Several local friends have asked about the Raven Rocks hike in Bluemont, VA. This is a beautiful, and surprisingly challenging, hike that leads to a large outcropping of rocks overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. The views are stunning, and it’s always nice to be rewarded after a fairly intense hike.

What you need to know about Raven Rocks:

*Directions/Parking: The trailhead is located right off of Route 7 in Bluemont. Coming from Leesburg and heading West on Route 7, turn right onto Pine Grove Road and then make a right into the small parking area. Did I mention the parking area is small? If you hike on a weekend you MUST arrive early to get a parking space. OR your alternative is to park in the overflow lot on the OTHER SIDE of Route 7. This is the parking lot at the bottom of the mountain where Bear’s Den is located (NOT the Bear’s Den parking lot that’s up the mountain near the overnight shelter). If you have to park in the overflow lot across the street from the Raven Rocks trailhead, be VERY careful crossing Route 7 as it’s 4-lanes of 70+ mile-per-hour traffic. During the week it’s usually not a problem to get a parking space at the Raven Rocks trailhead.

*Trail Conditions: The trail is well-maintained and follows the Appalachian Trail the whole way, which is marked with white blazes (white paint markings on trees to mark the direction of the trail). The terrain is rocky, so if you have hiking shoes definitely wear them. You can absolutely do this trail in sneakers, but you will feel the rocks under your feet for sure. There are also two small streams that cross the trail. Be prepared to step from rock to rock (pretty easy, but FYI).

*Length/Time to Complete: Raven Rocks is a 5.5 mile out-and-back hike. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well…Appalachian Trail (AT) through-hikers and locals call this section of the AT “The Roller Coaster” as there are three fairly strenuous ascents to tackle. Distance can be deceiving! Your heart rate WILL go up on this trail for sure. Awesome workout. Depending on your pace, plan for (on average) around a 4 hour hike.

*Family Friendly? Hmmm…I haven’t taken the kids on the trail yet, and I’m not sure if they’re ready (or rather, I’m not sure if I’m ready to listen to them complain about the ascents). You may want to try the hike on your own or with other adults first to see if you think your kids would be able to complete it without driving you crazy! If I had to guess I’d say that kids over the age of 10, who are physically active, should be able to complete the hike.

*Views: AMAZING! The views from Raven Rocks certainly make this hike 100 percent worth it. We went on a cloudy day and it was still stunning. Be aware that there is a small overlook (I believe somewhere around the 2nd ascent?) that may make you stop and wonder if you’ve reached Raven Rocks…don’t be fooled. Keep going! You’ll know when you reach the actual location. And when you reach Raven Rocks, take a walk around and notice all of the different perches/accessible cliffs. You can see why this location is really popular with rock climbers.