Do you need a separate day-use pass for Old Rag besides the entrance fee?

Yes. From March 1 through November 30, anyone hiking the Saddle, Ridge, or Ridge Access trails on Old Rag Mountain needs an Old Rag day-use ticket purchased in advance, and this is separate from the park entrance pass. The park states plainly that an Old Rag day-use ticket does not exempt a visitor from buying a Park entrance pass, because entrance passes and Old Rag day-use tickets are separate transactions. Source: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/faqs-oldrag.htm

The day-use ticket costs $2.00 per person, with every hiker needing their own ticket regardless of age, since each ticket only covers one person. A total of 800 tickets are available each day, split into two releases: 400 go out 30 days in advance and the remaining 400 are released five days in advance. Tickets must be bought online or by phone before arriving, since there is no internet service at the Old Rag entrance station to sell them on site. Source: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/faqs-oldrag.htm

The ticket only applies to the Saddle, Ridge, and Ridge Access trails; trails and roads not highlighted on the park's map, including Weakley Hollow Fire Road, do not require one. Source: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/faqs-oldrag.htm

On verification: the person who reserved the ticket must present a Ranger at the Old Rag Entrance Station with a photo ID to use the reserved tickets, and anyone without a valid ID will not be allowed to hike. Hikers are told to bring an entrance pass or money to buy one, a photo ID, and a printout or screenshot of the day-use ticket. Source: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/faqs-oldrag.htm

Backcountry campers are not exempt either: every person needs a separate day-use ticket for each day they plan to spend within the Old Rag ticket area, in addition to whatever backcountry camping permit applies. Source: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/faqs-oldrag.htm

Note that as of a 2026 infrastructure project, the main Old Rag Trailhead parking lot is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic effective May 4, 2026, with completion expected by November 2026; visitors can reach the trailhead via existing overflow parking lots in the meantime. Source: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/faqs-oldrag.htm