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Join us for a FIRST DAY Hike at Old Rag Mountain to start off 2026! Families welcome!WHAT:
Hike at Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park. This hike is amazing, but CHALLENGING, with a steep incline, 2,380-ft of elevation gain, rock scrambling, and even climbing through some rock cracks! The hike is approximately 9.5 miles and will take us about 5 hrs to complete.
WHEN:
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 (caravan leaving Tardigrade at 6:30 am to arrive at Old Rag and start hiking by 10:00 am).
WHERE:
Old Rag Mountain, Madison County, near Etlan, Virginia
The parking area is at 38.57135, -78.29359
(From Easton, it will take approximately 3.5 hours to get there.)
DETAILS:
There is an entrance permit fee for Old Rag/Shenandoah National Park. They have self-pay at the parking area (exact change or credit card). The entrance fee is $30.00 per vehicle unless you have an annual pass or an America the Beautiful National Park Pass. You can purchase entrance passes ahead of time here: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/fees.htm
Check out the breakdown of the hike at these websites:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/old-rag-mountain-loop-trail?fbclid=IwAR0q2URNhPe2oHEiCJPwV7N3ccHam7AeOhxLSh8FRIdLKc6RXpxahKnp5lE
You will want to make sure to bring water, snacks, lunch, layers, etc. And...a headlamp or flashlight in case it takes us longer than expected and we get caught in the dark.
There is limited to NO CELL SERVICE at Old Rag Mountain! Plan accordingly. Print maps, download anything you may need from your phone, etc.
Let's start 2026 with an awesome adventure!
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, Charlottesville, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
