Parking
Small parking area for about two cars near the Simmons Gap Road gate off Rt. 628. This route starts there; a second approach near Skyline Drive milepost 73.2 reaches the same road.
Overview
About Simmons Gap Road
Why go
- Easy-to-follow woodland road with stonework and foundations to notice
Heads up
- No broad views or waterfall payoff
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation1,976–2,246 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 Simmons Gap Road, 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
Simmons Gap Road: A Boundary-Side Forest Walk0:00 / 0:21
“You're nearing Simmons Gap Road's eastern boundary gate off Route six twenty-eight, the start of a straightforward woodland walk.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Loft Mountain Overlook: County Line Mountain
- Chestnuts That Keep Starting Over
- Beldor Hollow Overlook: Two Views from One Pullout
- Rocky Mount: Save Energy for the Return Climb
- 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 Simmons Gap Road
What this walk isSimmons Gap Road is a 1.
Simmons Gap Road is a 1.6-mile out-and-back along an unpaved fire road, starting at the eastern boundary gate off Rt. 628 and climbing toward Skyline Drive. The mapped corridor is about 0.8 mile one way; allow 45 to 60 minutes for the climb and return. It is a straightforward forest walk rather than a viewpoint or waterfall hike.
Follow the roadThe road is described as smooth and easy to follow.
The road is described as smooth and easy to follow. From the boundary gate, continue uphill to the upper end near Skyline Drive, then turn around and retrace it. The same road can also be walked from the Skyline Drive side near milepost 73.2, reversing the climb.
Look for older tracesStone walls, crumbling foundations and an occasional apple tree have been noted along the road,…
Stone walls, crumbling foundations and an occasional apple tree have been noted along the road, but no names or dates are attached to them. A small stream runs beside parts of the route and may be low or dry in summer, so do not rely on it for drinking water.
Access and dogsThe east-side gate has parking for about two cars.
The east-side gate has parking for about two cars. A second approach is described from a small Skyline Drive parking area near milepost 73.2. Dogs are allowed on this road under the park’s physical-leash rule, which limits leashes to 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.
