Virginia trails · Bald Ridge

Bald Ridge

A 7.9-mile network in Virginia, with 1,899 ft of climbing. Reaches Gordons Peak and other lake/summit destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Open in the interactive map →

Length

7.9 mi

Elevation gain

1,899 ft

Difficulty

Expert

Max grade

38%

Steepest mile

+543 ft

Tread at ≥10% grade

2.6 mi

Shape

network

Bikes

yes

Horses

yes

Managed by

U.S. Forest Service

Elevation profile

The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route.

3-D terrain

USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5

Reaches

Gordons Peak (summit)
The Pinnacle (summit)
The Peak (summit)
Braley Pond (lake)

Heads up

Stream ford: expect at least one unbridged crossing.

Getting there

Bald Ridge access. About 48 min drive (23 mi, 1 of them unpaved) from Staunton. 38.34890, -79.30478 · directions

Daylight at the trailhead

On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:58 a.m., the sun rises at 7:24 a.m. and sets at 6:41 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:07 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 16 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 7.9-mile route takes roughly 3 h 52 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 11:16 a.m. — 7 h 24 min before sunset.

Nearby trails

Wild Oak — 7.7 mi
North Mountain — 20.3 mi
Trayfoot Mountain Trail — 29.8 mi