Mill Prong - Laurel Prong Loop

Mill Prong - Laurel Prong Loop is a 7.4-mile circuit from Milam Gap to Rapidan Camp and back by Laurel Prong and the Appalachian Trail over Hazeltop. It suits hikers who want a full day out with a historic destination in the middle. The National Park Service calls it moderately strenuous and estimates 7–8 hours with 1,520 feet of climbing. If Camp is your only goal, a separate Mill Prong out-and-back is about 4.2 miles round trip; it returns the same way and skips the ridge circuit.

From the parking area, cross Skyline Drive, follow the Appalachian Trail a few feet to the trailpost, then turn left onto the blue-blazed Mill Prong Trail. A slight right puts you on the yellow-blazed Mill Prong Horse Trail toward Camp. The route follows the stream through forest, with three crossings the NPS describes as about eight feet wide. Rain can raise the water and make them difficult. Big Rock Falls is a small cascade along Mill Prong, a good place to pause before continuing to Camp.

Rapidan Camp, also called Camp Hoover, was Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover’s rustic retreat. Hoover used it from 1929 to 1932; the 164-acre property was later donated to the park, and the site became a National Historic Landmark in 1988. The historic area includes the Brown House, Creel Cabin and Prime Minister’s Cabin, with exhibits about the First Couple. A deck and benches by the river make this a natural place to stop before starting the return side.

From Camp, follow Laurel Prong’s old road trace, yellow-blazed for about half a mile, then stay on the blue-blazed trail past the Cat Knob junction to the Appalachian Trail. The Laurel Prong tread is rocky in places; the lower stretch winds through open woods and mountain laurel, and can get muddy when water runs over the trail.

Turn north on the Appalachian Trail and cross Hazeltop, Shenandoah’s third-highest peak, on the way back to Milam Gap. The route is mostly wooded, but a rocky outcrop near Hazeltop opens to a valley view. This ridge return is a long finish after the descent to Camp, so leave enough time for it.

Start at the Milam Gap parking area on Skyline Drive at mile 52.8. The first turn is across the road, and the route returns to the same parking area. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet; the trail is not ADA accessible. A park entrance fee is required. The loop has no reservation requirement, but check current park notices and stream conditions before setting out.