Parking
Start at Old Rag Parking on Route 600 (Nethers), then walk up to 0.6 mile to Nicholson Hollow Trailhead; retrace the access connector on return.
Overview
About Hannah Run and White Rocks Loop
Why go
- River cascades, swimming holes, and the Hazel Falls cave spur.
- A remote ridge section with White Rocks outcrops.
Heads up
- A long, experienced-level overnight with repeated river crossings.
- Some White Rocks viewpoints are reached by faint side paths.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation873–2,697 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 Hannah Run and White Rocks Loop, 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 area
Old Rag: A Full-Day Scramble0:00 / 0:28
“Up ahead is the Old Rag trailhead, the start of a full-day hike to a billion-year-old granite summit with views in every direction.”
Plays on the road 0.4 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Berry Hollow: Old Rag Without the Ridge Scramble
- Lower Whiteoak Falls: Start at the Boundary
- Pinnacles Overlook: Old Rag Across the Valley
- Thorofare Mountain Overlook: A View to the East
- 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 Hannah Run and White Rocks Loop
The overnight loopHannah Run and White Rocks is a 16.5-mile backcountry loop for a one-night trip.
Hannah Run and White Rocks is a 16.5-mile backcountry loop for a one-night trip. Starting at Old Rag Parking, it follows the access connector to Nicholson Hollow, climbs by Hannah Run and Catlett Spur to White Rocks, and returns through Hazel River, Hot-Short Mountain and Nicholson Hollow. The full mileage includes the access walk out and back; the Cave/Falls spur is extra. The itinerary rates this an experienced trip and gives 6.8–7.8 miles for day one and 8.7–9.7 for day two. Plan roughly 10–12 hours of walking over both days, plus camp time; that is a planning estimate, not a published trip time.
From the hollow to the ridgeFollow Nicholson Hollow for 2 miles, then turn onto Hannah Run for 2.5 miles.
Follow Nicholson Hollow for 2 miles, then turn onto Hannah Run for 2.5 miles. The route continues over about 200 feet of Catlett Mountain, then takes Catlett Spur for 1.1 miles and Hazel Mountain for 0.6 mile before reaching White Rocks. This is the main transition from the river valley to the ridge. The itinerary directs overnight hikers to look for an existing campsite within the first mile on White Rocks; those sites are not signed or designated.
White Rocks and Hazel FallsWhite Rocks covers about 2.4 miles from Hazel Mountain.
White Rocks covers about 2.4 miles from Hazel Mountain. Its rock outcrops and views are reached by side paths, some faint, so do not expect a continuous overlook beside the main tread. The optional Cave/Falls spur is a steep 0.4-mile round trip to Hazel Falls, a cave and a water source. Add that distance separately; it is not part of the 16.5-mile route line.
River crossings and the returnHughes and Hazel Rivers are crossed several times.
Hughes and Hazel Rivers are crossed several times. In spring or after heavy rain, either can rise to knee or waist depth. The return follows Hazel River for 1.6 miles, Hazel Mountain for 1.2, Hot-Short Mountain for 2.1, and Nicholson Hollow for 1.8 miles to Route 600, then retraces up to 0.6 mile to parking. Expect the water crossings again on this leg.
Access and overnight rulesBegin at Old Rag Parking on Route 600 (Nethers); the Nicholson Hollow Trailhead is up to 0.
Begin at Old Rag Parking on Route 600 (Nethers); the Nicholson Hollow Trailhead is up to 0.6 mile along the access connector, which you walk again at the end. An overnight backcountry permit is required. Dogs are allowed on this route on a leash no longer than 6 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.
