Starting at the Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road, the trail ascends 330 feet in less than 0.6 miles to reach the south junction of the Loop Trail with an average gradient of 11%. We chose to take the Loop Trail to the overlook and return to the south trail junction so that we didn't skip any part of the AT. The loop trail climbs 40 feet in 475 feet of trail distance for an 8% average grade up to the overlook and back.
Continuing north from the south Loop Trail junction, the AT descends 60 feet in 800 feet for an average descending grade of 7½%. From there, the descent steepens to 12½% as the trail drops 100 feet in 800 feet. At this point, the trail levels out for about ¼ mile. About halfway along this level stretch, the AT is intersected by the Rock Scramble Trail climbing up from Skyline Drive to near the summit of Bearfence Mountain.
After the level section, the trail climbs 40 feet in the next 0.10 miles at a 7½% grade to the flank of Bush Mountain. From the flank of Bush Mountain, the AT dips 100 feet in 0.45 miles for a descending grade of 8½% before leveling out into a roller coaster with an elevation range of 50 feet over the final 0.7 miles to Bootens Gap.
Parking at the gravel Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road is available on the edge of the turnaround away from the gate. Bootens Gap parking is an asphalt lot for about half a dozen vehicles.
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| Topographic map with GPS route |
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| Elevation profile |
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| View from Bearfence Mountain Hut Access Road west to AT and Skyline Drive |
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| Northbound AT |
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| First switchback |
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| Sidehill ascent |
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| Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) blossoms |
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| Second switchback |
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| Rocks and roots |
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| Fewer roots, more rocks |
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| Third switchback |
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| Still climbing |
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| Steep dropoff |
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| Approaching the fourth switchback |
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| Indian physic (Gillenia trifoliata) also known as bowman's root |
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| The trail flattens out near the summit |
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| Rattlesnake hawkweed (Hieracium venosum) |
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| Bearfence Loop Trail southern junction |
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| The Loop Trail is short but steep |
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| Life is tenacious |
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| Looking back at the Bearfence Mountain viewpoint marker |
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| Approaching the viewpoint |
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| View from Bearfence Mountain |
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| Another view |
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| Back at the southern junction of the Loop Trail and AT |
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| Back on the AT northbound |
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| Sidehill descent |
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| The northern junction of the Loop Trail and AT |
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| Northern end of the Loop Trail |
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| More sidehill descent |
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| Packed dirt surface |
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| Bearfence Mountain Trail intersection |
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| Stairs up to the rock scramble |
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| Trail down to Skyline Drive |
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| Using a downed tree for a waterbar without a step-over |
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| The trail flattens out |
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| More ferns on a descending segment |
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| Slightly descending and mostly straight |
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| A long-dead tree borders the trail |
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| Volunteer trail maintainers from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) have done an excellent job of removing duck-under and climb-over obstacles |
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| Sidehill descent on a boulder-strewn hillside |
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| Another slight descent |
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| Trail junction at Bootens Gap |
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| Short walk up to the parking area |
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| Bootens Gap |
A Shenandoah National Park entry fee of $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for seven consecutive days. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Shenandoah Annual Pass for $55.
The Shenandoah National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail website is https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy website is http://www.appalachiantrail.org/.
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