Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never done Old Rag but I believe the BGt is much shorter. It is also very crowded.

Billy Goat A is about half the distance of Old Rag, but you could do all three sections to extend it.

Billy Goat is considerably easier and much less challenging, irrespective of the extensions.

Yes, Billy Goat A isn't nearly as challenging as Old Rag. This is due to minimal elevation gain. Billy Goat A does have a fun rock scramble and some mild rock hopping, but is nowhere near as challenging as Old Rag. If you hike a bit and/or are in decent shape, Old Rag isn't too hard. Thankfully access is now controlled and the trail should be more enjoyable.

Old Rag is popular for good reason, but my favorite hikes are away from the crowds in George Washington National Forest.

Which hikes do you like in GWNF?

Big Schloss and Duncan Knob are great. Three Ridges, which is further south near Staunton is great too. GWNF is huge and has lots of great hikes. The ones listed here, while we’ll known, don’t get nearly the traffic that popular Shenandoah hikes receive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never done Old Rag but I believe the BGt is much shorter. It is also very crowded.

Billy Goat A is about half the distance of Old Rag, but you could do all three sections to extend it.

Billy Goat is considerably easier and much less challenging, irrespective of the extensions.

Yes, Billy Goat A isn't nearly as challenging as Old Rag. This is due to minimal elevation gain. Billy Goat A does have a fun rock scramble and some mild rock hopping, but is nowhere near as challenging as Old Rag. If you hike a bit and/or are in decent shape, Old Rag isn't too hard. Thankfully access is now controlled and the trail should be more enjoyable.

Old Rag is popular for good reason, but my favorite hikes are away from the crowds in George Washington National Forest.

Which hikes do you like in GWNF?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never done Old Rag but I believe the BGt is much shorter. It is also very crowded.

Billy Goat A is about half the distance of Old Rag, but you could do all three sections to extend it.

Billy Goat is considerably easier and much less challenging, irrespective of the extensions.

Yes, Billy Goat A isn't nearly as challenging as Old Rag. This is due to minimal elevation gain. Billy Goat A does have a fun rock scramble and some mild rock hopping, but is nowhere near as challenging as Old Rag. If you hike a bit and/or are in decent shape, Old Rag isn't too hard. Thankfully access is now controlled and the trail should be more enjoyable.

Old Rag is popular for good reason, but my favorite hikes are away from the crowds in George Washington National Forest.

Anonymous wrote:fyi, Old Rag really isn't very busy anymore, since they implemented the ticket rule.

I went peak fall, on a weekend (got ticket in advance), and it was not crowded at ALL - though we started around 8am.

Our tickets were checked 3x, and it was enforced.

Good point. I have not been since reservations were implemented.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never done Old Rag but I believe the BGt is much shorter. It is also very crowded.

Billy Goat A is about half the distance of Old Rag, but you could do all three sections to extend it.

Billy Goat is considerably easier and much less challenging, irrespective of the extensions.

Anonymous wrote:How long does it take to do Old Rag?

Depends on your level of fitness, and how often/long you stop. 6 hours is pretty typical for a few stops here and there, like to eat lunch. It's about 10 miles long.

Signal Knob is a good hike.

How long does it take to do Old Rag?

fyi, Old Rag really isn't very busy anymore, since they implemented the ticket rule.

I went peak fall, on a weekend (got ticket in advance), and it was not crowded at ALL - though we started around 8am.

Our tickets were checked 3x, and it was enforced.

Anonymous wrote:If you'll go a little further, the triple crown near Roanoke--either all at once or in sections https://www.visitroanokeva.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventure/hiking-trails/triple-crown/

Not as challenging as Old Rag but still fun is Catoctin--the loop including Hog Rock is nice https://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/hiking.htm but note I have seen rattlesnakes curled under rocks so I would stay on the trail and avoid scrambling!

Loved Macafee’s Knob!!

If you'll go a little further, the triple crown near Roanoke--either all at once or in sections https://www.visitroanokeva.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventure/hiking-trails/triple-crown/

Not as challenging as Old Rag but still fun is Catoctin--the loop including Hog Rock is nice https://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/hiking.htm but note I have seen rattlesnakes curled under rocks so I would stay on the trail and avoid scrambling!

In terms of distance and difficulty, try White Oak Canyon from Skyline Drive all the way down to the ranger station and back up to Skyline Drive. That's about 10 miles, and elevation gain comparable to Old Rag. Great training hike for hiking the Grand Canyon, as the elevation gain is on the return. Many others listed here are fun hikes, but this is the only one I've done locally that compared to Old Rag in difficulty.

The bonus is if you do it on a hot day is you get to go skinny dipping in the waterfalls on your way back up.

Anonymous wrote:White Oak Cedar Run loop is good. Fairly strenuous. Where weather is warm, there are spots to swim in.

If you are hiking with kids, I would wait and do this in the summer so they can swim. There is a natural rock slide on the Cedar Run side (it's a boundary hike and you can go up White Oak canyon and down Cedar Run to arrive at the same parking lot, where you do need a park pass) but also a few pools on the White Oak canyon side.

Also look into Buck Hollow/Ridge (another challenging boundary hike from the Buck Ridge trailhead not Skyline), Mary's Rock, and Little Devil Stairs. Little Devil Stairs has some rocks involved, although I wouldn't call them scrambles like at Old Rag. It's a nice hike.

I like to do Mary's Rock via the AT from the Pinnacles parking lot. Less crowded than from Thornton Gap.

Happy Hiking!

White Oak Cedar Run loop is good. Fairly strenuous. Where weather is warm, there are spots to swim in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never done Old Rag but I believe the BGt is much shorter. It is also very crowded.

Billy Goat A is about half the distance of Old Rag, but you could do all three sections to extend it.

Section B of Billy Goat has been closed for awhile due to erosion.