Old Rag Camping Beta

Hey guys, looking for some info on camping for Old Rag in Shenandoah. Trying to get after it at first light to start climbing as early as possible, backcountry camping zones are very specific, and most campgrounds are shut down now. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, backcountry, campsite, or truck can work, but woulf prefer backcountry if possible. Thanks in advance.

I think if you walk up the back way (from parking near the base White Oak falls trailhead, probably how most climbers go up), you can camp towards the beginning of where the trail diverges from the fire road. There is actually even a picnic shelter right there.

You're not allowed to camp too high up, so you'll still have a walk in the morning.

You are not allowed to camp below 2800' and need a backcountry permit. The Saddle Trail is probably the best bet for finding level ground to camp on. There are markers on both the Ridge and Saddle trails stating that you have reached the camping cut off point. The shelters along the trail are technically for day use only. Personally I like the level ground near the big boulders at the Saddle Trail 2800' cut off. its a good natural box-in that shields from the wind and is just off the trail enough to give privacy...also a great bouldering project if you have your pads.

happy trails

If you go up the back side the approach is shorter (from Berry Hollow, not the more popular Weakley Hollow) assuming you are heading to crags on that side of the mountain, including the summit area. The NPS rules are actually no camping ABOVE 2800 feet, but you can stay close to the climbing and stay legal by camping down an old abandoned fire road that takes off South from the junction of the Ridge trail and the Byrd's Nest shelter. If you hammock camp there are plentiful spots, if you have a tent, you'll have to look for relatively flat spots on the topo and orienteer to them.

My buddy and I did our first trad climbing there this summer and we camped wayyyyyy back down this road until the topo showed us at below 2800 feet. I grew up in that park and I try to always observe the rules (no fires also.) To find it, start at the aforementioned junction of the Byrd's Nest shelter (nice stone picnic structure) and bushwhack south across a couple open slabs. At first you will be on some herd paths but these get harder to follow. After the slabs, trend uphill towards the ridge and in short order you will pick up an old fire road (look hard) which is actually on most topo maps, just out of service.

BTW be ready for black bears back there. SNP is only 3 miles wide at the widest and they don't get hunted back there, so when you venture far off the beaten path you're likely to be sharing habitat with one or several. We had one stroll through camp at dusk after in the tent and the next night after climbing when refilling our water down at the spring on the way up Berry Hollow.

Also some important beta - load up on H2O at the springs of the Old Rag shelter - there's is no easy water after that. We managed to find a runoff feeder the first day way back down that fire road but it was a lot of work to get there and dried up the next day. I would just hump extra water to base camp and that way you won't have to scoot down the mountain to the Old Rag shelter just to drink. Have fun!

Thank you guys for your replies, this solidified much of the info I had up to this point. Looking forward to checking it out as I live within 2.5 hours, and the rock quality looks prime. Good call on the water tip. Too bad backcountry permits are issued in person or by mail, and not online. Is the Berry Hollow parking pretty good for leaving a vehicle over night? Thanks again.

Jeff,

Berry Hollow is fine for overnight parking, but it will get absolutely packed on Saturday and Sunday. However my buddy and I showed up Friday morning and there was only one other car there. On our way out Sunday the cars had overflowed the lot and were parked on the shoulder of the road for 1/4 mile down.

Matt

Reviving this thread, any commercial camping within 30 minutes of the Old Rag parking?  A bit further out?  Thanks.

gunkie X wrote:

Reviving this thread, any commercial camping within 30 minutes of the Old Rag parking?  A bit further out?  Thanks.

Check out Grave Mountain Resort in Syria VA. It’s just south of Old Rag. They have several large pastures for camping. Lots of folks with RV’s and horse trailers camp there. But it is super close to Old Rag. My buddy and I camped there a couple months ago and did two days of climbing at the Lower Trail Slabs and the Gods Area.

Graves Mountain Resort

Berry Hollow is the best base of operations.  However, having been to Old Rag a dozen times or so, most for climbing, I can say that taking enough water and food up to a bivvy site below 2800' not to mention camping provisions, and not being allowed to have a fire has deterred me from ever doing it.  First, if you're unfamiliar with the area and have never been up there climbing, take a day or 2 to just hike and familiarize yourself with it.  You'll soon realize that to get to most climbing areas from any area below 2800' that you'll be camped at is one hell of an approach even when you're already set up.  I don't want to discourage you from doing it at least once if you're psyched on it, but in my experience, especially if you're working routes at say the Reflector Oven, Middle God's or all the way down at Bushwhack Crack, you're not going to want to make that approach two days in a row- especially after camping.  Or maybe I'm just old and can't remember what it's like to have plenty of energy and good joints   

Just my opinion, and those that disagree feel free to chime in- but if you do good recon, and just plan on day trips, you can get to Berry Hollow early, do the hike in by headlamp, and make a great day trip of it.  I know climbers that have camped Old Rag at least once, but I don't know of any that have done it twice.  Also, if you're planning on overnighting at Berry Hollow, I've had Rangers tell me directly that's not allowed, and also cited me for not having a parking pass for the next day.  It used to be way more chill, and not enforced all that much, but the last time I went (admittedly this was 2018 or so I think) the Rangers were patrolling there pretty regularly.

Jeffrey Lash wrote:

Check out Grave Mountain Resort in Syria VA. It’s just south of Old Rag. They have several large pastures for camping. Lots of folks with RV’s and horse trailers camp there. But it is super close to Old Rag. My buddy and I camped there a couple months ago and did two days of climbing at the Lower Trail Slabs and the Gods Area.

Graves Mountain Resort

This sounds perfect.  Thanks for the beta!

gunkie X wrote:

Reviving this thread, any commercial camping within 30 minutes of the Old Rag parking?  A bit further out?  Thanks.

Hey! Just chiming in to say that depending on the timing I am happy to host climbers camping on my property.  I live in Nethers and my place is literally on the mountain.  It’s just a couple minutes drive to the trailhead.  I’m very active in rebolting and new route development at Old Rag (check the new guidebook!) and can advise on routes, approach and gear beta, maybe lend some big cams, etc.  

Feel free to send me a message 

What would be people's thoughts on camping at or near a crag that is below 2800 ft such as wall that dreams are made of? You'd have to carry all your water up but at least you only have to do the approach once.

Giovanni Ratti wrote:

What would be people's thoughts on camping at or near a crag that is below 2800 ft such as wall that dreams are made of? You'd have to carry all your water up but at least you only have to do the approach once.

My buddy and I discussed camping on the Mtn but decided against it. It might work better if you’re in a party of three to spread the climbing and camping gear around more evenly. 

Giovanni Ratti wrote:

What would be people's thoughts on camping at or near a crag that is below 2800 ft such as wall that dreams are made of? You'd have to carry all your water up but at least you only have to do the approach once.

I would advise against that.  I mean if you're super fit and trail run all the time and you have cardiovascular energy for days, go for it.  But keep in mind for that wall, you have to hike from the parking to the summit, past the summit and back downhill 2/3 of the elevation that you gained from the parking through fairly treacherous terrain- deadfall, briars, deep leaves that obfuscate ankle-breaking holes, etc.  To hike the extra provisions you'd need in, just to be able to wake up at that wall to have a second day there is a bit much.  There are only a handful of routes there, and after hiking down there and throwing yourself at rough granite, the next day is interesting.  Now, if you're one of those masochist types who likes to put challenges in front of yourself simply to build character, don't let me discourage you.  The only person I know who has done this is Seth Derr and some of his friends, although he slept at the "illegal" (it's slightly above 2800') Reflector Oven wall and actually got cited by a ranger for it.  I think I remember him saying something like "wasn't worth the fine, and I wouldn't have wanted to sling all that gear downhill any further" or something along those lines.  And he loves the place and is somewhat of an authority on it after having been up there tons of times, so there's that.