Parking
Park at the far end of Pinnacles Picnic Grounds on Skyline Drive, at mile 36.7. Find the Appalachian Trail sign near the restrooms.
Overview
About The Pinnacle via Appalachian Trail
Why go
- A summit and west-facing views in a short hike
- Pedlar granite adds a distinct detail to the wooded climb
Heads up
- The best views come from only one or two small openings
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation3,287–3,707 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 The Pinnacle via Appalachian 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 trailhead
Pinnacles Picnic Grounds: Lunch and a Four-Sided Fireplace0:00 / 0:26
“The entrance to Pinnacles Picnic Grounds is coming up, a good place to eat a lunch you've brought. Tables are scattered around the loop rather than gathered in one spot.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Jewell Hollow Overlook: Ridges and Morning Star Lake
- Corbin Cabin Cutoff: A Steep Walk to a Log Home
- Pinnacles Overlook: Old Rag Across the Valley
- Stony Man Mountain Overlook: The Roadside View
- 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 The Pinnacle via Appalachian Trail
A short ridge hikeThe Pinnacle via Appalachian Trail is a 2.
The Pinnacle via Appalachian Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back from Pinnacles Picnic Grounds to the broad summit, then back the same way. Allow about 1¾ hours. The full return walk has roughly 560 feet of cumulative climbing, including a small dip before the final climb. Choose it for a real summit and a couple of west-facing Shenandoah Valley views without committing to the much longer Appalachian Trail extension toward Marys Rock.
Follow the white blazesFrom the far end of the picnic area, walk toward the Appalachian Trail sign near the restrooms…
From the far end of the picnic area, walk toward the Appalachian Trail sign near the restrooms and follow the white blazes. The first stretch is mostly level and shaded. Pass the Jewell Hollow Overlook turnoff, then continue straight at the Leading Ridge Trail junction about half a mile in. The trail drops a little before it starts climbing more steadily; stay on the AT at both junctions to reach The Pinnacle.
The valley opens through the treesA break beyond the Jewell Hollow turnoff looks north and west across the Shenandoah Valley…
A break beyond the Jewell Hollow turnoff looks north and west across the Shenandoah Valley toward Luray and Massanutten Mountain. The rest of the approach stays wooded, so the view comes in openings rather than one long panorama. Near the summit, the trail steepens and passes large blocks of Pedlar Formation granite, an unusual rock type in this part of the park.
A broad summit, not a spireThe high point is fairly level and spread out.
The high point is fairly level and spread out. The best one or two viewpoints are a little south of the top and face west; Marys Peak is visible to the north. Walk past the highest ground before turning around, since the clearest openings are just beyond it.
Start at the picnic groundsPark at the far end of Pinnacles Picnic Grounds on Skyline Drive, mile 36.7.
Park at the far end of Pinnacles Picnic Grounds on Skyline Drive, mile 36.7. The restrooms and picnic tables are close to the AT sign, and the grounds have a year-round water faucet. Leashed dogs are allowed; keep the leash no longer than six feet. The upper approach is steeper and rocky underfoot, especially where granite blocks border 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.
