spirobulldog

Anyone have an opinion on Old Rag and Cedar Run/White Oak Canyon Loop?

We have hiked some fairly strenuous trails in the past at other spots(mist trail in Yosemite, Angels Landing, etc). How do these trails compare. We will be there the end of May for 3 days. Thanks

spirobulldog

by comparison-I meant how strenuous

BlueSwimmer

Here is a great website with info on lots of Virginia hikes. http://www.hikingupward.com/

Note that Old Rag can get really crowded on nice weekends. I can't compare the strenuousness because I haven't hiked the other areas, but it isn't super easy. It gives you a workout.

I also love Sky Meadow in Paris, Va. Not quite as a difficult but so lovely. I also love Big Schloss in the GW National Forest. A bit shorter with gorgeous views from the ridge.

Another fun thing to do is to hike the Civil War battlefields in the area, like Bull Run or Manassas.

PaulRabe

I've done both, and Old Rag is far more strenuous. It's on hard rock, involves some hand climbing, and is steeper. You may consider walking up Weakley Hollow Fire Road and down the main trail from Old Rag.

I've also done the Mist Trail, and it's not as bad as that one. If you can do the Mist Trail, you can do Old Rag.

The choice is simple, IMHO. If you like waterfalls, go to Whiteoak (yes, it's one word) Canyon and continue on to Cedar Run if you have the energy. If you like overlooks, go to Old Rag.

Here's my advice on the former:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/20e6b0/

spirobulldog

Thanks for the info Paul.

edjim

Old Rag gets my vote, though it is strenuous. It is much less crowded during the week. I even spotted some black bears on the nearby Nicholson Hollow Trail one hot summer day--a weekday. Good food nearby in Sperryville, too.

KensingtonGirl

Here's another good website for both trails -

http://www.midatlantichikes.com/va.htm

I have done both multiple times. They are very different. Old Rag puts you on top of a mountain with views. Most people go up the RIdge trail on the frontside and come back down the back side which joins the Fire Road. There are rock scrambles near the top on the Ridge trail that shorter people may need help getting up and which require more upper body strength than most hikes. The walk down the backside is not strenuous and really not that scenic once you're off the top. Old Rag is almost a rite of passage for local hikers and scouts so it can be crowded at times and I understand the Park Service has closed the upper parking lot so you have to park further down the road. Even though Old Rag has its strenuous rock scrambles we do Old Rag in a lot less time than the White Oak/Cedar Run loop. Old Rag is not recommended except in good weather.

The White Oak/Cedar Run loop is a beautiful loop thru two hollows with sets of waterfalls. Most books connect the two trails at the top with a fire road that isn't that scenic. If you look at the map, you'll see that if you continue up the White Oak trail past the fire road, there is an intersection with the Limberlost Trail. Take that trail to Crescent Rock Trail. The Crescent Rock Trail takes you to the Skyline Drive at an overlook where you can cross the road and take a short section of the AT with views to the west. (We usually eat lunch at this point). Short distance south on the AT, and it comes to the Hawksbill Gap Parking, where you cross back over the Skyline Drive and you're at the top of the Cedar Run Trail to go back down.

Here's the link to NPS's map of the area: http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisi...anyon_area.pdf

The Cedar Run trail is steeper so we generally go up it and down the White Oak Canyon Trail and we start at the trail head at the bottom and go up.

We have done Angels Landing up to the chains and Observation Point in Zion. If you have done them, you will be fine with either Old Rag or White Oak Canyon/Cedar Run.

Also here's a trip report I remembered of a Fodorite who did Old Rag.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...y-antietam.cfm

spirobulldog

Here's a slight problem perhaps. My daughter has severe scoliocis and has since had back surgery and is fine. Even with severe scoliocis she finished in in the top 2 or 3 positions in a couple of events at State track meets as a freshmen and sophmore and she was a heck of a basketball player. The surgery slowed her down enough that she isn't nearly as competitive and she is timid at basketball. Anyway, I was a bit concerned about the Old Rage hike. Anything with a lot of bending might bother her a bit. Shes ok with some. We have done some hikes(her surgery was 18 months ago and she is back to pretty normal now-its a very serious surgery)but nothing really like Angels Landing. I was just trying to get a feel what we are in for. For instance, we use do some caving, but that requires a lot of bending and crawling and with rods in your back that makes it very difficult to do a lot of that. So, I was trying to get a feel for old rag. The surgery has actually increased her stamina. Scoliocis is a curve, but it also twists your back. If it twists a bunch it can effect your lungs, which can,if left alone, later effect your heart. Hers is more upper back which is worse for your lungs, but it is better for your lower back because after the surgery you still have some flexibility if you don't have the rods down low. Anyway, the surgery has allowed her to have a bit more lung compacity.

So, I was trying to get more of a feel for The Old Rag and the scrambling. White Oak/Cedar Run seems more of just like a regular longer type day hike that we have done many of.

KensingtonGirl

The bottom half of the Ridge Trail is just an uphill hike - good path. The upper part is more a big rock/boulder scramble where you go up and over - sometimes you might need a push up or a hand up but its not crawling on all fours or even where you need to be on your knees. Some people do it by "rock hopping". There's one or two spots where you might have to bend over to slip thru a spot but that's it. During the rock scramble you are upright almost all of the time - I have difficulty in about 2 sections where my DH has to pull/push me up since I'm vertically challenged. There's really only one path up thru the rocks and sometimes you have to wait at spots for someone else to get thru on busy weekends. This is a hike a lot of novice hikers, scouts, church groups and teenagers do and some people do get in trouble but not generally experienced hikers. Its exposed area so that's why you don't want to do it in bad weather or when the rocks are wet. The path down the backside is just a good hiking trail. (When we say boulders think a granite version of Utah slickrock - good footing.)

spirobulldog

I think we will give them both a try most likely. Thanks for all the info