Parking
Use the Ivy Creek Overlook parking area on Skyline Drive at mile 77.5; start at its south end beside the Appalachian Trail panel and concrete marker. Park entrance fee applies.
Overview
About Ivy Creek via the Appalachian Trail
Why go
- A shaded creek and a rocky ridge-view opening on a short AT outing.
- The creek gives the walk a clear turnaround.
Heads up
- You reach the creek at the low point, then climb back over uneven dirt and rock.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,562–3,064 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 Ivy Creek via the Appalachian Trail, 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
Ivy Creek Overlook: Three Mountains and an Optional Walk0:00 / 0:26
“Ivy Creek Overlook is coming up, an easy stop for an eastward view across three mountains. Once you're facing the view, Weaver slopes down from the left, Loft from the right, and Flattop sits straight ahead.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rockytop Overlook: Ridges and a Fire Story
- Brown Mountain Overlook: Big Run Without the Hike
- Two Mile Run Overlook: White Cliffs in the Forest
- 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 Ivy Creek via the Appalachian Trail
The creek walkThis is a 2.
This is a 2.8-mile out-and-back on the Appalachian Trail from Ivy Creek Overlook to Ivy Creek, 1.4 miles each way. The trail drops to a shaded, cascading stream, then you retrace the same rocky route uphill. Allow about 1.5–2.5 hours and roughly 800 feet of climbing across the round trip. It suits a short outing if you’re comfortable with a dirt-and-rock trail and a steady climb back.
The first mileStart at the south end of the overlook area and follow the Appalachian Trail south.
Start at the south end of the overlook area and follow the Appalachian Trail south. Most of the tread is dirt and rock. Small east-facing gaps appear before a rocky, west-facing opening at about 0.8 mile, with views toward Lewis Peak and Rockytop Mountain. After that, low growth closes in near the path, and the trail passes close to Skyline Drive in a couple of places.
At Ivy CreekAt about 1.4 miles, the AT reaches the creek in a shaded low spot.
At about 1.4 miles, the AT reaches the creek in a shaded low spot. Water runs over rocks into small pools. Turn around at the creek; the trail continues beyond, so going farther adds distance. The return climbs the same route. The overlook’s broad east-facing view is a roadside stop at the start; the rocky opening is the view from the hike itself.
Start and dogsUse the Ivy Creek Overlook parking area on Skyline Drive at mile 77.
Use the Ivy Creek Overlook parking area on Skyline Drive at mile 77.5, starting beside the AT interpretive panel and concrete marker. The panel covers the park’s 101-mile Appalachian Trail section and its volunteer maintainers. The park entrance fee applies. Dogs are allowed on this route; keep them on a physical leash no longer than six feet. No toilet or potable-water facilities were verified at the overlook.
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.
