Parking
Start and finish at the Piney River access on Skyline Drive near milepost 22.
Overview
About Piney Branch and Piney Ridge Loop
Why go
- Small waterfalls and a cascading stream along Piney Branch
- A varied loop links a stream valley with a wooded ridge
Heads up
- Several stream crossings can run high in spring or after heavy rain
- The Pole Bridge Link camp spur is retraced before the loop continues
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,467–3,104 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 Piney Branch and Piney Ridge 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
Piney River: A CCC Office and a Longer Walk0:00 / 0:27
“You're approaching Piney River, a hiking access point with a surviving office from a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Landscape architects worked here on plans for the park's infrastructure.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rattlesnake Point Overlook: Tiny Bubbles in the Rock
- Mathews Arm: The Hike to Overall Run Falls
- Hogback Overlook: A Quick Valley Panorama
- Elkwallow: Burgers and a Picnic Break
- 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 Piney Branch and Piney Ridge Loop
What the loop is likeThis experienced 10-mile circuit pairs the cascading stream and small waterfalls of Piney…
This experienced 10-mile circuit pairs the cascading stream and small waterfalls of Piney Branch with a wooded ridge return. The route starts and finishes at Piney River, follows the stream downhill, then climbs through Hull School and Fork Mountain to Piney Ridge before returning on a service road. If you hike the full circuit in one day, allow roughly eight hours on foot; that is a planning estimate, while the established backpacking itinerary splits the route over three days and two nights.
Piney Branch and the camp spurFrom Piney River, follow Piney Branch downhill for about 1.
From Piney River, follow Piney Branch downhill for about 1.4 miles, then take Pole Bridge Link roughly 0.4 mile to the first backcountry camp area. The full circuit retraces that short link to Piney Branch, then continues downstream for about 3 miles. That backtrack is part of the 10-mile itinerary.
The ridge returnBelow the Hull School junction, turn southwest on Hull School Trail for about 0.
Below the Hull School junction, turn southwest on Hull School Trail for about 0.7 mile, then take Fork Mountain Trail for 1.2 miles. Piney Ridge climbs uphill for roughly 2 miles; the last 0.7 mile on a service road returns to the vehicle. The documented destination is a wooded ridgetop, not a confirmed overlook.
Crossings and trip planningThere are several stream crossings, and water can run high in spring or after heavy rain.
There are several stream crossings, and water can run high in spring or after heavy rain. This is a long, experienced backcountry route: carry a detailed North District map, and plan enough time for the crossings and climb.
Access, dogs and campingBegin and end at the Piney River access on Skyline Drive near milepost 22.
Begin and end at the Piney River access on Skyline Drive near milepost 22. Overnight hikers need a backcountry permit and must plan their entry, exit and camping zones. Dogs are allowed on this route; keep them 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.
