Please only sign up if your 100% sure you will go!!!
Due to the nature of this trail we are limiting the group size to 15. Old Rag is NOT a beginners hike. You need a little hiking under your belt before tackling this.
This is my favorite weekend trip location - because you can do it all in one weekend - see awesome waterfalls and climb over challenging rock scrambles!!!
We will leave Virginia Beach from the normal carpool location at 6:00 AM on Sat, Nov. 28th, drive up to White Oak Canyon, hike it, then car camp at Cedar Mountain Campground in Culpepper Sat night. Get up early Sunday, Nov 29th and hike Old Rag, then drive home. We will probably be fairly late getting home on Sun night.
Please be prepared to spend about $15. This includes the campsite fee and the fee to hike that is paid to the park ranger.
Description below - Stolen from Chris
White Oak Canyon 5 miles (4 hours plus 30 min for lunch)
Link to: White Oak Canyon - hiking upward web site
The Trail/Hike: One of the best waterfall hikes in the Shenandoah Park. This hike isn't difficult and can easily be completed in under four hours.
Although this hike can be steep in sections it is still a beginner hike as the trail is well maintained and doesn't require any creek crossing without footbridges.
Start on a gentle grade downhill on the White Oak Canyon Trail and cross the Limberlost Trail in 0.3 miles. Continue downhill and re-crossing the Limberlost Trail and coming to the first footbridge footbridge in another 0.3 miles.
White Oak Run is now off to your left. As you get closer to the main falls, 1.0 miles after crossing the footbridge, White Oak Road will come in from your right.
Turn left over the footbridge and continue downhill for another 200 yards to arrive at the best waterfall overlook in the park and a great place for a picnic lunch.
To return just retrace your route.
Old Rag 8 miles (5.5 hours plus 30 min for lunch)
Link to: Old Rag - hiking upward website
The Old Rag Mountain hike in the Shenandoah National Park is one of the most popular hikes in the mid-Atlantic region. With many spectacular panoramic views, and one of the most challenging rock scrambles in the park, this circuit hike is favorite of many hikers.
The climb up Old Rag leads from mountain slopes thick with oak and tulip poplar to a rugged, exposed landscape of rock and straggly table-mountain pine. The forest floor, littered with dead leaves along Hughes Run near the trailhead, sports a thick mat of pine needles at higher elevations. Where you had once seen witch hazel growing in the forest subcanopy, now mountain laurel sinks its tenacious roots into thin, rocky soil. For the hiker, this is a noticeable change with a subtle, less noticeable effect on the mountain. Near the summit, those pine needles collect in puddles of water on open rock. Nitrates released from the needles mix with billion-year-old granite rock, and the erosion process begins. Bowl-shaped depressions form in rock boulders. And just like that, another piece of Old Rag wears away.
The Hike (as stolen from Upward.com-because I was too lazy to come up with my own description when it describes the exact path we’re taking): From the upper Old Rag parking area turn left uphill on the blue blazed Ridge Trail next to the closed gate. (If you parked in the 200 car overflow lot on SR600/Nethers Rd. walk 0.5 miles up SR600 where it veers left and in another 0.4 miles ends at the Old Rag parking area). The trail will gradually increase in grade and make nine switch backs before reaching the first of many view points in 1.9 miles. From the first vista point to the west, the Ridge Trail will become more rocky before reaching the main easterly vista on the ridge in another 0.2 miles.
NOTE: From this point to the summit in 0.9 miles, the trail becomes a rock scramble with narrow passages, and several spots requiring hand over hand climbing.
From the easterly vista on the ridge start up the rock scramble, with the first obstacle a 12ft deep small crack in the rock. Climb to the bottom and follow it out to the left. Continue following the blue blazes passing around to the easterly side of the ridge and through another crack where the trail meets a small cliff. From here, the trail will become increasingly steep going through a small cave, before reaching the minor summit where the trail turns left. Be careful to follow the blue blazes, as there are several false trails that lead to overlooks.
After passing around the minor northerly summit, the trail becomes less steep, but still requires rock-hopping for most of the remaining 0.3 miles to the true summit, where there are several points with 360° views.
Continue south along the Ridge Trail now descending for 0.3 miles to the junction of the Saddle Trail and Byrd's Nest Shelter. Turn right descending on the blue blazed Saddle Trail, then in 0.6 miles pass the Old Rag Shelter. Both shelters are available for day use only. From the Old Rag Shelter the trail widens and follows a forestry road for the 0.4 miles to the intersection of the Berry Hollow Fire road (left), Old Rag Fire Road (straight), and Weakley Hollow Fire Road (right).
Turn right downhill on the yellow blazed Weakley Hollow Fire Road. In 1.2 miles pass the Robertson Mountain Trail, and in another 200 yards the Corbin Hollow Trail. Continue along the Weakley Hollow Fire Road the remaining 0.8 miles back to the upper parking area.
Park Rule: NO dogs on Old Rag.
nia.gov/state_parks/
