Elliot Knob Hike

Elliot Knob - Buffalo Gap, Virginia


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Length	Difficulty	Streams	Views	Solitude	Camping
8.5 mls
Hiking Time: Elev. Gain: Links: Resources:	5.5 hours plus a half hour for lunch 2,425 ft George Washington National Forest Printable Topo Hike Map (PDF) Staunton Weather Forecast Graphic Precip/Temp Forecast Current Weather Radar Loop (Java) Garmin (GDB), GPS eXchange (GPX) (What's this?) 3D View of Route!
From:	e.g.. 12000 Government Center Parkway 22035 or Fairfax VA Park on VA42 at a small turn-in and closed gate. There will be a stop sign with '291' attached to it.

Elliot Knob is the highest point in the GWNF, and one of the highest peaks in Virginia. Just west of Staunton and secluded in Buffalo Gap, this hike features two waterfalls, several great views to the west and east, and a grass covered summit. If you're lucky, this hidden treasure can be all yours for a day.

From the small parking area pass the closed gate and head up Falls Hollow Trail. The trail is marked with both yellow blazes and yellow plastic diamonds, and follows an old logging road for the first 1.5 miles.

At 0.4 miles pass a small logging road on your right, the first of four. In 0.6 miles from the parking area the trail makes a turn to the left before entering the first of three small clearings at 0.8 miles.

Pass through the clearings and arrive at Falls Hollow Run on your right in another 0.6 miles. Continue up the trail, cross the run, and in 50 yards reach the first of the two main falls. Cross the run again, where the trail becomes steep, then arrive at the largest set of falls in another 0.3 miles. There is a yellow diamond on a tree, and small pile of rocks marking the falls.

In another 0.1 miles the trail turns off the old FS road to the left. The turn is marked by three yellow diamonds. The old Falls Hollow Trail continues straight and is no longer navigable.

After turning left on the yellow blazed trail continue 0.8 miles, crossing two small spurs, and passing through a utility clear cut before arriving at an access road. Turn right uphill on the yellow blazed dirt access road for the steepest part of the hike before arriving at a spring and small pond in 1.0 miles.

Continue along the road as it passes a small stand of spruce, winds back to the right, then to the left, passes the yellow blazed North Mountain Trail and transmission station, then enters another stand of spruce and flatter area.

At this point the dirt road you have been following turns to the right towards the transmission station. Turn left onto the trail that climbs on the west side of the mountain and up to the grass covered summit in another 0.1 miles. The lookout tower was built in 1958 and hasn't been used since the early sixties. If you are doing this hike as a backpack there are two sheltered campsites under a stand of spruce at the summit.

To return retrace the route you took up. However, be alert for the left turn off the steep dirt access road onto the trail that leads back towards the run. There are three yellow diamonds making the intersection, take the immediate left onto he trail.

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Hiker Reviews For The Elliot Knob Hike (5 Most Recent)

Review the Elliot Knob hike here! Average Review Rating:

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, January 16, 2010
Just finished hiking in heavy snow--a slosh fest but well worth it. Followed two pairs of interesting tracks for about two miles in the snow. Each looked like a big cat print, with the larger track as wide as my palm--a cougar?

By: Rufus Master	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, September 12, 2009
Had a great time making a backpacking trip out of this. It was clear and pleasant. Had not rained much recently, so as expected the waterfalls were not flowing heavily, but still pretty, a good drink, would have been a refreshing dip. Pay attention to that elevation profile, it is uninterrupted vertical climb: very nice forest stretch for the first 3 miles. As others have mentioned the last 1.3 miles are quite strenuous and tricky on the gravel road. But if you know what you're getting into, and approach this hike like it's a going to be a workout, then you'll get it, and are in for a treat at the top and on your way down. If doing a day hike, prob worth it to budget a little time to hang out on top. Poles would have been useful going down the road, but weren't a necessity in dry weather. Solitude factor was great, never saw another hiker (or camper) during our 24 hours (on a beautiful weather Saturday-Sunday in September) Wildlife: unidentified heavy footsteps at summit in AM, black snake on trail.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Thursday, July 02, 2009
A good hike overall with a strenuous steep climb the last mile on a very rocky rough road. The waterfalls are nice and one is a great place to soak tired feet on the way down. The hike down is very challenging on that first mile of rocky rough road. The view from the top is excellent including the fire tower which has a breech in the fence that surrounds it. It is definitely a good workout for a rewarding view!

By: flyingcrook	Rating:	Date of Hike: Tuesday, June 09, 2009
It was a good hike. The very steep at trail road at the end made the hike seems a lot longer than 8 miles. I saw a mother bear with two cubs about a quarter of a mile before making the left off the old logging road. I never would have seen them until they started making noise. I didn't see another person on the trail. But there must have been horses earlier in the day or the previous day. All the rain we had in the past days made the falls really nice but some other the streams a little sketchy, it was easy enough to walk up the stream a little ways to find a better place to cross.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, June 07, 2009
The trail head is hard to see from the road and I passed it and stopped 0.3 miles further up the road and began my hike in error from that site. I was on the access road to the communication tower and the trail went straight up a difficult, rocky ascent that lasted almost two hours. Coming down I picked up the correct trail and it was great, really scenic. The streams were gushing and I was the only person on the trail until I saw one couple about a half hour from the end. On exiting I had to walk along the highway to my car but that was better than making the straight descent on a rugged steep road of loose rock. For someone who wants to test their endurance and would like to make this a circuit rather than an up and back, try this route, you can see the access road on the trail map on the website. But be warned, my quads are still sore three days later!

View all 26 reviews for the Elliot Knob hike

Early May