Shenandoah National Park, VA - Whiteoak Canyon/Hawksbill Mountain/Cedar Run

ABOUT THE PARK:
Whiteoak Canyon and Cedar Run
Hawksbill Mountain

DIRECTIONS:

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TRAIL MAPS:
Whiteoak Canyon and Cedar Run
Hawksbill Mountain
This map consists of two differently scaled maps pieced together for illustration purposes only.

HIKE DISTANCES:
Whiteoak Canyon/Cedar Run Loop - 8.5 miles
Hawksbill Mountain Loop - 2.9 miles
Whiteoak Canyon/Hawksbill Mountain/Cedar Run - 11.4 miles

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
For this hike I used Trail Blazes, an audio hiking guide that greatly enhanced an already fantastic hike.  I loaded the guide on my iPod which is virtually weightless to take along.  You simply stop and listen at various points along the hike for interesting information you would otherwise not know about where you are, what you are looking at, or what happened in that spot long ago.  The audio is then turned off and you proceed to the next point.  Trail Blazes starts at a different parking lot so for this hike, simply begin the audio at 7.25 minutes for the Whiteoak Canyon Trail then start the audio from the beginning on the Cedar Run Trail.  I prefer to hike uphill early on rather than at the end of a hike so I started this hike at the lowest point, the Whiteoak Canyon parking lot.  Starting from Skyline Drive means you descend first, then climb back up. The total elevation gain for this combined hike was around 3,000 feet.  I did this hike on a Friday and it was not crowded.  Apparently, these hikes are hugely popular on weekends.

At the trailhead , use the self registration to pay for and obtain a pass to enter Shenandoah National Park if you do not already have one.

Head out on the blue-blazed Whiteoak Canyon Trail, almost immediately crossing a bridge; keep right at the split.  At 1.35 miles arrive at Lower Whiteoak Falls.

Lower Whiteoak Falls

Higher up along the trail a view down Whiteoak Canyon.

Upper Whiteoak Falls

At 2.75 miles, arrive at a dirt road, turn left crossing over the river and continue on the yellow-blazed Whiteoak Fire Road.

The Whiteoak Canyon Fire Road climbs steadily up until you reach the Cedar Run Trail intersection.  Turn left here to complete the Whiteoak Canyon/Cedar Run loop.  Continue straight to cross over Skyline Drive and on to Hawksbill Mountain, the highest peak in Shenandoah National Park at 4,050 feet.

Cross Skyline Drive and veer to the right side of the parking lot (not the trail at the information board straight ahead - that will be the return route).  Take this trail a short distance to the white-blazed Appalachian Trail.  Turn left on the Appalachian Trail.  This is the longer but very scenic route up Hawksbill Mountain.

At 6.15 miles turn left on the blue-blazed Salamander Trail and pass some great views along the way.

Arrive at an intersection and turn left on the gravel road to Hawksbill summit.

 

After retracing your steps on the gravel road, turn left on the Lower Hawksbill Trail to return to the parking lot at Skyline Drive.  Cross over Skyline Drive and continue on the Cedar Run Trail which descends along more waterfalls.

At 10.85 miles turn right to return to the parking lot where the Cedar Run Link Trail goes to the left.  At 11.25 miles turn right as the Whiteoak Canyon Trail goes left.  Cross back over the bridge and arrive back at the parking lot at 11.40 miles.

HIKE SUMMARY:

[   0.00]  From parking lot start on blue-blazed trail; cross bridge; keep right at split

[   1.35]  Lower Whiteoak Falls

[   2.55]  Hiker warning sign not to exceed hiking ability

[   2.75]  At dirt road turn left, cross creek, continue on yellow-blazed Whiteoak Fire Road

[   4.35]  Stay left at fork where fire road becomes foot trail

[   5.00]  At intersection with Cedar Run Trail keep straight; cross Skyline Drive; take trail to right of parking lot

[   5.15]  At intersection turn left on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail

[   6.15]  Turn left on the blue-blazed Salamander Trail; white-blazed AT goes right

[   6.90]  Scenic view on Salamander Trail

[   6.95]  Second scenic view on Salamander Trail

[   7.00]  Turn left on gravel road to Hawksbill Overlook

[   7.20]  Leaving overlook backtrack to intersection; turn left on Lower Hawksbill Trail

[   8.10]  Arrive back at parking lot; cross Skyline Drive; continue on blue-blazed Cedar Run Trail

[   9.70]  Turn right to cross over creek at Upper Cedar Run Falls

[ 10.70]  Turn left to cross over creek at Lower Cedar Run Falls

[ 10.85]  Keep right on trail to parking lot as Cedar Run Link Trail goes left

[ 11.25]  Keep right when Whiteoak Canyon Trail goes left; cross bridge

[ 11.40]  Arrive back at parking lot

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