Parking
Elkwallow Wayside parking lot, Skyline Drive mile 24. Parking capacity and overflow arrangements were not verified.
Overview
About Knob Mountain - Jeremys Run Loop
This six-mile loop starts at Elkwallow Wayside, follows upper Jeremys Run, climbs Knob Mountain and returns on the Elkwallow Trail. It is a moderately strenuous, wooded circuit with a stream crossing and about 1,303 feet of gain. Plan on about 7.5 hours; this is a full-day hike even at six miles.
Why go
- A complete loop begins and ends at Elkwallow Wayside.
- A stream crossing, wooded ridge and boardwalk break up the long forest walk.
- No reservation is required for the day hike.
Heads up
- The steep cutoff climb and 7.5-hour estimate make this a full-day commitment.
- Stepping stones cross Jeremys Run on the uphill section.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,975–2,720 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 Knob Mountain - Jeremys Run 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
Elkwallow: Burgers and a Picnic Break0:00 / 0:26
“You're approaching Elkwallow Wayside, a useful stop for a quick meal or camping supplies on the northern stretch of the drive.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Antlers Built Again Each Year
- Piney River: A CCC Office and a Longer Walk
- Rattlesnake Point Overlook: Tiny Bubbles in the Rock
- Mathews Arm: The Hike to Overall Run Falls
- 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 Knob Mountain - Jeremys Run Loop
Follow the routeFrom the wayside lot, take the Appalachian Trail to the Jeremys Run Upper junction.
From the wayside lot, take the Appalachian Trail to the Jeremys Run Upper junction. Stay straight onto the blue-blazed Jeremys Run trail, then turn right onto Knob Mountain Cutoff. The cutoff crosses the run on stepping stones and climbs steeply by switchbacks. Turn right onto the yellow-blazed Knob Mountain Trail and follow it toward Mathews Arm Campground’s registration station. Continue via the Elkwallow Trail to return to the wayside.
What the circuit feels likeMuch of the hike is in forested wilderness.
Much of the hike is in forested wilderness. The route links a close stream crossing with a long climb, a wooded ridge and a return through the campground area. A wooden boardwalk crosses Jeremys Run on the Elkwallow Trail. This short circuit turns toward Knob Mountain at the cutoff; longer Jeremys Run hikes continue farther down the creek and include different route sections.
Start, supplies and trail rulesThe trailhead is Elkwallow Wayside at Skyline Drive mile 24.
The trailhead is Elkwallow Wayside at Skyline Drive mile 24. A park entrance fee applies; the hike itself has no activity fee or reservation requirement. The wayside offers food service and camping supplies when open, so check current hours before relying on it. Pets are allowed on leash no longer than six feet. The trail is not ADA accessible. The area map advises carrying at least a quart of water per hour and warns that cell and GPS coverage can be unreliable.
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.
