White Oak Canyon/Cedar Run Hike

White Oak Canyon / Cedar Run - SNP, Virginia


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Length	Difficulty	Streams	Views	Solitude	Camping
7.9 mls
Hiking Time: Elev. Gain: Parking: Links: Resources:	5.0 hours plus a half hour for lunch 2,450 ft N38 32.356 W78 20.961 Shenandoah National Park Printable Topo Hike Map (PDF) Sperryville 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 at the 20 car White Oak Trail parking area on Weakley Hollow Rd.

This hike has some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Shenandoah National Park. Combining two out-and-back hikes, White Oak Canyon & Cedar Run, this loop starts at the bottom of the valley and cuts over near the top of the ridge. With five major falls, numerous smaller cascades and pools, this circuit hike is one of the best.

Begin up the blue blazed White Oak Canyon (WOC) Trail, at the top of the upper parking area next to the SNP ranger station. Shortly cross a steel footbridge, then arrive at the intersection of the Cedar Run Trail that will be your return route. Stay straight on the WOC Trail as it winds to the right, then crosses another steel footbridge over WOC Run.

Follow the blue blazed trail on the right side of WOC Run reaching the WOC/Cedar Run Connector Trail in 0.6 miles. Stay straight on the right side of WOC Run for another 0.7 miles, cross a small stream, then arrive the base of the first set of major falls.

The trail will now make several switchbacks as the grade gets steeper, then reaches the second set of falls in 0.6 miles. Again, the trail will switchback several times, then become less steep, and arrive at a concrete marker for the base of the main WOC falls. To see the falls from the base, follow the side trail straight for 100 yards. Continue uphill on the WOC Trail as it steeply climbs the last 0.1 miles to the main WOC falls overlook.

Continuing uphill from the main overlook, and shortly arrive at the yellow blazed Bridge Path Trail that comes in from the right. Stay straight, then cross WOC Run in another 40 yards at the horse rail. If WOC Run is high, continue up the right side of WOC Run and cross a footbridge in 120 yards.

After crossing the run follow the wide yellow blazed WOC Fire Road/Horse Trail. In 1.6 miles the WOC Fire Road/Horse Trail will veer right. Stay left on the narrower yellow blazed trail, marked on a concrete post as "Horse Tr To Big Meadows". In 0.6 miles the horse trail intersects the blue blazed Cedar Run Trail.

Turn left downhill on the blue blazed Cedar Run Trail, then in 1.3 miles cross Cedar Run. In 0.2 miles after crossing Cedar Run reach the top set of main falls at Halfmile Cliff known as "The Slide". 60 yards below the main falls is a pool where Cedar Run passes through a narrow gorge.

Continue downward on the Cedar Run Trail for 0.5 miles where the blue blazed trail makes a sharp left to cross Cedar Run for the last time. After crossing Cedar Run follow the trail for 0.3 miles to the intersection of the WOC/Cedar Run Connector Trail. Turn right downhill on the Cedar Run Trail towards RT600, and in 0.4 miles arrive back at the WOC Trail intersection. Turn right, re-cross the steal footbridge, and arrive back at the parking area.

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Hiker Reviews For The White Oak/Cedar Run Hike (5 Most Recent)

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By: Jeff	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, May 13, 2012
Gorgeous gorgeous day for my favorite hike loop (I agree with Greg, below, about going down the fire road). Started at 8am from Weakley Hollow empty parking lot, got back to car at 11 to full parking lot. Along the trail saw a 4-foot black snake, lots of poison ivy, masses of little grasshoppers on the forest road, and trail maintenance on the WOC side. Didn't do the trail up Hawskbill Summit this time but did it two weeks ago.

By: Mike & Linda	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, May 12, 2012
We did the clockwise (up Cedar Run first) route. This is one of our favorite hikes. Saw a large barred owl along Cedar run, and quite a few folks going down Cedar Run. it was pretty crowded in WOC. My pedometer read 18K+ steps for the hike. No wonder my feet were tired! Mike

By: rsjrny	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, April 27, 2012
WOW!!!! Need I say more. Spent 6 hours on this hike and was amazed with every step. Hiking up I hiked a 0.89 mph because I must have stopped every 100 yards to enjoy the falls and pools. This is a must do. Ran into 18 people on the beautiful sunny 65 degree day. I recommend doing this hike during the week if you can.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, April 07, 2012
The best hike I have done on hiking upward. The only downfall is so many people not as many as old rag but still too many for me. I would love to hike this again on a Wednesday when not so many people. Very easy map to read you will never get lost. I did this hike at 10:00 and the parking lot was about ½ full. Took me 5 hrs 31 minutes and I took over 200 pictures.

By: Greg	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, March 11, 2012
Recommend going up Cedar Run and down White Oak Canyon--that way when you are on the fire road interconnector at the top you are going downhill and can make good time as you traverse from one canyon to the other. (The fire road would be a long dull uphill slog if you went the other way around.) Innumerable small waterfalls on the relentlessly uphill Cedar Run stretch, five large waterfalls on the White Oak Canyon stretch. Went one weekend and right back the next weekend, that's how much I like this hike.

View all 105 reviews for the White Oak/Cedar Run hike

Late September

Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls! This has to be the most spectacular waterfall hike in Shenandoah National Park. With three sets of falls on the way up White Oak Canyon and three smaller falls heading down Cedar Run, this circuit is among the mid-Atlantic's most popular. Lots of company on the trail.

Usually, the ideal time for this hike is in early spring, but with the rain we've had in the last month, all the falls were near their best. The wildlife was also out; we came across several black snakes, this guy (vid) was a local celebrity with hikers on Saturday, and we also saw a juvenile black bear on the trail.