Old Rag Loop

Old Rag Loop is a Shenandoah National Park circuit built around the ascent of Old Rag Mountain from the Nethers Road area near Etlan, VA. It’s designed for hikers who specifically want the classic “Old Rag” rock scramble experience, with a loop layout that brings you back down via trails on the ridge/saddle side of the mountain.

The route is commonly mapped as about a 7.9 km (roughly 5-mile) loop with a strenuous climbing profile for most participants, and it typically takes several hours to complete at a steady hiking pace.

Up high, the route shifts from continuous trail walking into frequent scrambling terrain on the exposed rock portions near the Old Rag summit area, which is the main technical focus of the outing. This section is also where tight passages and careful foot placement become the limiting factor.

For the return, the loop typically uses the descent off the ridge through the saddle/Old Rag shelter corridor and connects back toward the fire road network that returns hikers to the Old Rag trailhead area near Nethers.

Old Rag Mountain is the best-known hiking destination within Shenandoah National Park, and the loop concentrates that popularity into a short-but-intense day outing. Expect heavy use on many weekends and holidays because the summit access and scramble make the route a bucket-list objective.

Facilities and access are managed by the park: day-use tickets have been required for hikers during the peak season window (March 1 through November 30), in addition to the standard Shenandoah National Park entrance fee.

More information: Wikipedia, Old Rag – via Berry Hollow, Hiking to Old Rag Summit - the shorter way!