General

Old Rag is the traditional climbing crown of Virginia, offering over 250 routes on Joshua Tree-like granite. The climbs are found on a number of cliffs and dome-like formations, mostly on the east side of Old Rag. Classic splitters, corners and faces on very old rock define this area.

To climb here a lengthy several-hour uphill approach with a full rack and rope is usually required. Although the climbs on Old Rag are at elevation, many face east so they are hot in the summer and the vegetation is also hostile. So prime Old Rag climbing season is the Fall and Spring.

Old Rag is two hours driving from Washington DC.

Old Rag Tickets

To reach the climbs on Old Rag, it is necessary to use the Ridge or Saddle Trails, both very popular hiking trails that together traverse Old Rag. Old Rag is so popular as a hiking destination that from March 1 to November 30, visitors to Old Rag, including climbers and hikers on the Saddle, Ridge, and Ridge Access trails, must obtain an Old Rag day-use ticket in advance. A total of 800 tickets will be available each day ; 400 will be released 30 days in advance and the remaining 400 will be released five days in advance.

Basically this means you can’t decide to go climbing there at short notice.

More details about tickets and booking can be found on the NPS Shenandoah website.

Getting There

There are two parking lots for Old Rag.

Berry Hollow and the Saddle Trail

To climb on the Sunset Walls on the west side of Old Rag, you should use the Berry Hollow parking lot. You need to be early as this parking lot is small. This is the access point for the Saddle Trail.

At Sperryville, turn south onto US 522 where it splits from 211 and turn right onto Virginia 231 shortly afterwards.. After about 10 miles along 231, you reach a tiny town called Etlan. Turn right onto SR 643 which should be marked for Whiteoak Canyon. Follow this road for about 4 miles until you reach a stop sign. Turn right – a sign for Whiteoak Canyon should confirm this – onto SR 600, and this takes you all the way past the Whiteout parking area to the end of the road, which is where the Berry Hollow Fire Road begins. It is about 5 miles from the junction of 643 and 600 to the trailhead, and the drive takes about 15-20 minutes.

Weakley Hollow and the Ridge Trail

Weakley Hollow is the main access point for hiking Old Rag and is the closest approach for the Lower Ridge Slabs and nearby crags.

At Sperryville, turn south onto US 522 where it splits from 211 and turn right onto Virginia 231 shortly afterwards. A little over 8 miles from Sperryville, watch for the signed turn to Old Rag at Route 602. The road becomes Route 707 at an intersection (stay left on the south side of the river). At the next fork bear left again, now on Route 600. Follow this road to its end at the NPS parking area, which accommodates 200 cars and is the start of the Ridge Trail.

Climbing Considerations

The climbing at Old Rag offers plenty of opportunity for adventure. An injury here requiring a rescue would be difficult so climb conservatively.

Successful climbing at Old Rag comes with familiarity with the area and the type of climbing. On a first visit, even locating the climb can be regarded as a successful day!

Most of the routes are difficult single pitch routes, with many in the 5.11 – 5.13 range, There are a few multipitch routes at the Lower Ridge Slab and the Appalachian Spring Slab. A full range of gear from brass nuts to #6 Camelots may be required. There are many bolted and mixed routes, but these are not sport routes and are usually quite run out. The rock is abrasive….gloves or tape recommended for crack climbs.

The easiest climbs at Old Rag are on the Summit Cliff, PATC cliff and the Lower Ridge Slabs. These cliffs can be accessed relatively easily from the Ridge and Saddle Trails. Most of the other formations are down the hillside, below the level of these trails, and require some degree of bushwacking.

Guidebooks

The recently published (2024) and comprehensive Old Rag: A Climber’s Guide by Will Alford is the best source of climbing information for Old Rag.

There is similar route information on Mountainproject.