Day 2: Old Rag, Miller’s Head, and Stony Man
Old Rag Mountain
I started the next morning, Friday, April 22, 2022, by hiking the Old Rag Circuit, one of Shenandoah National Park’s most well-known and popular hikes. The circuit is 9.4 miles, and an Old Rag Day-Use Ticket is required to hike it.
I arrived at the Old Rag Parking Lot (3577 Nethers Rd) around 6:30am. There were just a handful of cars in the lot, and I had a mostly solitary hike up to False Summit. The views from this spot were incredible! It was the perfect place to pause, catch my breath, have a snack, and hydrate before tackling the rock scramble ahead.
I hiked with my Canon EOS R6 and 15–35mm lens attached to a Cotton Carrier Harness, which made it easy to take photos throughout the hike while still keeping my hands free. At False Summit, I packed my camera away in my Gregory Nano H20 18L, a smaller pack I purchased specifically for Old Rag. My usual hiking pack is the Gregory Jade 28, but I was afraid it would be too bulky for the scramble. The 18L ended up being perfect for carrying my water, camera case, snacks, and a basic first aid kit.
The rock scramble was no joke. I’m very happy I did the hike, but honestly, I don’t plan on doing it again. I was especially grateful for Tom and Don, two gentlemen hiking behind me who let me tag along while navigating the rock scramble. Tom had hiked Old Rag numerous times (even in the rain!), while Don had done it twice. Props to both of them! While the trail is well-marked with blue blazes, it’s still easy to get turned around among the rocks. Tom and Don, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for your help!
At the summit, I took a break to snap some photos, catch my breath, and drink more water before descending via the Saddle Trail. Thankfully, there were no more rock scrambles, which was a huge relief after the climb up. Along the descent, you’ll pass Byrd’s Nest Shelter and Old Rag Shelter before reaching the Weakley Hollow Fire Road. At this junction, be prepared to show your Old Rag Day-Use Ticket again before continuing back to the parking lot.
According to AllTrails, my total time on Old Rag was 7 hours and 6 minutes, with 5 hours and 28 minutes of moving time.
After finishing, I left the Old Rag Parking Lot around 2:00pm and drove toward the Skyland Amphitheater (Skyline Drive, mile marker 42.5) to hike Miller’s Head Trail, making a few stops at scenic overlooks along Skyline Drive on the way.
Miller’s Head Trail
Miller’s Head Trail is an easy 1.6-mile out-and-back hike with 450 feet of elevation gain, leading to a spectacular observation point at the site of a former fire tower. The hike took me just over 1 hour to complete, partly because I lingered at the viewpoint to take plenty of photos.
Stony Many Trail
My last hike of the day was Stony Man for sunset, which wasn’t until 7:48pm that evening. With some time to spare, I stopped at the Skyland Gift Shop to pick up a magnet and wander around the Skyland Lodge and Restaurant area. After spending some time there, I continued to the Stony Man Trail parking lot, near the turnoff for Skyland Resort (Skyline Drive, mile marker 41.7). I arrived around 5:30pm, giving me plenty of time to reach the summit and get settled in for sunset.
When hiking in Shenandoah National Park, you’ll notice painted blazes on trees and rocks. These aren’t just for decoration and are used to mark the type of trail you’re on:
Blue – Hiking trail
White – Appalachian Trail
Yellow – Hiking trail also open to horses
The Stony Man Trail, a 1.6-mile out-and-back with about 340 feet of elevation gain, begins on the Appalachian Trail (look for blue and white blazes). After about 0.5 miles, continue straight at the junction to follow the blue-blazed Stony Man Trail another 0.3 miles to the final viewpoint.
At 4,011 feet, it’s the second-highest peak in Shenandoah National Park, just behind Hawksbill, a little farther down Skyline Drive. From the summit, you’re rewarded with sweeping panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, making this one of the park’s best sunset spots, and it truly lived up to the hype. The sky was perfectly clear, the colors stretched across the horizon, and it felt like the perfect way to close out the day.
