We were lucky the with weather, and the temps stayed in the high 80’s with low haze. There were great views on the Austin Mountain ridge of the Furnace Mountain summit, as well as a  vista from the Furnace Mountain summit overlook, back to the Austin Mountain ridge we had just hiked a few hours earlier.

The Austin and Furnace Mountains loop is one of the most strenuous day hikes in the Shenandoah National Park. Not only is the hike long, at over 13 miles, but the steep descent down the Austin Mountain ridge, and long climb up the exposed Furnace Mountain trail, makes the 3000+ vertical feet of gain seem even that much harder.

If you’re looking for a challenging day hike in the SNP, this may well be a good choice. But remember to filter some water at Madison Run before heading up the Furnace Mountain Trail. The long ascent up the ridge is exposed in a lot of places, and you can go through some water fast!