Looking west from Riprap Overlook in the South District.
G. Edward Johnson · CC BY 4.0

Riprap to Wildcat Ridge

A long, hard loop through the Shenandoah Wilderness past Calvary Rocks and Chimney Rock.

Stays on the map
Distance
9.8 mi
circuit
Elevation gain
2,365 ft
Hiking time
8 hr 15 min
NPS estimate, no breaks
Difficulty
Very strenuous
NPS scale

Dogs allowed on a leash

Leash no longer than 6 feet at all times. NPS pet rules

Park entrance pass only

$30 per vehicle, good for 7 days, or an annual pass. NPS fees

Where to stay, by the drive

Rank on the map

Ordered by drive time to the parking area, then by how close the stay is to this area and how complete and current its listing is. How ranking works.

Lower Doyles River Falls.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Doyles River Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 81.1

19min drive

8.9 mi by road · 6.8 mi straight

Loft Mountain Wayside on Skyline Drive.
Unclaimed

Loft Mountain Campground

National park campground · Skyline Drive, mile 79.5

30min drive

12 mi by road · 7 mi straight

West Beverley Street in Staunton.
Unclaimed

Blackburn Inn

Inn and conference center · Staunton

52min drive

29.2 mi by road · 16.6 mi straight

West Beverley Street in Staunton.
Unclaimed

Hotel 24 South

Historic hotel · Staunton

52min drive

29.6 mi by road · 16.7 mi straight

The Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.
Unclaimed

Boar's Head Resort

Resort · Charlottesville

58min drive

32.3 mi by road · 15.1 mi straight

22 more beyond 60 minutes
Evening light on the rocks of Bearfence Mountain.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Pocosin Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 59.8

1 hr 5 mindrive

30.1 mi by road · 22 mi straight

The Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.
Unclaimed

Keswick Hall

Resort hotel · Keswick

1 hr 7 mindrive

42.5 mi by road · 24.4 mi straight

Moss phlox on the rocks at Crescent Rock Overlook in spring.
Unclaimed

Lewis Mountain Cabins

Rustic cabins inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 57.5

1 hr 10 mindrive

32.5 mi by road · 23.8 mi straight

Evening light on the rocks of Bearfence Mountain.
Unclaimed

Lewis Mountain Campground

National park campground (first-come, first-served) · Skyline Drive, mile 57.5

1 hr 10 mindrive

32.6 mi by road · 23.7 mi straight

The Big Run watershed from Big Run Overlook, South District.
Unclaimed

Massanutten Resort

Resort lodging · McGaheysville

1 hr 21 mindrive

40.4 mi by road · 15.3 mi straight

Sunrise over Big Meadows.
Unclaimed

Big Meadows Campground

National park campground (reservation only) · Skyline Drive, mile 51

1 hr 28 mindrive

39.8 mi by road · 30.1 mi straight

Exterior of Big Meadows Lodge.
Unclaimed

Big Meadows Lodge

Lodge rooms and cabins inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 51

1 hr 29 mindrive

39.9 mi by road · 30 mi straight

Fog and red blueberry over Big Meadows in fall.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Rock Spring Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 48

1 hr 30 mindrive

41.7 mi by road · 32.4 mi straight

Aerial view of Luray, Virginia.
Unclaimed

The Mimslyn Inn

Historic inn · Luray

1 hr 39 mindrive

54.7 mi by road · 37.3 mi straight

Fields toward the Blue Ridge from Route 231 near Etlan, Madison County.
Unclaimed Some pet-friendly units

Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges

Lodge rooms, cabins, farmhouses and campground · Syria

1 hr 42 mindrive

56.4 mi by road · 32 mi straight

Exterior of the Skyland dining room and taproom.
Unclaimed

Skyland

Lodge rooms and cabins inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 41.7

1 hr 44 mindrive

47.8 mi by road · 35.4 mi straight

Late fall panorama from Pinnacles Overlook on Skyline Drive, with Old Rag Mountain in the distance.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Corbin Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 37.8

1 hr 52 mindrive

51.9 mi by road · 37.1 mi straight

Main Street in Sperryville, Virginia, in October.
Unclaimed

Hopkins Ordinary

Bed and breakfast with a brewery · Sperryville

1 hr 56 mindrive

68.6 mi by road · 44.2 mi straight

Panorama across a field toward Old Rag from Route 231 near Etlan.
Host verified Dogs welcome

Birch's Library

Cabin, 1865 homestead · Syria

2 hr 1 mindrive

61.3 mi by road · 34.2 mi straight

Fall color in Mathews Arm Campground.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Range View Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 22

2 hr 14 mindrive

74 mi by road · 46.6 mi straight

Fall color in Mathews Arm Campground.
Unclaimed

Mathews Arm Campground

National park campground · Skyline Drive, mile 22.2

2 hr 16 mindrive

74.6 mi by road · 47.8 mi straight

Downtown Middleburg, Virginia.
Unclaimed

Salamander Middleburg

Resort and spa · Middleburg

2 hr 53 mindrive

110.1 mi by road · 78 mi straight

Also from Riprap lot

Looking west from Riprap Overlook in the South District.
Moderate Dogs OK

Chimney Rock

3.4 mi · 830 ft gain · 2 hr 30 min

Riprap lot, mile 90

Sources

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