Parking
Shared Keyser Run / Little Devils Stairs boundary parking off Route 614; space for about ten cars. Keep the road and gate clear. The route begins on Keyser Run Fire Road after a short walk from the lot.
Overview
About Keyser and Piney Loop
Why go
- Cascades and small waterfalls along Piney Branch.
- A wooded-ridgetop return gives the loop a clear change of scenery.
Heads up
- An experienced, two-day outing with backcountry permit and campsite planning.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,329–3,025 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 Keyser and Piney 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 trailhead
Keyser Run Boundary: A Backcountry Starting Point0:00 / 0:27
“You're nearing the Keyser Run boundary parking area off Route six fourteen, a starting point for planned backcountry trips.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mount Marshall Overlook: A Piedmont Pause
- Keyser Run: A Full Day at Little Devils Stairs
- Little Devils Stairs Overlook: A Glimpse into the Gorge
- Rattlesnake Point Overlook: Tiny Bubbles in the Rock
- 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 Keyser and Piney Loop
The two-day loopThe full loop is about 13 miles, linking Keyser Run Fire Road, Hull School Trail, Piney Branch,…
The full loop is about 13 miles, linking Keyser Run Fire Road, Hull School Trail, Piney Branch, the Appalachian Trail, and Piney Ridge. Plan for roughly 12 hours of hiking across two days; that time is an estimate, not a published route time. The itinerary splits the walk into about 5.1–5.7 miles before camp and 7.7–8.3 miles on the return day. Pole Bridge Link is an optional campsite spur and adds mileage.
Piney Branch crossingsThe stream valley is the route’s main draw, with cascades and small waterfalls.
The stream valley is the route’s main draw, with cascades and small waterfalls. Several crossings on Piney Branch can be difficult when water is high. The itinerary offers Keyser Run Fire Road instead of Piney Branch as a winter or heavy-rain alternative; that changes the mapped loop.
The ridge returnFrom upper Piney Branch, the route takes the Appalachian Trail and a short access road to Piney…
From upper Piney Branch, the route takes the Appalachian Trail and a short access road to Piney Ridge, then descends to Piney Branch and returns on Hull School and Keyser Run. Expect a wooded ridge rather than a summit overlook. Keep track of the named turns through this backcountry network; phone and GPS coverage is unreliable.
Overnight planningThis is an experienced-level backcountry itinerary, intended to be split over two days.
This is an experienced-level backcountry itinerary, intended to be split over two days. Camping requires a backcountry permit, and the optional Pole Bridge Link leads toward the campsite area. Dogs are allowed on most trails but must stay 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.
