Old Rag Loop

The route begins and ends at the Old Rag trailhead near the Ranger Station. Follow the trail south for 0.8 miles. Turn left onto the blue-blazed Ridge Trail and begin a steady climb through the hardwood forest. Around 2.8 miles, the trail transitions from dirt to granite. Crux: The rock scramble begins here — roughly a mile of hands-on climbing through boulder fields, narrow chimneys, and exposed ledges to the 3,258' summit. The tightest sections require threading through gaps between boulders; larger internal-frame packs can become an obstacle in the chimneys. Blue blazes mark the route through the scramble; double blazes indicate turns. Numbered blazes correspond to a location grid for emergency reporting. Reach the summit of Old Rag Mountain around 3.4 miles after gaining 2,300 vertical feet. Continue past the summit block and follow the blue-blazed Saddle Trail descending the west face. Pass Byrd's Nest Shelter No. 1 at 4.0 miles and the Old Rag Day-Use Shelter at 4.9 miles. At the intersection with the Weakley Hollow Fire Road at 5.3 miles, turn right and then immediately right again, onto the yellow-blazed road. Follow the fire road until reaching the Ridge Access Trail at 7.8 miles. Turn right to follow the Ridge Access Trail until reaching the Ridge Trail at 8.1 miles. Turn left and retrace your steps back to the parking area.