Shenandoah National Park
Hawksbill Mountain
The highest point in Shenandoah National Park
Fee requiredDogs on leashViewsRocky
A 2.1-mile round trip from Upper Hawksbill parking to the park's highest summit at 4,051 feet, with a stone viewing platform near the old fire tower site. Short and steep, with one of the best view-to-effort ratios on Skyline Drive.
The Climb
3,642 ft4,045 ft · +520 ft gain
What to Expect
- Parking
- Upper Hawksbill parking area at Skyline Drive mile 46.5; small lot, fills on weekends.
- Fees
- Standard park entrance fee applies; no separate ticket required.
- Dogs
- Permitted on leash
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
- Water
- No water sources on trail; carry water in
- Cell service
- Unreliable in the trees; often clear near the open summit
- Hazards
- Rock outcrops near the summit are exposed and eroding; stay on the marked trail and platform