​LOCATION: Syria, VA
TRAIL DISTANCE: 6.9 Miles
TRAIL HEAD / DIRECTIONS:  Old Rag parking lot
TRAIL TYPE: Loop
TRAIL GRADE:   Very Strenuous (5)
TRAIL PARKING: 100-120 spaces
key words: Summit view, Waterfalls
TRAIL INFO
What's to like about the trail: A make you earn it summit, endless waterfall sounds and a birds eye view of Old Rag.  
Why go for a hike on this trail:​ Less human traffic, dense forest and a holler from the summit kind of view.
Best time to go for a hike on this trail:   Spring, Fall & Winter

SUMMARY:  This trail would get more fan fare if it wasn't sitting right next to its famous neighbor, Old Rag mountain. In fact, this trail is in my top 10 for Shenandoah National Park.
 
THE TRAIL HEAD IS FOUND AT THE (NEW) OLD RAG PARKING LOT. A BEAUTIFUL UPGRADE FOR THE AREA BUT ONE THAT ALSO INVITES MORE HUMAN POPULATION THEN EVER BEFORE. A WORD TO THE EAGER, GET THERE very EARLY ON WEEKENDS OR GO ON A WEEKDAY OR YOU MaY FOREGO SERENITY. TO START, take THE RIDGE TRAIL JUST PAST THE RANGER STATION AND HEAD UP THIS QUICK ASCENT WARM UP. THE RIDGE TRAIL AIMS TO HELP YOU GET TO YOUR SECOND WIND QUICKER THAN YOU MAY WANT TOO. THE RIDGE TRAIL  LEADS TO THE EXISTING OLD RAG TRAIL, ALONG THE WAY IT INTERSECTS WITH THE RIDGE BYPASS. HANG A RIGHT AND HEAD DOWN THE BYPASS TO WEAKLEY HOLLOW FIRE ROAD. HERE IS WHERE THE TRAIL LAGS A BIT, TAKE THE WEAKLEY HOLLOW FIRE ROAD FOR 1.6 MILES. YES,  ITS SLOW, LACKING VIEWS AND YOU JUST HAD A WARM UP ON THE RIDGE TRAIL AND YOU ARE EAGER FOR ADVENTURE. HOWEVER, THE FIRE ROAD HAS ITS OWN BEAUTY VIA THE CONSISTENT SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF water AND THE VISUALLY APPEALING LARGE SKYSCRAPER SIZE TREES ALONG SIDE the fire road. THE ROBERTSON MOUNTAIN TRAIL IS FOUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FIRE ROAD, ITS QUIETLY PRESENT VIA A STONE PILLAR TRAIL HEAD. THE TRAIL IMMEDIATELY CUTS THROUGH THE WOODS VIA A WELL MARKED SINGLE-TRACK COMPRISED OF LEAF MATERIAL, DIRT AND ROCKS. THE ROBERTSON TRAIL IS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE STEEPEST IN THE AREA, GET READY TO EAT 1900 FT IN JUST 1.6 MILES with a side of THREE FALSE SUMMITS. HOW SWEET RIGHT?  THE TRAIL RELENTLESSLY TACKLES THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT SWITCHBACKS BUT MORE A DIRECT APPROACH. THE SUMMIT (THE REAL ONE) IS FOUND AS THE TRAIL TOPS OUT,(JUST ON THE LEFT) know that ITS NOT MARKED AND LOOKS MORE LIKE A GAME TRAIL THAN THE WELCOME TO THE SUMMIT. ITS A SMALL CLEARING (CAMPING WORTHY) WHERE YOU WILL FIND A SMALL SLITHERING PATH TO THE RIGHT THAT LEADS TO A ROCK OUTCROP. THE SUMMIT IS AN OUTPOURING OF MILE WIDE VIEWS OF SKYLINE DRIVE, OLD RAG AND NEIGHBORING PEAKS. THERE IS SPACE TO LUNCH, LOUNGE AND SNAP PHOTOS. WHEN RESTED AND READY, RETURN TO THE MAIN TRAIL, HANG A LEFT AND MUCH TO YOUR BODIES DELIGHT, A SAUNTERING DESCENT TO THE OLD RAG FIRE ROAD. THE DESCENT IS FILLED WITH MOUNTAIN LAUREL AND A TOWERING TREE CANOPY. ONCE YOU HAVE REACHED THE FIRE ROAD, TURN RIGHT AND WALK 200 STEPS TO THE CORBIN HOLLOW TRAIL (RIGHT). fROM HERE ITS A TWO MILE HIKE TO THE WEAKLEY HOLLOW FIRE ROAD. THIS TIME YOUR HIKE IS FILLED WITH FULL TIME AUDIBLY SOUL FILLING SOUNDS OF WATERFALLS, RUNNING WATER , CREEKS AND STREAMS. THE TRAIL IS NARROW , BUT ROBUST WITH TREES, FAUNA, FERN, MOSS AND SMALL CREEK CROSSINGS. CORBIN HOLLOW LEADS OUT TO THE WEAKLEY HOLLOW FIRE ROAD, HERE MAKE A LEFT AND AFTER 1.4 MILES TURN RIGHT ONTO THE RIDGE BYPASS AND RETRACE YOUR STEPS BACK TO THE RIDGE ACCESS TRAIL AND EVENTUALLY THE PARKING LOT.

Quick Trail Note: About 1.5 miles into the Corbin Hollow Trail you will have to cross the creek via a downed tree. There is little to no blue trail markings until 100ft after your crossing. From here you will return to a more consistent trail marking.

HIKE ON!
GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 2 water bottle
  • Lunch or trail bars
  • hiking shoes or boots
  • bug spray (summer)
  • NEARBY HIKES
  • TOWNS
  • THINGS TO KNOW
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THINGS TO KNOW:
  1. National Park fee $30.00 to enter
  2. be bear aware
  3. popular area , best to visit weekdays.
  4. best for ages 12+
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