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    Hawksbill Trail

    4.5 (18 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Hawksbill Trail Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Hawksbill Trail

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    Elyse E.

    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.

    Summit
    Ry L.

    The views at the Hawksbill Summit are gorgeous. The summit area can get quite crowded although the trails were moderately populated.

    A leaf along the trail
    Jim W.

    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.

    Upper Hawksbill Summit
    Hurnan V.

    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.

    Paisley T.

    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.

    Sean L.

    Either taking much easier Upper Hawksbill Trail or more challenging Lower Hawksbill Trail to the highest spot of the whole park w/ spectacular views!

    Hawksbill Trail                                                9/4/16
    Jon L.

    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!

    Upper Hawksbill Trail entrance by the parking lot
    Robin G.

    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.

    At the top.
    Yohana A.

    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.

    Amazing!!!!
    Jodie C.

    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!

    Byrd's overlook view!
    Riddhika J.

    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.

    Cottage marking your arrival at the summit

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    Very nice paved trail great for walking, just be careful of bikes coming from behind. We make a lot of new friends we meet.

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    Ask the Community - Hawksbill Trail

    Review Highlights - Hawksbill Trail

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    Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park

    Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park

    4.0(22 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Beautiful and I mean breathtakingly beautiful landscape! Mountains in the distance! Perfect sized…read morebody of water for light fishing, canoe, little beach area with lifeguard on duty for a family day with sand and sun, trail surround the park with benches to sit and awe at how beautiful nature can be. Prices are extremely affordable (coming from DC and being used to paying up to $40 for two people to paddle board for 30 mins, which is normal for me). For $3 or so you can take out a kayak per person per hour. If you're fishing make sure to bring all you need and purchase your license AND additional $5 permit to fish there. They sell small snacks and ice cream. Bathroom situation is dicey considering it's a porta-potty but hey honestly all in all I would come again and I would spend days on end here either by myself or with family.

    What an incredibly beautiful gem! Revenue the ride out here is great! Beautiful lake surrounded by…read moremountains & trees. Nice pretty easy trail that loops around the lake (some parts are thin & steep, but made it through with the dog) . Absolutely loved this place on our vacation. Quite peaceful. I counted 6 shelters too so I imagine in spring /summer it gets used a lot. They have porta potties and a 2-stall bathroom for women & a bathroom for men too. Hand washing station outside. We came during the week of October 13th & the foliage was beautiful.

    Photos
    Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park - Part of the walking trail

    Part of the walking trail

    Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park
    Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park

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    Shenandoah National Park - Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah National Park

    4.8(268 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Absolutely gorgeous park with a lot to see and do! We loved Skyline Drive and even saw an elusive…read moresalamander!

    GORGEOUS! Gorgeous! Absolutely stunningly GORGEOUS! Run don't walk to Shenandoah during the fall…read moretime because the foliage is *chefs kiss* ‍. I went mid October on a Wednesday morning. The drive in from DC was not bad at all. When we arrived we were told we didn't need to pay since the government was shutdown. On your way up the mountain you'll notice that there are a ton of trails. We went straight to the Visitor Center and was happy there was someone inside to guide us to the trail we wanted to hike. The views outside of the visitor center are perfect for a photo opp. Right across the street was the Fox Hollow trail where you can do a little over a mile or a 4 mile hike. I was definitely shocked how much uphill there was on the 4 mile hike. The only thing keeping me going was the beautiful views. About midway we stumbled upon a great outlook where we were able to chill a little bit before heading down hill. Riding through the rest of the park was really nice. It wasn't too busy and the national park is huge so you can explore all day long. There's places where you can camp and picnic all throughout the park. And then afterwards you can check out a local winery or brewery in the area. Have funnn!!!

    Photos
    Shenandoah National Park - Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah National Park - Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah National Park - Shenandoah National Park

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    Shenandoah National Park

    Front Royal Outdoors - Packed sammichs and drinks for our 4hour long float.

    Front Royal Outdoors

    3.9(79 reviews)
    17.1 mi

    What a good HAWT time!…read more We came on a Saturday, mid August, and had a good, relaxing time. Besides the heat trying to take me out, I had absolutely no complaints. Front Royal Outdoors had their logistics in order from start (parking) to the brief bus ride, all the way to finish (exit). Our party all opted to do the deluxe tube (approximately $41 for the entire experience) that offered more support (a place to hold your beverage of choice) and the possibility to maximize on one's lazy river experience. As an FYI, every "order" of course came with a life jacket. The river itself was calm and effortless, for the most part. I think our experience was a little over 3.5 hours. My only recommendation would be to hydrate and find a time/date where the heat is not doing what it does best.... drains ya.

    We showed up too late to tube the river on a mid-summer Saturday to find the hustle and bustle of a…read morebunch of college age and high school teens making plans for the evening while running a well organized and efficient operation of properly securing the days equipment and getting counts and such to firm up the paper work for the day. Just by this alone, this place has there shi1 together and that's what's important on missions like river rafting basically unsupervised. How slow or fast the river is they cannot control but everything else looks as if it is taken care of. Good job to all!

    Photos
    Front Royal Outdoors - The killer stairs we had to walk up at the end. Goodness.

    The killer stairs we had to walk up at the end. Goodness.

    Front Royal Outdoors - Morning Coffee!

    Morning Coffee!

    Front Royal Outdoors - Cooler float!

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    Cooler float!

    Carillon Pond Park - Carillon Pond Park

    Carillon Pond Park

    3.0(4 reviews)
    5.7 mi

    I award 3 stars here. The singing tower itself demands your attention and for good reason. Though…read morethe bells don't ring anymore, they did in 1937. Heaviest bell weighs 7,640 lbs!! Wow. It's beautiful backed by the mountains and our American flag riding the wind. They seem to hold events there also. They did add sheltered picnic tables around a small pond. Pond is a bit smelly. I saw some grocery bags and sandwich bags in the water. Torn fabrics on the ground in front of the stone wall. Not too bad, just needs a volunteer clean up day and maybe don't allow fishing in it.

    Government Pond…read more ±7-acre park located in Luray, VA, that doesn't have much in the way of features but has one very unique one. We were a bit early to check-into our AirBnB, so we were looking to kill time, and this place came upon our path. Pros: *Small pond with some shade. *Bethany Veney Remembrance Garden, which honors a former slave. *The famous 47-bell Luray Singing Tower (aka Belle Brown Northcott Memorial), which, to be honest, was what caught our eye and made us decide to kill time here. For performance dates and times go here: https://luraycaverns.com/explore/singing-tower/ The Meh: *No picnic tables *No BBQ pits *No Restrooms The Ugly: *Virginia summer weather... 0_o TLDR: Decent park but only plan to visit to catch a performance from the tower, as it's probably spectacular.

    Photos
    Carillon Pond Park - Beautiful duck.

    Beautiful duck.

    Carillon Pond Park - Carillon Pond Park

    Carillon Pond Park

    Carillon Pond Park - Impressive!

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    Impressive!

    Hawksbill Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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