Old Rag - Shenandoah National Park

Old Rag is so popular, the park has special rules for recreational use. There’s a fee to park and use the trails on certain weekends and holidays during summer and fall. What’s the attraction? Old Rag is a quick drive from Northern Virginia and offers day-trippers a craggy knob with eye-popping views. Beating the crowds on Old Rag means hiking in the off-season. Mountain laurel decorates the Saddle Trail with white and pink blossoms during spring. In fall, views from Old Rag across Weakley Hollow are filled with autumn colors. Whatever the season, carry a warm overshirt or jacket; wind and no tree cover can make Old Rag’s summit feel positively alpine. Terrain: Dirt roads and dirt trails meander through the mixed hardwood forest on lower slopes and along the trout stream at the foot of the mountain; the path is mostly exposed rock face along the cliffs and through the narrow passages between house-sized boulders around the peak.