What are the best hikes in Virginia?

Standouts include Dark Hollow Falls (Shenandoah), Humpback Rocks, Crabtree Falls, McAfee Knob — 5 trails in all, mapped with difficulty, distance, and elevation on Roamward.

Roamward

Hikes · Virginia

Best hikes in Virginia.

Q: When is the best time to hike in Virginia?

Spring–fall (fall is peak). It’s a three-season range with glorious fall color; the popular summits need an early start, and Old Rag now needs a ticket.

Virginia hiking is Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge — the famous rock scramble up Old Rag, the Appalachian Trail’s most-photographed view at McAfee Knob, and waterfalls off Skyline Drive. It’s a three-season range with glorious fall color; the popular summits need an early start, and Old Rag now needs a ticket.

Curated trails5

Distance range1.4–9.4 mi

Biggest climb2,600 ft

Difficulty3 moderate · 2 hard

TerrainBlue Ridge scrambles & waterfalls

Best seasonSpring–fall (fall is peak)

Don’t missOld Rag (Shenandoah)

Boots on

5 hikes worth the detour.

Sorted easy to expert. Every one mapped with distance, route type, and elevation gain — built for everyone from the RV & camping crew to the bucket-list crowd.

Dark Hollow Falls (Shenandoah)

Moderate · 1.4 mi · Out & back · 440 ft

the closest waterfall to Skyline Drive

Humpback Rocks

Moderate · 2 mi · Out & back · 800 ft

a short, steep climb to a big Blue Ridge view

Crabtree Falls

Moderate · 3 mi · Out & back · 1,000 ft

the tallest cascading waterfall in the East

McAfee Knob

Hard · 8.8 mi · Out & back · 1,740 ft

the most-photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail

Old Rag (Shenandoah)

Hard · 9.4 mi · Loop · 2,600 ft

a famous rock-scramble summit; day-use ticket

Plan the Virginia trip

Hikes, gems, scenic drives — all in one Virginia guide.

See everything worth the detour in Virginia, then let Roamward build the trip around it. Know a Virginia trail we’re missing? Add it — we’re building this with the people who actually hike it.

Full Virginia guide →All states