Hiking in Shenandoah – 3 Alternatives to Old Rag

I first learned about Old Rag in the 1980’s, living in Washington D.C., when I met a Fairfax man who was training for Kilimanjaro.  His regimen was to hike Old Rag twice a day, three days a week.  Hearing him talk made me determined to hike Old Rag.  It was a hike for the big boys – and only a short drive from Northern Virginia.

In the 1980’s Old Rag was popular, but today it has gone viral.  Now if you want to hike Old Rag, you have to pre-register, get a pass, and sometimes even wait in line at the summit for a chance get down on your belly and work your way up the iconic rock scramble.

But while Old Rag is great, there are other fish in the Shenandoah sea.  If you’re looking for a challenging hike, with a thrilling rock scramble, to a beautiful Appalachian summit, but one that’s less crowded than the beltway, we have some alternatives for you to consider.

First you need to learn about the Massanutten Range.  Massanutten splits the Valley of Virgina in half.  It stretches from Front Royal in the North to Harrisonburg in the south, with the Blue Ridge range (home of Shenandoah National Park) running parallel on its east side and the Alleghenies of West Virginia running parallel on its west side.  The two forks of the Shenandoah River meander through the valleys created by the Massanutten range, one fork on each side of the range.  The forks come together in Front Royal to form the great Shenandoah River.

But the really cool thing about Massanutten, especially if you like rock scrambles, is that it has rocks upon rocks upon rocks.  It’s also much more remote than the more well-known Shenandoah hikes, while being almost as close to the population centers of Northern Virginia.

Here are some great, Old-Rag-like hikes in Massanutten that need to be on your list. 

Signal Knob

• Close to Front Royal, 11 miles from Vibrissa Beer
• 3 mile loop, 6 hours to hike
• 2,221 feet of elevation gain.
• Historic interest

Plan a good part of your day for this climb, which gains a challenging 2,221 feet of elevation, over 10.3 miles, and is extremely rocky and steep.  After the first 1.5 miles, the trail takes you through some serious boulder fields, so be prepared.  Great vistas along the way, to both the east and west.  This is a wonderful introduction to the topography of Massanutten – rocky, steep, not heavily travelled, dramatic views.  It’s also the beginning of the Massanutten Trail, a 72 mile loop that takes you much of the length of the Massanutten range – if you’ve got a few extra days to spare.

It’s also historic.  Most of the Civil War was fought in Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley was at the heart of Virginia’s battlefield.  From Signal Knob, the Confederate Signal Corps could relay messages over great distances (some say as far as Richmond), and Confederate Officers could observe troop movements and develop battle plans.  You’ll still see remnants of the war as you approach the summit.

 Strickler Knob

• Close to Luray , 37 miles from Vibrissa Beer
• 6 mile loop, 5 hours to hike
• 2,140 feet of elevation gain.
• Incredible vistas

If Signal Knob is the northern anchor of Massanutten, Strickler Knob and Duncan Knob (See below) are the southern anchors.  But the WOW of Strickler Knob is the view – a 360 degree panorama of the Luray Valley and New Market gap.  It’s one of the best views in the mid-Atlantic Appalachians. 

And we think it’s even rockier than Signal Knob, especially at the summit, where you can scramble over the outcroppings to seek out the best views and the most dramatic selfies.

It’s also customizable.  You can do an 8.6 mile loop that gains 2,140 feet or if you are short on time and energy, you can transform it into a 5.8 mile loop with 1,050 feet of gain.  Either way, it’s a day hike that should be on your list.

 Duncan Knob

• Close to Luray, 34 miles from Vibrissa Beer
• 5 mile loop, 4.5 hours to hike
• 1,510 feet of elevation gain
• Very rugged rock scramble

If you want a genuinely challenging rock scramble, this is your hike.  At the top, you’ll pick your way through a massive boulder field that can become as mental as it is physical.  You have to plot each move, like a puzzle.  The rocks create their own hazards – watch for snakes and twisted ankles.

After you’ve navigated the rocks, you get the reward of wide open, expansive views of the southern Shenandoah Valley and the New Market Gap, views that rival the view from Strickler Knob.

Like Strickler Knob, this hike is also customizable.  You can shorten it to a 3.6 mile out and back, via Gap Creek, making it a short 2.5 hour trip, for those in a hurry.

Duncan Knob, you may have noticed, is not far from Strickler Knob.  You can absolutely do a twofer and combine the two into a single loop.  Start at the Gap Creek trailhead and plan for a strenuous but highly rewarding loop to both peaks.

When you’ve finished your Old-Rag-Caliber hike, stop in Front Royal before driving East again.  Be sure to visit with us at Vibrissa Beer. We’re always churning out new beers which are just perfect after a day of hiking in Shenandoah. We also have amazing food every day and generally something happening on the weekends. Hope to see you soon!

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