Apr 28, 2017 — Old Rag is probably the Shenandoah National Park favorite, mostly due to its sections of scrambles and really nice views along the summit slabs. The upper trailhead is closed, causing the hike to increase 1.6 miles round trip on pavement to get to the main trailhead from the larger, now official Old Rag Trailhead. From this trailhead, I followed the road to the true trailhead, where a very well maintained trail heads up to Old Rag Mountain, a few sections of scrambling that are marked well with trail blazes serving as fun obstacles along the way. The views from Old Rag's summit are really nice, and the rock formations and massive boulders had pools of accumulated water on both of my visits to this peak. Overall, it's a pretty unique hike. To complete the loop, I continued north and passed the Old Rag Shelter before landing on a fire road that led east back to the trailhead.
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