Old Rag Day Hike

OVERVIEW

Hoo doesn’t love hiking Old Rag on a warm and sunny day in the March? That’s right, we’re looking at sunny and around 65 degrees on Saturday, March 20th – weather that it would be a cardinal sin to not take advantage of.

We’ll leave from Echols Dorm around 8:30am – yes, I know this is early, but given the fact that Old Rag will be quite crowded, this is necessary – and the hike will get rid of your probable hangover in no time. We’ll drive about an hour to Old Rag, and the hike will be a strenuous 9 miles. That being said, given the fact that it is a Saturday and the weather will be nice, it will be pretty crowded. The parking lot is located 0.8 miles from the trail-head, which will add time and distance to our hike. We should allow for roughly 7 hours for the hike – it may take much shorter, but we need to anticipate delays while hiking the mountain due to the large volume of fellow hikers.

But what should I bring and wear, you ask?
First and foremost, bring water. The National Park Service suggests at least 2 quarts of water per person. Considering this will take most of the day, also bring plenty of food – lunch, snacks, you name it.
Be sure to wear hiking shoes/boots, and maybe a sweatshirt/pants if you get cold easily. The high is around 65, but it will most likely be around 60 for most of the day, and there will be some windchill on top of the mountain. Personally, I’m probably going to wear a t-shirt and shorts and bring a sweatshirt in case, but that’s just my style.

Rides and Fee: There is a parking/vehicle fee in the Shenandoah National Park, $15 per vehicle. I don’t have a car, so I’m waitlisting everyone until we get some drivers – and the max for the trip will be 10 people. SO if we get 2 cars with 5 people each, the fee will be $3.00 per person, and this is what I’ll set it as in the fee section – however it is subject to change depending on how many people/drivers join the trip.

One final note, and this is directly from the National Park Service Website: Be sure that you are physically able to complete this hike. The circuit hike is about 9 miles. There is a significant elevation change and a strenuous rock scramble that requires good upper body strength. Often, children and shorter adults need assistance navigating the scramble.

TL, DR:
Old Rag. This Saturday (3/21)
8:30am – roughly 5pm
Strenuous.
All day.
Wear hiking shoes, maybe pants and/or sweatshirt.
Bring plenty of food and water, and don’t forget money.
Roughly $3.00 (bring more than that!)