RAG TOP DAY

Last week’s work assignment took me to the Maryland side of Washington D.C. In another moment of questionable decision making, I decided to drive instead of fly. My motive was to stop at Shenandoah National Park for a hike along the way. I hadn’t been to Shenandoah in at least 10 years, and that trip had focused on Skyline Drive, which is essentially the northern continuation of the Blue Ridge Parkway. That trip with my Dad did feature some great hikes, particularly the Cedar Run / White Oak Run loop. The day we did that hike, the Shenandoah River had flooded its banks, after several days of heavy rains. White Oak Run was also a raging torrent, and the normally impressive waterfalls in the canyon were overwhelming.

Initially I thought about repeating that hike, but after a dry spring, I didn’t think it would be the same. Plus, the connecting trail between the two valleys used to pass through an amazing stand of old-growth hemlock. Unfortunately, those hemlocks recently succumbed to the blight. I decided to hike somewhere else.

When I planned that trip all those years ago, one hike that intrigued me was Old Rag Mountain. It sounded like a fun hike, but the entrance is actually outside of the park to the east, a long ride from Skyline Drive. It was too inconvenient on that trip, but this time it sounded perfect. I could drive up highway 29 from Greensboro through Charlottesville. From there, it would only be slightly out of the way. Afterwards, it would be a relatively easy drive on to Maryland.

I got a fairly early start from Charlotte, and headed up through Greensboro to Danville, Virginia, where I managed to fill up for $2.89 a gallon. More pleasant driving led to Lynchburg, where Jerry Falwell’s funeral was underway. At that point, I realized why the drive had been so pleasant – all of the bad drivers were at the funeral. Alas, it wouldn’t stay that way forever.

I arrived at the new trailhead parking area just before noon, 5 ½ hours after leaving Charlotte. The parking area at the original trailhead is small, and typically fills up early in the morning. Any visitors arriving after that are required to stop at the overflow parking area .8 mile down the road. There is something of a ranger station here, and the access fee is $8. I made use of my National Parks Pass on this visit to save a few dollars.

There were at least 50 cars and a large bus in the parking area when I arrived. I knew this hike was a popular one, and the sunny, 75 degree weather had people out in droves. I hadn’t come here expecting solitude, but I still had to brace myself before joining the parade.

A quick walk up the road brought me to the trailhead, and a junction. A dirt fire road continues ahead, but that was my return route. Instead, I picked up the Ridge Trail, which begins climbing up into the woods. After a short distance, I stopped at a fallen log for a quick lunch.

After eating, I began a long, but well-graded climb through the woods. The late spring vegetation was quite lush, but most of the wildflowers were gone. However, I did see some, including a few pink lady slippers. Surprisingly, I saw almost nobody along this stretch of trail for over an hour. Apparently my late start meant that most of the other hikers were well ahead of me.

Just when I thought I’d never escape the forest, I reached the first rock outcrops. Initially the views were somewhat limited, but before long, I found myself on a sloping, open rock face with outstanding views across the valley to the high peaks of the Blue Ridge. I was still a long way from the summit, but the spot was too nice to pass up. I stopped for a break in the sun, but the wind was almost overpowering. I had to keep a close eye on everything, to make sure it didn’t blow away.

After my break, I rejoined the trail and continued to climb. I reached the top of a lesser summit. Further progress from there required some down-climbing that was a little tricky. Fortunately there were convenient hand and footholds. Soon I found myself in a narrow joint between two rocks. The spot was oddly reminiscent of some of the slot canyons I’ve explored in Utah.

More scrambling followed, before I began to climb again. I turned a corner, and found myself at the base of a narrow stone staircase leading up between rock walls. A short distance away, a large boulder is wedged between those walls, several feet above the stairs. Continuing beyond this point requires crawling under the chokestone. Certainly that boulder isn’t going anywhere, but I was still just a little nervous as I scrambled underneath. Can anyone pass through there these days without thinking of Aaron Ralston?

A few minutes later, I reached the trickiest spot on the trail. In a couple of places it’s necessary to climb over and around a series of boulders. I’d begun seeing other hikers every since I left the woods behind, and here I ran into a literal traffic jam. The route is tricky enough to slow down even experienced scramblers. After a 10-minute wait, it was finally my turn. The first spot was easy to climb around, but at the second, my pack got stuck between two boulders. Eventually I had to take off my pack and hand it to the girl waiting in line behind me. She was kind enough to pass it back to me once I was through.

The scrambling was easier beyond that point. More climbing led to an open expanse of granite dotted with house-sized boulders. The views were even better here, but the summit still beckoned. A few more minutes of climbing, on rocks and in the woods, led to a signed junction with a side path to the top. I headed that way, and arrived amid a fantasyland of boulders. From below, it was impossible to tell which one was the actual summit. Most of the other hikers in the area seemed unconcerned, as folks were lounging about all over the place. I explored for a while, and eventually worked my way to the top of one of the boulders. It was a great perch, but I still couldn’t tell if it was the actual high point. Several boulders there are roughly the same height. I decided that one was probably just as good as another, and settled into my perch. The view was fantastic, from the rolling farmlands to the east to the Blue Ridge crest to the west. The wind was so strong though, it was hard to enjoy. After a few minutes, I packed up for the hike down.

Beyond the summit, the trail re-entered the woods and began a steep descent. This part of the hike wasn’t terribly exciting, but it was much better than returning over all those boulders. A few minutes later I passed a shelter, which is now for day use only. After another mile I passed another day-use shelter, which was hosting a crowd of people. Just beyond I reached a fire road. Two right turns put me on the route back to the trailhead.

The rest of the hike was a plod, but there was a bit of excitement. I wasn’t far from the trailhead when I encountered a large black rat snake crossing the trail. The fire road is fairly wide, and this snake stretched almost halfway across! It must’ve been 5 or 6 feet long, and it was as thick as my forearm. Black rat snakes aren’t poisonous, but I still gave this one a wide berth.

A few more minutes of hiking brought me to the trailhead. After that, a quick walk down the road returned me to my car by 5:30. I enjoyed my hike on Old Rag, and it’s definitely one I’d consider doing again, if I’m ever in the area. Next time though, I’m bringing a much smaller pack!

Back to Virginia

Back to Hiking and Backpacking Trip Reports

Home

Please remember to Leave No Trace!