Trails

The proposed Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area offers a network of 150 miles of trails for hunting, hiking, and horseback riding.   Mountain bikers may ride on all trails except those in Wilderness areas.
 
Shenandoah Mountain offers trails that appeal to all levels of hikers from those who want challenging, long trails to those who prefer a short stroll in the forest.  Two trails are of particular significance are: 
  • Wild Oak National RecreationTrail – a challenging 25-mile loop that ascends Little Bald Knob, Big Bald Knob, and Hankey Mountain.
  • Shenandoah Mountain Trail – a ridgeline trail that extends from Rt. 33 to Rt. 250. This trail is part of the new Great Eastern Trail that extends from New York to Florida.
The Shenandoah Mountain area is large enough that a backpacker can walk several days without crossing a road. Opportunities for this type of remote backcountry recreation are rare in the eastern United States.   
 
Mountain Biking The Washington Post has called the Shenandoah Mountain area some of the best mountain biking in the Eastern United States. All trails within the proposed National Scenic Area would be open to mountain biking except for those in Wilderness areas. The proposed Wilderness area boundaries were drawn carefully to keep popular trails accessible to mountain bikers. 

The Friends proposal calls for a boundary adjustment to Ramseys Draft Wilderness that would open the Shenandoah Mountain Trail to shared use. 

The Friends proposal supports development of several new trails outside Wilderness areas that would enhance the mountain bike experience by providing more loops and easy trails.

Horseback Riding Nearly all trails are open to horseback riders, including those in Wilderness areas.
  
A Special Note for Trail Maintainers
In the proposed Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area, trail maintainers may use power tools, such as chain saws and weedeaters.
 
In federally designated Wilderness areas, power tools cannot be used for routine trail maintenance.  For removing blowdowns, trail workers must use the traditional cross cut saws, axes and wedges. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club offers an annual Traditional Tools Workshop, where trail volunteers learn to use and maintain these tools.  The USDA Forest Service, in cooperation with the US Department of Transportation Recreational Trails Program, offers a Trail Training DVD Series, detailing the safe use and care of hand tools for trail work.  Maintaining hiking trails with hand tools is wonderfully satisfying work - and the cross cut saw always starts on the first pull.
 
Many of the trails in the Shenandoah Mountain area are currently maintained by hiking and mountain bike clubs.  These clubs support the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain proposal. 
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The Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC has measured all the trails on Shenandoah Mountain
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Mountain bikers crossing Ramseys Draft on Bridge Hollow Trail
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Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC maintaining Ramseys Draft Trail with hand saws.
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Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition digging sidehill on Narrowback

Trails in proposed Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area and Wilderness areas

Between Rt. 33 and State Road 924

  • Maple Springs Trail  – 4.5 miles
  • High Knob Trail portion  - .3
  • Shenandoah Mountain Trail  – 6.5
  • Slate Springs Trail  – 2.4
  • Pond Knob Trail  – 1.3
  • Meadow Knob Trail – 4.6
  • Blueberry Trail – 1.7
  • Mud Pond Gap Trail - 1
  • Cliff Trail – 2.2
  • Hone Quarry Mountain  – 7
  • Big Hollow Trail – 2
  • Heartbreak Trail  – 1.3
  • Mines Run Trail – 2
Between State Road 924 and Forest Road 95
  • Lynn Trail  – 1.2
  • Wolf Ridge Trail – 4.5
  • Timber Ridge Trail  – 7.6
  • Sand Springs Trail  – 3
  • Buck Mountain Trail  – 7.5
  • Narrowback Trail – 1
  • Cookie Trail – 1.8
  • Tillman Trail – 1.1
  • Grooms Ridge - 4
  • Wild Oak National Recreation Trail – 25.9 (Sections A and C)
  • North River Trail – 4
  • Wild Oak Spur - .2
  • Shortcut Trail - .1
  • Little Skidmore - 1.5
  • Todd Lake Loop - 1
  • Trimble Mountain – 4
Between Forest Road 95 and Rt. 250
  • Hiner Springs  - .8
  • Ramseys Draft Trail – 6.8
  • Hardscrabble - .4
  • Tearjacket - 1.2
  • Shenandoah Mountain Trail @Ramseys Draft – 11 miles (from Rt. 250- FR 95)
  • Sinclair Hollow  – 1.6
  • Jerrys Run Trail  - 2
  • Bald Ridge from Road Hollow to Dividing Ridge  – 4
  • Bald Ridge from Road Hollow to Braley Pond - 2.9
  • White Oak Draft  – 2.5
  • Bear Draft – 1.3
  • Dowells Draft – 3.5
  • Braley Pond Trail - .6
  • Road Hollow – 2.5
  • Bridge Hollow – 1.5
  • Johnson Draft – 2
  • Wild Oak National Recreation Trail (Section B) - 5.2
Trails in an existing or proposed Wilderness area are shown in blue.