Virginia trails · North Mountain
North Mountain
A 15.2-mile out-and-back in Virginia, with 2,258 ft of climbing. Reaches Hogback and other pass/summit destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the middle third: 52% of the ascent falls between mile 5.1 and mile 10.1. It gives back about 2,785 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Hogback (summit)
- Dry Branch Gap (pass)
- Ramsey Gap (pass)
- Great North Mountain (summit)
- Elliott Knob (summit)
Getting there
North Mountain access. 38.07538, -79.44711 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:19 a.m., the sun rises at 6:46 a.m. and sets at 7:49 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:16 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 03 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 30.3-mile round trip works out to roughly 13 h 30 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.
Nearby trails
- Bald Ridge — 20.3 mi
- Wild Oak — 25.3 mi
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail — 25.7 mi
- Timber Ridge — 28.9 mi