Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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38.45789°N / 78.44788°W |
Route Type:
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Hiking |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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Moderate |
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Overview
If it wasn t for the rock scrambling at Old Rag this would be the best hike in the Shenandoah National Park. The hike down is through some tall pines and on a very wide fire road. The hike up is on a skinny trail and very rocky.Getting There
Off of Skyline Drive its mile marker 19.4 its unmarked but there is a little parking lot. Right before or right after Little Hogback Mountain.
Route Description
From the little parking lot head to the trailhead which is Keyser Run Road. Hike down the Fire Road for a mile or two and you will come to a fourway to your left is Little Devil Stairs if you want to descend down the gorge make a left. For the more strenous hike keeping heading straight following the yellow blazes. Eventually you pass by an old cemetery and to your right is another trailmarker for Hull School Trail. The entire trail at this point is heading down in elevation. Next you will come to a parking lot this is the other trailhead for Little Devil Stairs.
Once you come out of the parking lot follow the blue blazes through the woods. This is where the hike gets real fun! Your now going straight up out of the gorge to bring you back up to the intersection of Keyser Run Road. While hiking through the gorge you are basically right along side the creek the whole time and everytime you see the double blazes your crossing the stream (about ten times).
I did this trail in the winter which was a lot of fun but some of the rocks and stream crossing were a little icy. When you come out of the gorge you will be back at Keyser Run Rd and the Top of the Little Devil Stairs bang a right to hike back to the parking lot. It took myself and my dog a little over three hours. Great hike for an atheletic dog the little stairs are like big boulders for the pup and she loved it!!
Total Distance for this hike is 7.7 miles and about 1,500 change in elevation.