Recently went on this day hikng trip and the scenery did not dissapoint. There are several places which offer a spectacular view. Overall be ready to devote a day to the trail, but it loops around so you are not returning down the same path. Early in the morning dew made some of the stonier trails a bit treacherous. Just make sure your foot wear is strurd and that you've packed accordingly for snacks as its a good day hike! read more

I've done this hike a few times, and it is definitely one of my favorites. The rock scramble is really fun and the views are beautiful. I would recommend both ascending and descending from the summit via the scramble versus taking the fire road to get back to your car. More fun and keep the scramble going! I am 32, 5'3" and I can do the entire trail alone without boosts. HOWEVER, that being said, I lift weights, trail run several days a week, and do a bit of bouldering. If you're a short woman you will need a lot of upper body strength to pull yourself over boulders and shimmy up/down between rock walls. I think the very first time I did the trail I wasn't lifting weights as much and needed a boost a couple times. I would also recommend trail running shoes over clunky hiking boots since you need to be able to get your feet into some narrow crevices at times. The last time I went I took climbing chalk for my hands --- it was incredibly helpful since it was 90F out and it kept my hands dry so I could grip the rocks better. You can get it at REI for like $2. I only take a Camelbak that holds 2L of water and then I keep an extra bottle in the car for when I get back. Wearing a full backpack is tricky when you're navigating extremely narrow passages. The Camelbaks have pockets for your protein bar and climbing chalk. No need to bring much more for this short of a hike. I can do the entire 9 mile circuit (going clockwise and descending via the fire road), car door to car door in 3.75 hours. I don't stop to rest or snack, so I think if you plan on having a nice picnic at the top perhaps allow a bit more time! I'm not sure if this is dumb luck, but I have never encountered the crowds even though I have only gone during the busy summer months. Also, one trip I was zipping through the scramble and folks were super sweet and considerate in stepping aside so I could pass, which meant I never had to slow down and wait for groups to navigate the challenging areas. Everyone is so warm and friendly and will say "hi" as you go by! :D read more

Now This is an amazing experience!! I can't describe the climb. We went in September about 3 years ago. Had to crawl up rocks, over rocks, under rocks, jump from rock to rock and slide down rocks. Took all day, seriously. All day hike. 7, 8 hours easy. Start early in the morning. Wear layers. Fire road in the end coming back to the car lasted forever but we didn't complain too much about that. Strenuous but fun. Something to remember for sure. read more

I recommend you go clockwise on the circuit so you do the scramble as you go up to the summit. The scramble is fun and probably more challenging as a mental puzzle than a physical challenge. But there were some places I had to hoist my body up with my upper body (kinda like pushing yourself out of a pool). Compared with some of the other peaks in Shenandoah National Park (Stoney Man, Hawksbill, and Compton), Old Rag has the best view, mostly because it's almost a 360 degree view in some spots. Lessons learned: 1) wear shoes with good traction because you will need it to get footholds on granite (I wore sneakers and barely managed but there were times I had to get on my knees or shins instead of on my sheet to keep myself from slipping off the rocks). If it's wet, it'll be dicey in a 2-3 spots with just sneakers. 2) leave your trekking poles at home, you don't need them and they get in the way when you do the scramble. 3) early November is a nice time to hike it. Clear skies, temps in the 40-50s, not too crowded, beautiful colors in the valley (though most of the trees up on the mountain are mostly bare by now). It might be chilly/windy at the scramble and above. 4) I finished it in about 5 hours, including a 30 minute lunch break, and a few 5 minute pauses for pictures. I didn't stop much when coming down. I usually start pretty fast. 5) if you go clockwise (which is the "normal" way), the part after the summit is very easy. just a downhill stroll through the forest back to the trail head and parking lot. 6) if you don't want to do the scramble, go counter-clockwise via the fire road up to the summit and then turn around and come back the same way you came. 7) the best views, IMO, are not at the summit, but are along the scramble, so if it's worth it (and fun!) 8) Gloves are handy in the fall. the rocks in the scramble are cold and can be rough sometimes. I was glad I brought a pair. read more

This is a great hike! Im from the area and know all of the trails at Shenandoah and this is one of the best! Im an 18 year old female and it took me 5 hours to complete this trek, so not the shortest hike and not the easiest hike, but always a great time. I read somewhere that you burn almost 2000 calories on this hike. Pretty cool! read more

This hike kicked our butts, in an awesome will be doing it again kind of way. We're in our mid-twenties and good shape, however, there were children (8 and up) and a few people in their late 40's. The rock scramble reminded me of an adult jungle gym. Requires your ENTIRE body to pull yourself up. The only reason this hike didn't get 5 stars is the last 2.5 miles through the fire road which are pretty borring. Other than that, amazing! read more

I love going for hikes and spending time outside. This trail is so much fun, I have done it multiple times both in the daytime and at moonlight. The view from the top is breath taking. When you go with friends you will have so much fun. I plan on hiking in this spot for many years to come. read more

I have hiked Old Rag for many years now at least once or twice a year, often more. It is my favorite east coast trail by far. I hiked the trail with a party of friends for the 4th time this year on Friday after Thanksgiving. The weather was near perfect and our party found ourselves sharing the trail with the largest crowd I have ever experienced. The Park Service lot completely filled around 0930. This allows the person who owns the adjacent pasture to open a gate and park cars for $10.00 each - The Park Service also charges $10.00 so the only real negative is for those of us who have an annual or lifetime pass, which of course, the little neighbor lady who collects $10.00 does not accept - but despite this slight disadvantage she is providing a great service since there is no other option for parking within miles of the trail. I lead with this because some of the reviewers on this site have indicated that she is ripping folks off (or words to that effect) - when that is absolutely not the case since she doesn't raise the ante from the park normal fee. . In any case thank her for the service she provides, (even if her attitude is not entirely pleasant on the day in question as was the case when I was there Friday!) So word to the wise, if you are an annual / lifetime pass holder and you want to save $10.00 get to the parking area early during the prime weather / days of the week The other negative which is repeatedly mentioned in these reviews is the large crowds on good weather days, (especially holidays and weekends) and the lines that sometimes form at a few of the slots. Of my 20 plus times on the trail I have experienced this only a few times and yes it is something of a negative but I can report that the crowds have always been uniformly polite and friendly and I have seen friendships initiated in the waiting periods as well as at the most popular rest stops and on the summit. Of the many hundreds of hikers I have walked with I have seen very little litter and virtually no rude or inconsiderate behaviour (a few smokers and one person walking with a music player blaring is all that comes to mind). Conversely I have only had a few completely solitary walks, always on bad weather days. So the bottom line on the crowds is the same as the parking - if you want to avoid the lines at scramble slots then get in early and you will be ok - and if you are training for an ultra or otherwise running the trail definitely get an early start on good weather days - if not then just relax and enjoy the company and people watching. Most of the reviews do a great job in describing the trail and provide good advice on shoes, water, snacks, lunch, etc. The only things I can add is to recommend that if you are prone to sweat a lot on warm days then bring a couple of hand towel size sweat rags to wipe your face. . When I forget this I am miserable with the unpleasant side effects of profuse sweating... One last point - be aware that if there is an emergency on the trail and the ranger is not on station at the parking area (they leave in the early afternoon most days and are absent entirely on low traffic days) there is an emergency phone box on the side of the shack at the gate. Open the box and you find a red phone which automatically rings the ranger station at the park. If, for example, you need the chains opened to drive up the fire road for any reason the key may have to come down from Big Meadows, which even via the fire road will take some time. It is a great family outing - just be patient and help one another, start early take plenty of food and water and take plenty of photos to enjoy later. I have seen a few 4 year olds walk the entire trail with only a few assists at some scramble points and many, many fit men and women in their 70s enjoy the trail As you will read in every reviewers post here, Old Rag is a unique trail, a challenging, non-trivial walk in the woods with great views at scenic overlooks and many seasonal delights (wildflowers, mountain laurel blooming, bear, deer, hawks, ravens and bobcats are sighted, spectacular rock formations, unusual lichen growth, etc), Additionally the drive out 211, through Sperryville and down through Nethers Rd is wonderfully scenic. Tlhere are just no real negatives if you are in good health and ambulatory - then satisfaction is pretty much guaranteed. read more

This is by far my favorite hiking trail. I went when I was 19 and then came back 17 years later with my wife. She freaked out at first because she doesn't like heights, but she had a great time a great feeling of accomplishment after finishing the hike. The rock scramble is by far the best part. read more

Beautiful and scenic mountain for an afternoon hike or picnic! Beware of the rock scramble!

Great hike and definitely the most strenuous I've found in the vicinity of the DC area. Few things: Level of difficulty: The other reviews here exaggerate a little - it wasn't killer by any means if you've done any real hiking... I would say though, don't bring your kids or someone who has health issues. I honestly don't know how a little kid would get through all the scrambles safely (saw a 4 yr old or so during the ascent, struggling to keep up), and later saw a gaggle of 10-13 yr olds run around unsupervised and very close to some rock edges, which was terrifying. I would urge parents with a large group of minors to not do this hike if they can't ensure supervision at all times. Footwear: I wore my running shoes and they were fine for everything except the scrambles. You need good grip. As it were, a ton of other people were around to give me a boost but if they hadn't been, lack of grip would have been an issue. Other people: are everywhere. Try to be on the trail as the sun is rising - we arrived at 8:30, got one of the last parking spots, and the ascent was a shitshow. Literally a line of people going up, which made the experience a lot less like a getaway and more like a tourist trap. And finally: Bring cash to buy apples on the way out. These are really really good apples and dirt cheap compared to the rackets at DC area farmers market. And the Apple vendor is really a great guy - he makes very sturdy and beautiful walking stick as well! Enjoy!! read more

Last week was the 2nd time "running" the trail (a slow jog vs. a run). Must say, it did feel harder than the 1st time. Like many have mentioned, on weekends, be early - near sunrise or shortly thereafter. While on my last 1/4 mile to the parking lot, I passed a LOT of people just starting. Advice to "running" this trail - hydrate the night before, and morning of. Take a waterbelt, although, may not really be needed - as long as you are hydrated and it isn't too warm. (I had a waterbelt, though didn't drink any until reaching the parking lot.) Start early -plan on a continuous two hours at ~ 14 min pace. Watch out for the leaves and pine needles on the trail. They can hide rocks and can make you loose footing. Trail is good for 12+ year olds in good shape - no whiners, and joggers - maybe 16+. Use "Old Rag Trailhead" in Google maps to get to the parking lot. :-) Lastly, smartphones in "airplane" mode can be used to track/record your experience on the trail. Apps like "mapmyrun" and Garmin watches do a great job pacing you. read more

Spectacular hike... Lots of rock scrambling, which adds variety. Exhausting, but worth the work!

We decided to drag our kids out for some strenuous exercise during spring break, and headed to Old Rag. It helped that the weather was perfect, sunny and in the 60s. Our party included two fit adults, a 15 year old, and 13 year old. We left from our house in MD (just outside DC) at 7 am on a Sunday, arrived at about 8:45, and were moving by 9. There was plenty of space in the parking lot, which had porta-potties and a small ranger station where we paid $25 for the four of us (credit cards accepted). The kids were fine in sneakers, while the adults wore hiking boots. We all really enjoyed the rock scrambling section. I am somewhat wimpy but didn't find it scary, aside from not wanting to go near the edges of some of the more exposed areas. There were a couple of places where a small leap was required but I didn't personally find it too scary. The rock scrambling itself required some contortions and there were a few places that required some thought to figure out a good line. But, it was interesting and the views were amazing. The trail was pretty obvious but some of the blazes were faded. We were all a little whiny by the time we got back to the bottom, because as others have said it's a long down hill, boring toward the bottom, and our feet were starting to rub, etc. There was a rudimentary outhouse-type bathroom on the way down. I think my quads will be sore tomorrow and curious what other areas will be sore! The kids seem no worse for the wear. The whole hike took us just under 5 hours, including a leisurely lunch at the summit. I went through two 20-25 oz water bottles (one with water and one sports drink), my son went through 2.5 bottles, and the other two of us had Camelbaks. There were plenty of people out on the trail but it wasn't nearly as crowded as I expected based on reviews, so we must have hit it on a good day or started out early enough. We didn't really encounter any lines during the rock scrambling sections, maybe a couple of short waits. read more

Went solo. Stayed at Loft Mountain in the park the night before. Was on the trail by 6:50 am on the next morning (Friday). Only a couple of cars in the lot. Was a very warm morning (for October), but it was clear. The hike up was good - not the steepest, but it got the blood flowing. I was nervous about the rock scramble and wanted to get it started. Wasn't sure how I was even going to do the first real challenge (the 8 ft. drop into the crevasse) but then I noticed a place to put my foot part-way down. Most of the scramble was like that; I took a minute to figure out the best way and went forward. I took my time since I didn't want an injury. The place where I had the most trouble was early on when you have to go onto a rock waist high, and there is no where to place your foot. I noticed an alternative a few feet away and took that. Had to take off my day pack to squeeze through a few places.. I am 43 with a few extra pounds, but I do have hiking experience and workout several times a week. Just take your time and you can get through it. The coolest view was on the last false summit where you have a 360 view and you can see how far you've come! I only saw three people on the scramble. 3 total hours to make it to the summit. Be careful on the way down too- there is a sense of relief when you made it to the summit, but you still have 5 miles to do (on the counter clockwise loop). It's very rocky on the way down and I tripped once or twice.. Was back at my car by 1 pm. 9.9 miles total from the parking lot... Used fingerless gloves and that helped a lot on the scramble. Make sure you bring enough water - I usually have water left over after a hike, but I brought 2 liters and a 24 oz. Gatorade and I needed it all. read more

Alright guys ... here's the deal. If you aren't an avid hiker or you are not in "superior" shape and or health ... probably not a good idea to do the entire 9+ mile circuit hike. I hike the billy goat trail regularly and I do fine with that... but this one is definitely hard core. If you aren't nimble and stellar physically in shape... probably a terrible idea. If you have medical conditions ... i would avoid it too. However, if you wanna do sections I think you would be fine. But make sure you go early if you wanna do the entire circuit because it takes time. Also ... remember gloves, some layers to help with the temperature drop, plenty of hydration, food, and hiking sticks. I found ice on some of the ice in higher elevations even though it was like 60 degrees that day. The entire circuit is not for the weak or ill prepped folks. This is not somewhere where you take your dog or young kids. It is extreme. If you want to do something manageable and or with kids or your dog, maybe doing the fire truck lane area is fine but anything beyond that will probably be a nightmare. Just FYI. Beautiful park though and amazing views. I kind of wish they marked the trails a little better. There were sections where I didn't find any trail markers and got slightly side tracked. read more

Tips from someone who has done this many, many times -- in every season. You can thank me later. 1) If at ALL possible stay somewhere nearby(ish) the night before so you can get an early start. Our best climbs have been when we were on the trail no later than 7 am (although at 6:30 am we did surprise a mother bear and cubs...soooo....) 2) Try to go on a weekday (non holiday). We just got back from our latest climb on Saturday and there were some crazy lines to get through the tougher parts of the rock scramble 3) Don't do the hike if it has been raining -- much of the rock scramble requires a good grip from your hiking boots and you simply won't make it if it's slippery 4) Ladies (and girls), a pair of leggings or capris are your best friends, allowing you to scoot through and down some of the slipperier spots 5) Bring enough water, but try to have a low profile backpack or fanny pack, because there are some tight squeezes and a thicker pack will get in your way 6) If you're in shape, you can DO this, no matter what your age. Our first climb, my daughter was 7. Last weekend's climb I had just celebrated my 59th bday (she is 30 now). Just be confident and watch, in the tricky parts, where the other hikers are placing their feet 7) Taking the tricky route up and back is clearly more fun than doing the fire road back, but on busy days you will make enemies of all the ascending climbers if you try to make your way back down through the tricky parts while they are waiting their turn to go up. FINALLY...while I was out of breath and pushing myself to keep going last weekend, a man with a prosthetic leg passed me, laughing (deservedly but kindly) about the whiners with the two legs he had just passed a few turns back. If HE can do it, you can. Bring lots of water. Don't stray off the marked path (some rattlers like to lurk in the rocks). And please, if it's a lovely quiet morning when you start, be gracious to the other hikers and keep your voices low -- the silence of the mountains is amazing. read more