountain Campground).
It’s closer to stay within the park and camp along Skyline Drive. Plus, this will give you more options for places to explore on the days before or after your Old Rag hike.
Shenandoah has four campgrounds (and one group campsite) - Matthews Arm (Mile 22.1 of Skyline Drive), Big Meadows (mile 51.2), Lewis Mountain (Mile 57.5) and Loft Mountain (Mile 79.5) that will run you $15-20. Only some have shower and laundry facilities, and some have trailheads located directly in the campground, so you can choose which campground to stay at based on your plans and the level of comfort you’re looking for. Check out the National Park website for more details on each of these campgrounds to help you decide.
The trick with camping in Shenandoah is guaranteeing you can get a campsite. Matthews Arm, Big Meadows, and Loft Mountain take reservations in peak season (May to November), so make these as far in advance as possible – you can make them up to six months in advance actually.
If you can’t get reservations, Matthews Arm and Loft Mountain campgrounds do have first-come first-served sites. In weekends during the peak season (especially the fall), you might have to get to these pretty early (before 8am) to claim one. Lewis Mountain has all first-come-first-serve sites, and we were able to get one here easily mid-week in the summer.
We stayed at both Lewis Mountain and Loft Mountain campgrounds. They were pretty standard campsites and we had no issues at either.
There are a few lodging options within the park as well as surrounding the park.
Things to do Near Old Rag Mountain
If you’re looking for more to do in the area before or after your hike to Old Rag, Shenandoah is a treasure trove of hikes and vistas. Check out all our favorite hikes in Shenandoah to help you plan a mountain getaway!
Have questions or want to know more about hiking Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park? Send us a message or comment below! We would love to help!
