Parking
Start at the Paine Run Trailhead parking area at Blackrock Gap on Skyline Drive. Park admission applies; there is no separate trail fee.
Overview
About Paine Run Trail
Why go
- A quiet, wooded creek route with the former springs resort site along the way.
Heads up
- The return climbs steadily, and creek crossings can be awkward after rain.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,450–2,313 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 Paine Run 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
Blackrock Gap: The Long Trayfoot–Paine Run Loop0:00 / 0:29
“You’re approaching Blackrock Gap, the start of the long Trayfoot Mountain–Paine Run loop.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Trayfoot Mountain Overlook: The Southward View
- The Resort Below Blackrock Gap
- A Trail for Time Away
- Blackrock Summit: A Short Walk to the Boulder Field
- 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 Paine Run Trail
The walkPaine Run Trail is a 7.
Paine Run Trail is a 7.4-mile out-and-back from the Paine Run Trailhead at Blackrock Gap to the western park boundary and back. The single mapped corridor is about 3.7 miles each way; allow around 4.5 hours for the descent, several creek crossings, and the roughly 860-foot climb back to Skyline Drive. This is a shaded creek-valley walk rather than a summit hike. A one-way finish needs a second vehicle at the boundary, where parking is limited, so this guide uses the simpler return route.
Down to Paine RunThe natural-surface path follows an old roadbed through forest and descends steadily toward…
The natural-surface path follows an old roadbed through forest and descends steadily toward Paine Run. It crosses the stream several times. After rain, one crossing has been high enough to require wading, so check the water before committing to the far end. The climb back to Skyline Drive is the main effort. Carry all drinking water; no reliable potable source was found on the route. Pets are allowed on a physical leash no longer than six feet.
The old springs resortThe route passes the site associated with Black Rock Springs Hotel, which opened in the 1830s.
The route passes the site associated with Black Rock Springs Hotel, which opened in the 1830s. Mineral springs drew visitors to the South District long before the park became a hiking destination. The hotel story adds a surprising resort chapter to an otherwise wooded creek walk.
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.
