Parking
Beldor Road / Simmons Gap boundary gate on Route 628; the National Park Service lists parking for two cars near the gate. Use the designated access area.
Overview
About Beldor Fire Road
Why go
- A short, direct out-and-back on a wide, graded road.
Heads up
- No distinct on-route viewpoint or destination was verified.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,726–2,260 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Beldor Fire Road, 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
Beldor Fire Road: A Forest Walk from the Boundary0:00 / 0:25
“You're coming up on the boundary access for Beldor Fire Road, a broad, unpaved route into the forest.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Beldor Hollow Overlook: Two Views from One Pullout
- Chestnuts That Keep Starting Over
- Rocky Mount Overlook: A Tree-Framed Mountain View
- Rocky Mount: Save Energy for the Return Climb
- 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 Beldor Fire Road
A simple road walkBeldor Fire Road is a 3-mile out-and-back on a broad, unpaved fire road between the Route 628…
Beldor Fire Road is a 3-mile out-and-back on a broad, unpaved fire road between the Route 628 boundary gate and Skyline Drive. From the lower gate, climb about 500 feet to the road's Skyline end, then retrace it downhill; allow 1.5 to 2 hours. Choose it for a straightforward forest-road outing rather than a loop or a destination hike.
Follow the fire roadFollow Beldor Hollow Fire Road from the boundary access to its junction with Skyline Drive.
Follow Beldor Hollow Fire Road from the boundary access to its junction with Skyline Drive. The mapped corridor is about 1.5 miles one way; the 3-mile figure includes the same road back. It is a graded, unpaved road, not a narrow footpath. No distinct on-route viewpoint was verified; Beldor Hollow Overlook is a separate Skyline Drive stop, not part of this mapped route.
Access and dogsStart at the Beldor Road / Simmons Gap access on Route 628.
Start at the Beldor Road / Simmons Gap access on Route 628. The National Park Service lists foot and horse access there and parking for two cars near the gate. Use the designated access area; public vehicles are not allowed on gated fire roads unless authorized. Pets are allowed on most park trails; Beldor is not among the prohibited routes, but dogs must remain 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.
