Parking
Bootens Gap parking area is on the east side of Skyline Drive near milepost 55. The Appalachian Trail leaves from the back of the lot. A Shenandoah entrance fee or pass is required to drive Skyline Drive.
Overview
About Bear Church Rock via Bootens Gap
Why go
- Open rock ledge with a broad, undeveloped valley view.
- Spring wildflowers and autumn color along the forested ridge.
Heads up
- A long out-and-back with a steep Cat Knob climb and rocky descent.
- The Rapidan WMA crossing adds an access credential requirement for many visitors.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,969–3,655 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Shenandoah alerts
- ClosureOld Rag Trailhead main lot closedThe Old Rag Trailhead main parking lot is closed to vehicles and pedestrians for infrastructure improvements; use the existing overflow lots. - Work is expected to be completed by November 2026.Official details
- ClosureBackcountry camping and zone closuresBackcountry camping is prohibited on the Appalachian Trail from Lewis Mountain to Big Meadows, and the Naked Creek backcountry zone is closed.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Shenandoah Tour Guide
Your drive to Bear Church Rock via Bootens Gap, narrated.
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 trailhead
Bootens Gap: The Long Hike to Bear Church Rock0:00 / 0:31
“Bootens Gap is coming up, where a long forest hike reaches Bear Church Rock's open view over the Staunton River Valley.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Point Overlook: Take the Path to the Rocks
- Hazeltop Ridge Overlook: The View Through Beldore Hollow
- Bearfence: Choose the Scramble or the Viewpoint
- Naked Creek Overlook: Elkton Beyond the Ridges
- 146 audio storiesacross Shenandoah’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Bald Eagle, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 163 trails, 142 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Bear Church Rock via Bootens Gap
What this route gives youThis is a 9.
This is a 9.7-mile out-and-back from Bootens Gap on Skyline Drive to the open rock outcrop at Bear Church Rock. You follow the Appalachian Trail, Laurel Prong, Cat Knob and Jones Mountain trails, then return the same way. Allow about five to six hours for the long forest approach, several steep sections and time at the view. This is the Skyline Drive route; a different hike starts at Graves Mill and reaches the same rock from the valley.
Follow the turnsFrom the back of the parking area, head north on the Appalachian Trail.
From the back of the parking area, head north on the Appalachian Trail. After roughly four-tenths of a mile, turn right onto Laurel Prong. Its loose, rocky descent drops to the Cat Knob junction. Turn onto Cat Knob and climb steeply; one route account puts the gain at about 500 feet over half a mile. At roughly mile 2.1, turn right or continue straight onto Jones Mountain Trail.
Stay alert on Jones MountainJones Mountain rolls through forest and then trends downhill toward the rock.
Jones Mountain rolls through forest and then trends downhill toward the rock. Some stretches are narrow or overgrown, and fallen leaves can hide the tread. Watch the junctions and boundary signs as the trail crosses between Shenandoah and Rapidan Wildlife Management Area. Near the end, the path drops steeply. The short left-hand spur to the rock is easy to miss; descriptions differ on whether it has a small sign and place the turn between about miles 4.5 and 5.1.
Take in the valleyBear Church Rock is an open granite outcrop above the Staunton River Valley.
Bear Church Rock is an open granite outcrop above the Staunton River Valley. Fork Mountain, Cat Knob and Doubletop Mountain rise across the view. Leave time here after the long approach. For a photo, include the rock edge in the foreground with the ridges beyond it; that gives the broad valley some scale. Spring brings pink lady’s slippers and mountain laurel along the Cat Knob stretch, while autumn color reaches the overlook.
The return and access rulesRetrace your route to Bootens Gap; expect the first few miles back to climb steadily before the…
Retrace your route to Bootens Gap; expect the first few miles back to climb steadily before the final Appalachian Trail stretch eases. The trail crosses Rapidan WMA, where visitors age 17 or older need a qualifying Virginia hunting, trapping or fishing license, current Virginia boat registration, or Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources access permit. DWR recommends blaze orange or pink during open hunting seasons. Dogs are allowed on this route but must stay on a physical leash no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Shenandoah
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.
