Parking
Start at Milam Gap parking on Skyline Drive. Cross the road and take the short Appalachian Trail connector to Mill Prong.
Overview
About Rapidan Camp via Mill Prong
Why go
- Historic Hoover-era buildings and exhibits at the destination
- A wooded stream route with a clear turnaround point
Heads up
- Three stream crossings can be difficult after rain or ice
- The return climbs back to Milam Gap
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,562–3,261 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 Rapidan Camp via Mill Prong, 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
Milam Gap: The Walk to Rapidan Camp0:00 / 0:37
“Milam Gap is coming up, where you can hike to Rapidan Camp, Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover's mountain retreat.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Naked Creek Overlook: Elkton Beyond the Ridges
- Tanners Ridge Overlook: A Field Above Stanley
- Big Meadows: Deer and a Break from the Forest
- When Big Meadows Was a Glider 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 Rapidan Camp via Mill Prong
The walk to Hoover’s campRapidan Camp via Mill Prong is a 4-mile out-and-back from Milam Gap to President Herbert…
Rapidan Camp via Mill Prong is a 4-mile out-and-back from Milam Gap to President Herbert Hoover’s former mountain retreat. Allow about 2 hours 45 minutes for a moderate hike with roughly 870 feet of elevation gain. The route descends through the Mill Prong valley to camp, then follows the same path uphill on the return.
The creek crossings matterFrom Milam Gap, cross Skyline Drive and follow the Appalachian Trail connector to the…
From Milam Gap, cross Skyline Drive and follow the Appalachian Trail connector to the blue-blazed Mill Prong Trail. At the second stream crossing, turn right onto the yellow-blazed Mill Prong Horse Trail and continue downhill to camp. There are three crossings, each about eight feet wide. Rain can make them harder, and the park map warns against crossing in icy conditions; turn around if the water or footing feels unsafe.
Hoover’s summer retreatThe Hoovers used Rapidan Camp as their summer White House from 1929 to 1932.
The Hoovers used Rapidan Camp as their summer White House from 1929 to 1932. They chose the wooded site where two streams meet to form the Rapidan River. The Brown House and the nearby Prime Minister’s Cabin are the main historic buildings; the cabin holds an exhibit about the Hoovers and their presidency. The buildings and exhibits open intermittently, so check with the visitor center if you are planning around a tour.
Before you set outStart at the Milam Gap parking area on Skyline Drive.
Start at the Milam Gap parking area on Skyline Drive. No separate hike reservation or day-use ticket is required; the park entrance fee applies. Dogs are allowed on leashes 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.
