Parking
Park at Hightop Mountain Parking Area on the west side of Skyline Drive at mile 66.7. Cross the drive to reach the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. The small lot has about eight spaces; availability varies.
Overview
About Hightop Summit
Why go
- Rocky west-facing viewpoint after a focused climb
- Mostly shaded Appalachian Trail approach
Heads up
- Steady uphill climb for about 1.5 miles
- Trailhead lot has only about eight spaces
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,648–3,540 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 Hightop Summit, 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
Hightop Mountain: Take the Viewpoint Spur0:00 / 0:24
“Hightop Mountain's trailhead is ahead, with a steady woodland climb to a rocky view over the Shenandoah Valley.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Sandy Bottom Overlook: The Community Below
- A Red Bird High in the Leaves
- The Newt's Years on Land
- A Frog That Freezes
- 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 Hightop Summit
A steady climb to a big viewHightop Summit is a 3-mile out-and-back from Hightop Mountain Parking Area, following the…
Hightop Summit is a 3-mile out-and-back from Hightop Mountain Parking Area, following the Appalachian Trail to a rocky viewpoint on the ridge. Allow about three hours for the climb, the view, and the walk back. The route gains roughly 935 feet over 1.5 miles, mostly in shaded woods, then opens west across the southern Shenandoah Valley. If you want a real uphill hike with a clear payoff, this is a good choice; it isn't a flat leg-stretcher.
Start on the right side of the roadThe small parking area is on the west side of Skyline Drive at mile 66.7.
The small parking area is on the west side of Skyline Drive at mile 66.7. Cross the drive and take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail south. A path leaving from the north side of the lot is not the Hightop Summit route, so don't follow it by mistake.
The ridge climbThe tread is dirt and rock, and it climbs steadily through switchbacks under a mostly wooded…
The tread is dirt and rock, and it climbs steadily through switchbacks under a mostly wooded canopy. Large boulders appear early, around the first 0.2 mile. The trees limit the views for much of the way, so save your time for the rocky opening near the top.
Take the short viewpoint spurAfter the trail curves around the summit area, take the short right-hand side path to the rocks.
After the trail curves around the summit area, take the short right-hand side path to the rocks. The view faces west over the Shenandoah Valley and layers of Blue Ridge country; Massanutten stands out across the valley. The rocks give the panorama a useful foreground if you're taking photos. The route ends at this viewpoint, then retraces the same trail to the lot.
Know the commitmentThe climb is rated moderate and gains roughly 935 feet.
The climb is rated moderate and gains roughly 935 feet. Expect an uphill walk for most of the first half and an uneven dirt-and-rock descent on the return. The route does not meet ADA accessibility guidelines. Dogs are allowed on leash no longer than six feet.
Parking and accessThe lot holds about eight cars, so arriving earlier helps if you need a space.
The lot holds about eight cars, so arriving earlier helps if you need a space. The hike itself has no separate activity fee or reservation, but Shenandoah's entrance fee applies. The hike is listed as year-round; access depends on Skyline Drive.
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.
