Parking
Start at the Loft Mountain Wayside parking area, Skyline Drive mile 79.5. Walk north along the grassy shoulder to the yellow-blazed trail.
Overview
About Patterson Ridge Trail
Why go
- Wooded ridge walking with occasional mountain views.
Heads up
- About 1,600 feet of climbing on the return.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,424–2,946 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 Patterson Ridge 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 area
Loft Mountain Wayside: Milkshakes and a Short Hike0:00 / 0:27
“You're coming up on Loft Mountain Wayside, a handy seasonal stop for sandwiches, milkshakes and a break from driving. I'd look for a black raspberry milkshake if you want a treat.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rockytop Overlook: Ridges and a Fire Story
- Loft Mountain Campground: Nights on Big Flat Mountain
- Doyles River Falls: Make Time for Both
- Ivy Creek Overlook: Three Mountains and an Optional Walk
- 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 Patterson Ridge Trail
What the route isPatterson Ridge Trail is a 3.
Patterson Ridge Trail is a 3.1-mile one-way ridge walk from Skyline Drive near Loft Mountain to the Big Run Portal Trail junction. For this listing, turn around there and retrace the same trail for about 6.2 miles total. The route gives you partial views through trees, not a single open summit. I’d choose it for a substantial ridge hike and workout; it is a poor fit if you want a waterfall or a big panorama at the turnaround.
The climb and turnaroundFrom the Wayside, walk north along the grassy shoulder to the yellow-blazed trail.
From the Wayside, walk north along the grassy shoulder to the yellow-blazed trail. The first roughly 100 yards climb steeply; after that the route trends down toward Big Run Portal, with occasional glimpses through the trees. It ends at a valley junction, not a developed overlook, so pause there and reverse course. The return is the hard half: about 1,600 feet of climbing back to Skyline Drive. Allow roughly four to five hours for the full walk.
Start and park rulesThe Loft Mountain Wayside parking area is at Skyline Drive mile 79.5.
The Loft Mountain Wayside parking area is at Skyline Drive mile 79.5. A park entrance pass is required. Dogs are allowed on this trail on a physical leash no longer than six feet. The nearby Wayside has snacks in its operating season, and the Campstore sells food and camping supplies; both are separate from the trail.
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.
