Sight · Shenandoah National Park
A full-day summit hike with a view across to Old Rag.
Overview
Robertson Mountain is a 3,297-foot summit in Shenandoah's Blue Ridge, reached by a strenuous hike from the park boundary near Old Rag. The official route is 7.8 miles round trip, with 2,130 feet of climbing; the park estimates about six and a half hours. I'd do it for a long summit day and a view across to Old Rag. If you came for Old Rag's rock scramble, this is a separate hike.
Parkwolf’s verdictWorth the climb?Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Shenandoah Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Shenandoah National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Shenandoah audio tourRecorded for this area
Berry Hollow: Old Rag Without the Ridge Scramble“You're coming up on Berry Hollow, an alternative starting point for Old Rag's summit that avoids the famous Ridge Trail scramble.”
Plays on the road 1.5 mi from Robertson Mountain in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
The wooded ridges open up around the summit, with Old Rag visible across the valley. A small viewpoint beside the summit trail is easy to miss, so look for the short side path near the top. For a photo, keep the near slope in the frame; the layers of forested ridges read better when you can see the drop into the valley.
The standard route starts at Old Rag Parking Area on the park boundary. Follow Ridge Trail and Ridge Access Trail to Weakley Hollow Fire Road, then turn onto Robertson Mountain Trail for the summit. Dogs aren't allowed on the Ridge or Saddle trails; there's a pet-allowed approach from Route 600 along Weakley Hollow Fire Road, with dogs on a physical leash no longer than six feet.
The climb is steep and long, so bring the food and water you need for the whole hike. This is a backcountry summit, not a roadside stop with services.
Wildlife
325 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
21 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
1,036 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
167 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
93 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Shenandoah. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingOld Rag Summit via Berry Hollow5.4 mi · 6.3 hr · 1.5 mi awayA long summit climb that skips Old Rag’s famous rock scramble.ChallengingRobertson Mountain via Berry Hollow7.3 mi · 7 hr · 1.5 mi awayA steep, wooded summit walk with a view toward Old Rag
ChallengingWhiteoak Canyon - Hawksbill Summit Loop13 mi · 10 hr · 2.2 mi awayWaterfalls, a high ridge traverse, and Shenandoah's highest summit.
ModerateLower Whiteoak Falls Trail2.8 mi · 2.3 hr · 2.2 mi awayRocky creek crossings lead to the base of Lower Whiteoak Falls.
ChallengingWhiteoak Canyon and Nicholson Hollow Loop16.1 mi · 12 hr · 2.2 mi awayA two-day loop links Whiteoak Falls, ridge trails, and Nicholson Hollow.
EasyCrescent Rock Overlook via Limberlost3.4 mi · 2 hr · 2.2 mi awayA shady forest climb opens onto a rocky Massanutten view.
EasyLimberlost Trail1.3 mi · 1.5 hr · 2.2 mi awayAn accessible forest loop with a rare columnar-jointing formation.
EasyStony Man Hike1.6 mi · 1.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayA short loop to greenstone ledges and wide valley views.Sight · 1.2 mi awayLower Whiteoak FallsA rocky creekside hike to the waterfall basin in Whiteoak Canyon.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayUpper Whiteoak FallsA waterfall walk through a bouldery canyon to a rocky viewing ledge.
Sight · 1.5 mi awayThorofare Mountain OverlookA quick pull-off for Old Rag and the layered eastern ridges.
Sight · 2 mi awayOld Rag MountainA full-day hike to a 1.06-billion-year-old granite summit.
Scenic pullout · 2.2 mi awayHemlock Springs OverlookA quick overlook with a mountain view and a hemlock story.
Lodging · 2.2 mi awayCorbin CabinA restored farm cabin at the end of a river-valley hike.
Sight · 2.3 mi awayCrescent Rock OverlookA quick roadside stop for Hawksbill and a rocky west-facing perch.
Scenic pullout · 2.3 mi awayTimber Hollow OverlookA west-facing view with a story from Shenandoah’s creation.Parkwolf’s Shenandoah ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
