Rockytop–Big Run Portal Loop

Rockytop–Big Run Portal is a rugged, mapped 13.4-mile loop from Browns Gap Parking on Skyline Drive. Go north on the Appalachian Trail, turn onto Big Run Trail at the junction, and continue to the four-way junction; there, stay on Rockytop over the ridge. The route drops into Big Run, follows Big Run Portal beside the creek, climbs out on Big Run Trail, and returns over the short Big Run and Appalachian Trail access used at the start. The total includes those repeated segments. Similar Big Run routes use different returns, so follow the Portal branch to match this line. Budget about 8–10 hours for a day hike; the rough tread and creek crossings make an overnight more comfortable for many hikers.

After the four-way junction, Rockytop passes the Austin Mountain and Lewis Mountain trail junctions before crossing long talus slopes. The tread becomes rocky and, in places, overgrown; some stretches are marked by blazes across rock instead of a clear footpath. The open ledges look west toward Massanutten Mountain and Lewis Peak. The last roughly two miles drop nearly 1,500 feet into Big Run, so the ridge is a long, demanding section rather than a quick viewpoint detour. Mountain laurel and rhododendron make tunnel-like stretches in June, and late summer can bring blueberries along the ridge.

At the bottom of the ridge, turn onto Big Run Portal. The first half-mile follows an old roadbed to a metal bridge, then the trail continues through a wooded creek corridor. It is a marked change from the rocky, open ridge: the stream becomes the main landmark, and the route crosses it repeatedly before reaching the Big Run Trail junction.

Some Big Run crossings are hard to read because the next blaze can be on a midstream island or the far bank. Pause at each crossing and look for the marked continuation before leaving the bank. In spring or after heavy rain, water can rise to knee or waist depth; high water can make this loop unsafe to continue. The metal bridge is only one crossing point, not a way around the repeated creek work.

After the Portal junction, Big Run Trail climbs steeply for about 1.2 miles to the four-way junction. The return is still work: turn left to retrace about 0.65 mile on the Big Run Trail access, then take the Appalachian Trail south for about 0.6 mile to Browns Gap. Those shared sections are part of the full loop and its distance, not a separate spur to skip on the map.

A two-day plan leaves more time for the ridge and stream crossings. Backcountry camping requires a separate permit, and camps must be at least 10 yards from streams; a camping permit does not replace the park entrance pass needed for Skyline Drive. Dogs may use these trails on a physical leash no longer than six feet.