Musings of a Migrant Science Teacher

This is a delayed trip report from my spring adventure to Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park, WV.

I hiked with George (@privong), Katie (@k8tlevy) and Dan (@kakistocrat) after camping at the Big Meadows Campground on Saturday evening. The drive to the campground was beautiful. Skyline Drive is a twisty, windy, scenic road of goodness. Nearly every turn has a breathtaking view as you slowly increase your altitude through the park. Coming from the DC area where the temperatures were cresting 80, throwing a jacket into my pack was an after thought. For the rest of the group who forgot warm clothes it turned out to be a very sorely missed thought. That night temperatures plummeted into the 30's, making waking up and leaving the warm tent/sleeping bag incredibly hard.

We began our hike around 8am. Our main concern was that the parking lot would fill up before we arrived. Fortunately there was plenty of space. Our park entry pass from camping the night before counted as entry to the mountain. The cool temperatures proved to be ideal for what turned out to be a strenuous hike. The first section is composed of wooded switchbacks, sun-dappled clearings and one below-altitude camp site. The real fun begins once you begin to clear the tree line. At this point I stopped thinking about the weight of the pack, or the burn in my legs, and the hike became an adventure. Rocky overlooks gave us our first views of the valley. The path turned into a scramble as blue blazes became our only guide. At one point I remember thinking "You want me to go where??" I never would have found the path were it not for the markers.

From natural rock staircases, to butt stems, to wildflowers (which we appreciated) to butterflies and windswept boulders, this is by far my favorite hike. Navigating the outcroppings and standing on the edge of such an amazing landscape made me feel like an explorer. The 10 mile trip took us 6 hours to complete, gaining 2,600 feet in elevation. We opted for the long (boring) fire road descent. While easier, next time I'll lose the pack and go back down the way I came.

Name: Old Rag
Location: Shenandoah National Park, Va
Length: 10 miles
Time: 6 hours
Elevation Gain: 2,600 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5 of course!)