Parking
Use Compton Gap Parking Area on Skyline Drive at mile 10.4; follow the A.T. north from the lot.
Overview
About Fort Windham Rocks Hike
Why go
- A striking split-rock formation for little climbing
Heads up
- The final spur can be easy to miss, especially in summer foliage
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,444–2,572 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 Fort Windham Rocks Hike, 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
Compton Gap: Two Spurs on Compton Peak0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching Compton Gap, where the Compton Peak hike pairs a mountain view with angular stone columns. Allow about two hours for the two point four mile round trip, with a steady climb before the trail splits.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Indian Run Overlook: A Stream-Carved Hollow
- When Continents Built the Mountains
- Lands Run Falls: Find the Hidden Cascade
- The Yellow Hidden in Summer Leaves
- 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 Fort Windham Rocks Hike
A short walk with a hidden finishFort Windham Rocks Hike is an easy 0.
Fort Windham Rocks Hike is an easy 0.8-mile out-and-back from Compton Gap, with about 130 feet of climbing. Walk north on the Appalachian Trail, then turn left onto Dickey Ridge Trail for two deeply split boulders that rise about 50 feet above ground. The clefts are the payoff, not a summit panorama. Allow about 30 minutes of walking and closer to an hour if you stop to explore.
Finding the rocksStart at Compton Gap Parking Area on Skyline Drive at mile 10.4. Follow the A.T.
Start at Compton Gap Parking Area on Skyline Drive at mile 10.4. Follow the A.T. north to its junction with Dickey Ridge Trail and turn left; about 300 yards later, look to the right. The short approach spur is unmarked and can be easy to pass, particularly under summer foliage. Return the way you came.
Look at the cleftsThe draw is how the rock walls split and twist into narrow gaps.
The draw is how the rock walls split and twist into narrow gaps. The stone is greenstone; lichen and weathering bring out different colors across its surface. At the rocks, frame both walls so the narrow cleft reads in a photo. In summer, leaves may hide the formation, so a leaf-off walk can make it easier to spot.
Keep the visit simpleThe walk has no separate activity fee or reservation, though the park entrance fee applies.
The walk has no separate activity fee or reservation, though the park entrance fee applies. Dogs are allowed on a 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.
