George Washington National Forest

Signal Knob

A Civil War signal station above Fort Valley

Distance

9 mi

Elevation gain

1,600 ft

Difficulty

Hard

Route

Out & back

Time

5 hr 30 min

Dogs on leashViewsRockyHistoricForest

A 9-mile round trip from the Bear Wallow-Signal Knob parking lot on the Massanutten Trail, climbing to a Civil War-era signal station site with views over Fort Valley and Strasburg. Steep and rocky in the final stretch.

Directions to the trailhead

The Climb

807 ftHigh point · 2,300 ft2,080 ft · +1,600 ft gain

What to Expect

Parking: Bear Wallow-Signal Knob parking lot on Fort Valley Road (SR 678), about a mile north of Elizabeth Furnace.
Fees: No fee required
Dogs: Permitted on leash
Best seasons: spring, fall
Water: No reliable water sources on trail; carry water in
Cell service: Unreliable for most of the route
Hazards: Very rocky terrain for much of the route; steep final half-mile to the overlook