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Wonderful trail with the best views of Shenandoah at the end! The peak makes up for the rocky climb up and is an absolute stunner of a trail! I enjoyed my hike which was intense yet very enjoyable. My dogs were wiped out but had a great time with the sun and hike!!
Hawksbill mountain is the highest point in Shenandoah National Park, and the views are stunning! We did the shorter Hawksbill trail which is about ~2-2.5 miles. There is a longer version of this hike that has a much busier parking lot. We were able to get a spot at the Hawksbill trailhead right away on Memorial Day weekend 2023, which I was surprised by. The park ranks this trail in their easiest category; as someone who hikes often but is not particularly athletic, I would rank this trail as Easy but with a warning that there is a steep incline. I saw people of all ages tackle this trail, and it is certainly doable, but the ascent can be fairly strenuous, and I would take caution with young children or older family members on a swampy Virginia summer day. That said, it is a quick hike to a beautiful and popular outlook, which makes this a really appealing trail for shorter days or days when you want to hit multiple shorter trails. The summit is busy. We went on a particularly packed weekend, but this isn't a hike to tackle if you want to take time to solemnly connect with nature and write poetry about the beauty of the outdoors and man's hubris in trying to conquer it or something. Lots of groups and kids at the top. There is a really cool compass at the official summit that helps you identify the mountains in front of you, and there's a great view of Old Rag. There's an optional Salamander Loop trail that branches off about halfway up (or down) the mountain. We did about .3 miles in and took in a great (albeit less impressive) view from a small rocky outcropping. This is where you could write aforementioned sad poems in solitude. We turned back around and rejoined the main trail after this because I wasn't wearing great shoes, but I think it could make for a fun addition. Overall, this is a great short hike, giving you plenty of exercise and a high pay-off at the summit. I'll knock a point off for the lack of warning about the sharp ascent and the high volume of hikers. 4/5 stars.
The views at the Hawksbill Summit are gorgeous. The summit area can get quite crowded although the trails were moderately populated.
There are several ways you can approach Hawksbill summit. You can take a direct trail from a southern point on the Skyline Drive, or you can park at the northern-most approach and have 2 routes - direct or around the mountain. We took the longer route and I'm glad we did. Viewed from above, the route we took is CCW. It is much more gradual in the ascent. We started after lunch and worked our way around the mountain. There were some parts that were complete rock falls which you had to navigate. There were many other parts that were more leisurely walks in the forest. Towards the end, I was wondering how much further it actually was... You finally intersect the 'direct' fire road trail and from there it is only ~ 0.25 miles to the summit. This area seemed crowded with people who had arrived via various routes. We enjoyed the summit and relaxed momentarily. We then descended on the more direct route back to our parking lot. This was taxing even though it was descending. It would be VERY challenging to ascend via that route! We made it back down and our total time was about 2 hours and 20 minutes. At home, I walk well over 10k steps per day, so we were not novices. This was a more challenging hike than we normally do, though it was not really extreme. I'm glad we did it. The trailhead, btw, is mostly dirt pull-offs on either side of Skyline Drive. The prime spots are on the west side (where the trails begin) but there is more parking on the opposite side.
This trail reaches the highest summit of the entire Shenandoah National Park. It is also one of the shortest trails, therefore quite popular. My sister and I hiked 10/17/2020 on a clear, beautiful, and sunny autumn day - the fall foliage and weather were perfect. HIKE: - Perceived overall difficulty: mild-moderate (you will get your heart pumping!) - Total mileage: 2.2 miles in and out - Total elevation: approx 500 feet - Shaded throughout with well-demarcated trail blazes - Well trodden path throughout - Gorgeous views at the summit - Dogs allowed on leashes. - Enter in from Thornton Gap Entrance of Shenandoah National Park (mile 45.6) FEES: - All visitors are expected to have a pass (day, InterAgency, Shenandoah). - No fee for parking. PARKING: - Limited parking lot at the base of trail with high turnover. - No fee for parking. ADVICE: - Quick hike, but bring water and sun protection! PERSONAL STATS: - Completed hike in 48 minutes with ~10-15 min of rest/pictures at the summit. Have fun and enjoy the hike! 3 stars for it being a pretty standard, short hike, with nothing super exciting. However, a great hike for a family friendly activity or if you are short on time and want to squeeze in some quick cardio.
Great outlook but wow this is a really bald trail. The sections we passed had little to no tree cover or shade. Be prepared for that. Hawksbill Gap Parking is at the trailhead between mileposts 45 and 46. Make sure you don't confuse it with Upper Hawksbill on the way back. Just stick with the blue trail. We took the Appalachian connector to the Salamander to the Lower loop. The rocky parts are fun and tempt scramblers but don't be reckless. When you trek the outside of the mountain you get views of the toward the valley. It was nice but the view was typically clipped by canopy below you. When I hiked that day the sun was scorching. You are literally on the side of the mountain (so don't roll down) and there is no tree to cover above you. It was my least favorite part of the trail. The salamander and the loop were nice if not a bit dry. This is the tallest peak so the view at the end is certainly a reward. But overall I thought it was it was too barren compared to others. On the way back we noted that the Upper Hawksbill trail was inward facing the roadway and therefore had plenty of tree cover and shade and lush. But wow it's a steep trek upward.
Either taking much easier Upper Hawksbill Trail or more challenging Lower Hawksbill Trail to the highest spot of the whole park w/ spectacular views!
The attraction here is the view of course...you get a nice vantage point overlooking Luray and a nice look at the Old Rag peak as well. The Upper Hawksbill Trail actually has a big parking lot so you don't need to park off the road. The elevation change is 'strenuous' as indicated by one of the Park Rangers we met. Don't wear your flip flops! There are some great photo ops at the top and a nice covered shelter and picnic table if you want to bring some food or need to get out of the rain. I would highly recommend this trail as it's an 'easy' 2.9 mile roundtripper!
This review is for Upper Hawksbill trail - the start of the trail is at mile marker 46.7 on Skyline Drive and it has its' own parking lot! The attraction here is that this is the highest elevation in the entire park - so get ready for views for days! The 'hike' itself is pretty simple. It's a moderately steep incline for most of the way there, but just walking. No big rocks or boulders to scurry across, and nothing to pull yourself over. We went up with our backpacks and water, but truthfully didn't touch them - might have been easier to leave them in the car. It's a 2.1 mile round-trip trek, and NPS approximates duration at about 1.5 hours round-trip; however I would say it took us about 30 minutes to get up, and another 25 to get back. The elevation change is only 520 feet here - so remember you're starting off a a higher elevation (which means it's colder!!). If you're short on time - this is a great hike that has awesome views, but doesn't take very long! It's really neat - you get to see Old Rag from here, overlooking Luray, and more. Great photo opportunity!! We saw lots of dogs on this path - this was super cute, a great spot for a hike with your 4 legged friends! **I will say we were slightly perturbed about the smell once we were got to the summit. There's nothing like breathing in fresh mountain air as you gaze for miles in every direction. However, there was a tour group (maybe?) using the shelter at the summit to make some sort of soup/dish which had a particularly pungent odor. Unfortunately, because of this we made our way down more quickly than usual to escape the smell. Obviously, this didn't detract from the views in the slightest.
Great views and fall colors. It's a short hike worthy to watch some foliage. It's hard to have a good view of the sunset since it kind of hides behind the mountain once it goes down.
This straight uphill trail had me walking zombified most of the way. Take your time. Stop to breathe as needed. The walk down was just as strenuous. Much use of the muscles. Once you hit the summit you are just blown away by the view. It's gorgeous! I actually wished a brought a light hoodie. The wind was hard and chilly. My sweat was cold on my body. Thanks downgraded tropical storm/cyclone Hermine! ;-) Great views though. A must see!
VERY EASY TRAIL, GORGEOUS VIEW FROM THE TOP! With the aim to cover all the hikes Shenandoah has to offer, we tries Hawksbill summit trial along with the dark hollow falls trail. Since we reached the park around 3, we thought this might be easily doable since this is relatively short hike. PARKING: We started from the lower hawksbill gap parking(45.6MM). There are other parking spots for the same summit as well(47.6MM). HIKING: There are two loops that you can choose from; first is 2.9 miles loop going from south Appalachian trail to salamander trail to summit and back by lower hawksbill trail. Other option is 1.7 miles loop using lower hawksbill trail both ways. This easy hike is a rare treat because its Shenandoah's highest point as well. The hiking itself was very easy but I would definitely recommend at least sneakers. Along the way we could only see surrounding forest but when we reached on the top, the view was spectacular. It gets really windy and chilly on the top even if it is bearable on the ground, so I recommend taking a wind jacket with you.Do look at the byrds nest outlook as well which is on salamander trail. It had nice views to offer. There a nice shaded picnic bench where we enjoyed our lunch sandwiches. There are no portable toilets at the end of the trail so plan accordingly. There the SKYLAND visitor center pretty close by with plenty of restrooms and food options and souvenirs. Overall, its a nice easy hike with great views. I would highly recommend it to people who don't want extraneous hike and are still looking for stunning views.
A great hike that I would rate as intermediately challenging. No rock scrambling or anything like that, but it is quite steep for a while, one must be prepared. It's a popular spot at the top (stunning vistas of the park). I definitely recommend getting there early. We arrived in the afternoon and it was super crowded. Parking only on the side of Skyline Drive and then a 5-10 minute walk just to the trailhead. From the southern entrance to the park, it was about a 20 minute drive along Skyline Drive just to get here, so it does take some prep time before you even start hiking. As mentioned, it's a steep incline for most of the first half. What I loved the most was how many people coming down from the top would encourage you going up, saying "you're over halfway there," or "it's worth it; keep going!" and was nice to return the favor on our way down. Fast hikers can get to the top in 30 minutes, but most will need more. The views at the top are definitely worth the hike. Beautiful view of the Shenandoah Valley. There is a small shelter if it's raining, and a lovely little stone balcony overlook. There are enough outcroppings that you could have a small picnic. Word to the wise, make sure you have a plan for relieving yourself before the hike. There are no facilities. If you like beautiful views, hiking, or being out in nature, come check out the Hawksbill Trail. read more
We visited Hawksbill Trail via the trailhead off Skyline Drive. There is 860ft of elevation and 600ft happen in the first .5 mile. A bit of a doozy. If you go this way, make it to the top, and turn right, it's only another .1 mile to the summit. Beautiful views and very peaceful. Good place to stop for a lunch break. We got a little turned around though and ended up walking to another part of the trail when we were trying to do the loop. Overall, we like the part of the trail that we hiked. read more
11 months ago
Wonderful trail with the best views of Shenandoah at the end! The peak makes up for the rocky climb up and is an absolute stunner of a trail! I enjoyed my hike which was intense yet very enjoyable. My dogs were wiped out but had a great time with the sun and hike!! read more
Hawksbill mountain is the highest point in Shenandoah National Park, and the views are stunning! We did the shorter Hawksbill trail which is about ~2-2.5 miles. There is a longer version of this hike that has a much busier parking lot. We were able to get a spot at the Hawksbill trailhead right away on Memorial Day weekend 2023, which I was surprised by. The park ranks this trail in their easiest category; as someone who hikes often but is not particularly athletic, I would rank this trail as Easy but with a warning that there is a steep incline. I saw people of all ages tackle this trail, and it is certainly doable, but the ascent can be fairly strenuous, and I would take caution with young children or older family members on a swampy Virginia summer day. That said, it is a quick hike to a beautiful and popular outlook, which makes this a really appealing trail for shorter days or days when you want to hit multiple shorter trails. The summit is busy. We went on a particularly packed weekend, but this isn't a hike to tackle if you want to take time to solemnly connect with nature and write poetry about the beauty of the outdoors and man's hubris in trying to conquer it or something. Lots of groups and kids at the top. There is a really cool compass at the official summit that helps you identify the mountains in front of you, and there's a great view of Old Rag. There's an optional Salamander Loop trail that branches off about halfway up (or down) the mountain. We did about .3 miles in and took in a great (albeit less impressive) view from a small rocky outcropping. This is where you could write aforementioned sad poems in solitude. We turned back around and rejoined the main trail after this because I wasn't wearing great shoes, but I think it could make for a fun addition. Overall, this is a great short hike, giving you plenty of exercise and a high pay-off at the summit. I'll knock a point off for the lack of warning about the sharp ascent and the high volume of hikers. 4/5 stars. read more
1 year ago
There are several ways you can approach Hawksbill summit. You can take a direct trail from a southern point on the Skyline Drive, or you can park at the northern-most approach and have 2 routes - direct or around the mountain. We took the longer route and I'm glad we did. Viewed from above, the route we took is CCW. It is much more gradual in the ascent. We started after lunch and worked our way around the mountain. There were some parts that were complete rock falls which you had to navigate. There were many other parts that were more leisurely walks in the forest. Towards the end, I was wondering how much further it actually was... You finally intersect the 'direct' fire road trail and from there it is only ~ 0.25 miles to the summit. This area seemed crowded with people who had arrived via various routes. We enjoyed the summit and relaxed momentarily. We then descended on the more direct route back to our parking lot. This was taxing even though it was descending. It would be VERY challenging to ascend via that route! We made it back down and our total time was about 2 hours and 20 minutes. At home, I walk well over 10k steps per day, so we were not novices. This was a more challenging hike than we normally do, though it was not really extreme. I'm glad we did it. The trailhead, btw, is mostly dirt pull-offs on either side of Skyline Drive. The prime spots are on the west side (where the trails begin) but there is more parking on the opposite side. read more
This trail reaches the highest summit of the entire Shenandoah National Park. It is also one of the shortest trails, therefore quite popular. My sister and I hiked 10/17/2020 on a clear, beautiful, and sunny autumn day - the fall foliage and weather were perfect. HIKE: - Perceived overall difficulty: mild-moderate (you will get your heart pumping!) - Total mileage: 2.2 miles in and out - Total elevation: approx 500 feet - Shaded throughout with well-demarcated trail blazes - Well trodden path throughout - Gorgeous views at the summit - Dogs allowed on leashes. - Enter in from Thornton Gap Entrance of Shenandoah National Park (mile 45.6) FEES: - All visitors are expected to have a pass (day, InterAgency, Shenandoah). - No fee for parking. PARKING: - Limited parking lot at the base of trail with high turnover. - No fee for parking. ADVICE: - Quick hike, but bring water and sun protection! PERSONAL STATS: - Completed hike in 48 minutes with ~10-15 min of rest/pictures at the summit. Have fun and enjoy the hike! 3 stars for it being a pretty standard, short hike, with nothing super exciting. However, a great hike for a family friendly activity or if you are short on time and want to squeeze in some quick cardio. read more
8 years ago
Great outlook but wow this is a really bald trail. The sections we passed had little to no tree cover or shade. Be prepared for that. Hawksbill Gap Parking is at the trailhead between mileposts 45 and 46. Make sure you don't confuse it with Upper Hawksbill on the way back. Just stick with the blue trail. We took the Appalachian connector to the Salamander to the Lower loop. The rocky parts are fun and tempt scramblers but don't be reckless. When you trek the outside of the mountain you get views of the toward the valley. It was nice but the view was typically clipped by canopy below you. When I hiked that day the sun was scorching. You are literally on the side of the mountain (so don't roll down) and there is no tree to cover above you. It was my least favorite part of the trail. The salamander and the loop were nice if not a bit dry. This is the tallest peak so the view at the end is certainly a reward. But overall I thought it was it was too barren compared to others. On the way back we noted that the Upper Hawksbill trail was inward facing the roadway and therefore had plenty of tree cover and shade and lush. But wow it's a steep trek upward. read more
4 years ago
Either taking much easier Upper Hawksbill Trail or more challenging Lower Hawksbill Trail to the highest spot of the whole park w/ spectacular views! read more
The attraction here is the view of course...you get a nice vantage point overlooking Luray and a nice look at the Old Rag peak as well. The Upper Hawksbill Trail actually has a big parking lot so you don't need to park off the road. The elevation change is 'strenuous' as indicated by one of the Park Rangers we met. Don't wear your flip flops! There are some great photo ops at the top and a nice covered shelter and picnic table if you want to bring some food or need to get out of the rain. I would highly recommend this trail as it's an 'easy' 2.9 mile roundtripper! read more
This review is for Upper Hawksbill trail - the start of the trail is at mile marker 46.7 on Skyline Drive and it has its' own parking lot! The attraction here is that this is the highest elevation in the entire park - so get ready for views for days! The 'hike' itself is pretty simple. It's a moderately steep incline for most of the way there, but just walking. No big rocks or boulders to scurry across, and nothing to pull yourself over. We went up with our backpacks and water, but truthfully didn't touch them - might have been easier to leave them in the car. It's a 2.1 mile round-trip trek, and NPS approximates duration at about 1.5 hours round-trip; however I would say it took us about 30 minutes to get up, and another 25 to get back. The elevation change is only 520 feet here - so remember you're starting off a a higher elevation (which means it's colder!!). If you're short on time - this is a great hike that has awesome views, but doesn't take very long! It's really neat - you get to see Old Rag from here, overlooking Luray, and more. Great photo opportunity!! We saw lots of dogs on this path - this was super cute, a great spot for a hike with your 4 legged friends! **I will say we were slightly perturbed about the smell once we were got to the summit. There's nothing like breathing in fresh mountain air as you gaze for miles in every direction. However, there was a tour group (maybe?) using the shelter at the summit to make some sort of soup/dish which had a particularly pungent odor. Unfortunately, because of this we made our way down more quickly than usual to escape the smell. Obviously, this didn't detract from the views in the slightest. read more
6 years ago
Great views and fall colors. It's a short hike worthy to watch some foliage. It's hard to have a good view of the sunset since it kind of hides behind the mountain once it goes down. read more
10 years ago
This straight uphill trail had me walking zombified most of the way. Take your time. Stop to breathe as needed. The walk down was just as strenuous. Much use of the muscles. Once you hit the summit you are just blown away by the view. It's gorgeous! I actually wished a brought a light hoodie. The wind was hard and chilly. My sweat was cold on my body. Thanks downgraded tropical storm/cyclone Hermine! ;-) Great views though. A must see! read more
10 years ago
VERY EASY TRAIL, GORGEOUS VIEW FROM THE TOP! With the aim to cover all the hikes Shenandoah has to offer, we tries Hawksbill summit trial along with the dark hollow falls trail. Since we reached the park around 3, we thought this might be easily doable since this is relatively short hike. PARKING: We started from the lower hawksbill gap parking(45.6MM). There are other parking spots for the same summit as well(47.6MM). HIKING: There are two loops that you can choose from; first is 2.9 miles loop going from south Appalachian trail to salamander trail to summit and back by lower hawksbill trail. Other option is 1.7 miles loop using lower hawksbill trail both ways. This easy hike is a rare treat because its Shenandoah's highest point as well. The hiking itself was very easy but I would definitely recommend at least sneakers. Along the way we could only see surrounding forest but when we reached on the top, the view was spectacular. It gets really windy and chilly on the top even if it is bearable on the ground, so I recommend taking a wind jacket with you.Do look at the byrds nest outlook as well which is on salamander trail. It had nice views to offer. There a nice shaded picnic bench where we enjoyed our lunch sandwiches. There are no portable toilets at the end of the trail so plan accordingly. There the SKYLAND visitor center pretty close by with plenty of restrooms and food options and souvenirs. Overall, its a nice easy hike with great views. I would highly recommend it to people who don't want extraneous hike and are still looking for stunning views. read more
9 years ago
The parking lot for the start of the trailhead is at the 45.6 mile marker on Skyline Drive. There are limited parking spots so you may have to wait a little bit on a busy day or try to park on the side of the road. The hike to the summit involves a modest 690 feet elevation change and takes 20-25 minutes. It is an easy hike but it is also just enough of a workout to make me sweat. Nevertheless, there is shade from the trees throughout the hike to the top to mitigate any heat. The quick trek to the summit is totally worth it. You know you have arrived when you spot a cabin. The top of Hawksbill Mountain features some of the most breathtaking views of the park with some rocks and cliffs overhanging and overlooking the valley underneath. Since it was partly cloudy when I got to the summit, the clouds split the sun rays up so it looked like a door from heaven opened up and God touched the valley with his hands. There is also an Upper Hawksbill Trail, which starts a little south of the Lower Hawksbill Trail. It is slightly longer at 2.2 miles round trip but ends at the same summit. If you are planning a trip to Shenandoah National Park and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me for my itinerary. You can also find the electronic copy through the link my profile. read more
5 years ago
More info about Hawksbill Trail
3655 Hwy 211 E
Luray, VA 22835
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(540) 999-3500
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