How to Get a Old Rag Permit
A 9.4-mile circuit with a genuine rock scramble on it, capped at 800 tickets a day, sold at two dollars a head - and every person needs one, whatever their age.
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People Per Day
$2.00 per Old Rag day-use ticket. Park entrance passes and Old Rag tickets are separate transactions.
Permit Cost
7 hours 30 minutes
Duration
9.4 miles
Distance
2,348'
Elevation Gain
About Old Rag
From March 1 to November 30, visitors to Old Rag Mountain need to obtain an Old Rag day-use ticket in advance, in addition to a park entrance pass. A total of 800 tickets are available for each day, and every person is required to have a ticket, no matter what age - so the cap is 800 people, not 800 parties or 800 vehicles. The release is split in two: exactly 400 are released 30 days in advance of the reservation date, and the remaining 400 are released 5 days in advance of each date. Each ticket costs $2.00. They are sold online or by calling 877-444-6777, through Recreation.gov facility 10088450, and entrance passes and Old Rag day-use tickets are separate transactions. The ticket covers hikers on the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails. Areas not highlighted on the park's map do not require one, and the park names Weakley Hollow Fire Road specifically - so the fire road is a ticket-free way onto the mountain. The hike itself: the park publishes 9.4 miles as a circuit with 2,348 feet of elevation gain, rates it very strenuous, and gives 7 hours 30 minutes as a typical time. Its own description features an adventurous rock scramble and a 360-degree view, alongside a warning that hiking to the summit is very physically demanding and can be dangerous if you have not planned properly. Pets are not allowed on this hike. One major 2026 constraint: effective May 4, 2026 the park began infrastructure work at the Old Rag Trailhead main parking lot, expected to complete by November 2026, and until then the main parking lot is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Visitors can access the trailhead via existing overflow parking lots. The park does not publish the names of those lots or how many spaces were lost, so plan for a longer walk to the start than the mileage suggests.
Old Rag is the most popular destination in Shenandoah National Park, and the ticket system exists because it was being loved to pieces. The park's own summary is candid: highly rewarding, also very physically demanding, and dangerous if you have not planned properly.
The Experience
Forest switchbacks give way to granite, and then for the better part of a mile you are wedging through boulder chutes and hauling yourself up rock steps with a 360-degree view opening behind you. Slow, physical, and nothing like the rest of the park.
The park publishes the circuit at 9.4 miles with 2,348 feet of gain, rates it very strenuous, and gives a typical time of 7 hours 30 minutes. Pets are not allowed.
The ticket is required from March 1 to November 30 for visitors to Old Rag Mountain, in addition to a park entrance pass, and it covers hikers on the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails. Trails and areas not highlighted on the park's map do not require a ticket, and it names Weakley Hollow Fire Road specifically - so the fire road route needs no ticket at all.
What to Expect
800 tickets per day, and every person needs one regardless of age
400 released 30 days ahead and 400 released 5 days ahead
$2.00 per ticket, and a separate park entrance pass
Required March 1 to November 30 on the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails
No ticket needed for Weakley Hollow Fire Road
9.4 miles, 2,348 feet of gain, and a typical time of 7 hours 30 minutes
The main trailhead parking lot is closed to all traffic through November 2026
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Permit Requirements
From March 1 to November 30, every visitor to Old Rag Mountain needs a day-use ticket in advance, in addition to a park entrance pass
Every person is required to have a ticket, no matter what age
The ticket covers hikers on the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails
Weakley Hollow Fire Road does not require an Old Rag day-use ticket
Entrance passes and Old Rag day-use tickets are separate transactions
Pets are not allowed on this hike
The main parking lot is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until the trailhead work completes, expected November 2026
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •Shoes with real grip. The scramble is granite and it is slick when wet
- •More water than you think - 9.4 miles and 2,348 feet with a scramble in the middle takes most people over seven hours
- •A pack that will not snag; several chute moves are tight
- •Sun protection for the exposed summit ridge
Recommended Gear
- •Gloves for the rock
- •A headlamp, in case the scramble takes longer than planned
- •Trekking poles you can stow - they are a liability in the chutes
- •Layers; the summit is considerably windier than the parking area
Hazards & Safety
The scramble. The park describes the hike as very physically demanding and dangerous if you have not planned properly
Wet granite, which turns the chutes from awkward into genuinely risky
Slow going - parties routinely take longer than the park's 7.5-hour estimate and finish in the dark
The 2026 parking closure, which adds distance before you start
Thunderstorms on an exposed granite ridge
Best Time to Visit
April through June and September through November - the ticket season runs March 1 to November 30. October is peak colour and the tickets go fastest then. Avoid it in the rain: the scramble is the whole point of the hike and wet granite is the whole problem with it.
Pro Tips
Two release waves, 30 days and 5 days out. If you miss the first, set an alarm for the second - it is another 400 tickets.
Every person needs their own $2 ticket, including children. A family of four books four.
The Weakley Hollow Fire Road route needs no ticket at all, which is a genuine option if the day you want is sold out.
Start early. The park's own estimate is 7 hours 30 minutes and the scramble creates queues at the tight moves on busy days.
Plan around the closed main lot through November 2026 - the overflow lots add walking before the 9.4 miles even start.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Old Rag permit?
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Old Rag permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Old Rag?
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April through June and September through November - the ticket season runs March 1 to November 30. October is peak colour and the tickets go fastest then. Avoid it in the rain: the scramble is the whole point of the hike and wet granite is the whole problem with it.
How difficult is Old Rag?
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Fit day hikers who are comfortable using their hands. The scramble is the reason to come and the reason people struggle.
What gear do I need for Old Rag?
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Essential gear includes: Shoes with real grip. The scramble is granite and it is slick when wet, More water than you think - 9.4 miles and 2,348 feet with a scramble in the middle takes most people over seven hours, A pack that will not snag; several chute moves are tight, Sun protection for the exposed summit ridge.
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