Some of the best vistas in the mid-Atlantic. The new Strickler Knob trail is a challenging rock hopping/scramble that has beautiful views of New Market Gap, the Luray Valley, and a 360 degree picture perfect panorama from the Strickler Knob summit. A nice hike with a great little rock scramble on the ridge.
The Strickler Knob hike is now one of our favorites. The rock scramble on the last 0.2 miles of the Strickler Knob trail is just as much fun as Old Rag and Duncan Knob, requiring several 12ft climbs over and between the cracks of the boulders. You can also shorten the hike by two miles and park at the Scothorn Gap trailhead on Crisman Hollow Rd/VA211.
Note: The Strickler Knob trail is not a maintained or official trail, and is considered a bushwack. This hike is not suitable for young children or dogs.
From the Massanutten trailhead on Crimson Hollow Rd/VA211 start east towards Waterfall Mountain on the orange blazed Massanutten trail, immediately passing a campsite on the left. In 0.2 miles there is a vista of the Luray Valley. Continue for 0.3 miles at which point the trail turns steeply downhill. Make several switchbacks, then the trail becomes less steep before reaching the intersection of the white blazed Massanutten Connector trail in 0.6 miles from the ridge.
Turn left on the orange blazed Massanutten trail as it begins to climb alongside Big Run, passing a campsite in 0.1 miles. Cross the run where the trail becomes steeper, then re-cross the run, make one large switchback, then level out and arrive at the intersection of the yellow blazed Scothorn Gap trail 2.0 miles from the last intersection.
Now the fun starts. Firstly, thank you to the trail builders! This used to be a formidable bushwhack. The Strickler Knob trail was marked with both pink and red blazes on the rocks, but they have been removed. The trail will also appear to end in a couple of places, but keep heading along the ridge, and you'll pick the trail back up. You'll know when you get to Strickler Knob :)
After 0.3 miles pass a rock outcrop and view to the west and north. From this vista, continue on the trail rock hopping for another 0.4 miles to another opening, and beautiful vista to the southwest. From this point the rock hopping and bouldering becomes more intense. The first obstacle is a 12ft climb over a small rock wall, then just before the the main summit pass through a group of three boulders. This is not the summit stack! Once through the crack continue to follow the blazes, pass a small overhang, and climb a 6ft ledge.
The main summit is accessed through a rock crack on the left. Continue for another 30ft to the southern summit overlook. A hiker has left a trail journal in a waterproof bag here, add you thoughts! Climbing to the main summit provides a 360 degree view of the Luray Valley and New Market Gap.
Interactive Hike Map BelowPrintable
Topo Hike Map (PDF) Hike route in Drag the map with your mouse using the icon Zoom with the controls on the left Click the icons in the map below for location shots
Calculate roughly how many calories you could burn on the Strickler Knob hike:
=
Hiker
Reviews For The Strickler Knob Hike (5 Most Recent)
Wanted to get out on a winter hike an this was perfect. My friend, Dave Small, and I had done a ton of hiking in the SNP so finding a hike on MM was new. Finding the Mass.trail head was easy and the dip down and out of into Big Run was tough. Once we gain the ridge the hiking was fairly easy. We overshot the turn off of Mass. Trail by a few hundred feet. Just remember to turn right BEFORE heading down the other side of the ridge.
Once on the Strickler Knob trail it was pretty easy find your way. The trail is well blazed with pink markers in the rocks and trees. There were a couple of scrambles as you get closer to the end of the hike but all very manageable. Awesome vews at the end. Better than Old Rag to some degree.
We ended up returning to our car on the Scotthorn trail and walkiing on the road. To me using the Scotthorn Trail both ways make sense.
By:
John
Rating:
Date of Hike: Sunday, January 08, 2012
Great hike, though I did not start and finish at Crisman Hollow Rd. Perfect start to the new year. Not one person on the trail, but there was a goat 1/4 mi from the summit on the summit ridge! The "Bushwhack" in winter is very clear, though I could see a little more difficulty following the Red/Pink markers and paint in summer with blooming foliage. One of the best views in the GWNF, no doubt.
By:
Rating:
Date of Hike: Monday, January 02, 2012
Just got back from Scothorn / Massanutten route to the knob. Although Crisman Hollow was not in my car's GPS system, the road was clearly visible from 211 very close to the county line. Given the date, the hike was quite cold and windy, although overall very enjoyable. The signage at the intersection of Scothorn and Massanutten is confusing - to reach the knob, you will head directly across the intersection turning neither right nor left. The spur path to the knob is unmarked, and can be spotten on the right at the highest point along the trail before it goes over the ridge and starts downward. Following knob trail was straightforward. We had dogs with us, so one of us turned back where the bouldering began.
By:
Rating:
Date of Hike: Thursday, December 29, 2011
Saw this hike on HU and didn't really read all of the info. Grabbed my day pack and an old map and headed out the door. Finding the spur trail was a little difficult, but well worth the extra mileage. Had the mountain to myself with the exception of 5 hikers who turned around where the spur trail begins. The weather was cool and breezy. This will definitely be an overnight trip for me the next time. The views are incredible. A top 5 hike for this area. You will want to wear hiking shoes/boots with lots of ankle support as the the trail is riddled with rocks. Shared the stacks with 3 upset turkey vultures.
By:
NC Hiker
Rating:
Date of Hike: Saturday, December 03, 2011
The view from the summit stack is incredible. When you get to the end, turn around and you'll see another crack between two stacks - go through that crack and climb up and you'll see an outcrop just big enough for a campfire and a one/two man tent - just get your guyouts tied off tight, the wind is brutal. And don't sleep up there unless you know you don't roll in your sleep - you'll roll right off the mountain.
Wake up, have some coffee, watch the sunrise.
There's critters up there, don't forget to bear bag and hang your food and smelly stuff and keep your kit in your tent, I left my trekking pole out on the rock and woke up to find the handle half chewed up and the strap missing.
By the way, I want to bump what the poster below me mentioned - when you get to the top of the ridgeline on the orange blazed Massanutten trail, you'll see a descent into a grassy brambly area. Stop about 100 feet shy of that descent and look over to the right out amongst the rocks - find a reddish brown blaze, start walking toward it. The trail is reasonably easy to follow, and there's a couple of campsites on the way.
icon 
Share Hike:
