Continuing our early May 2019 trip to Shenandoah National Park, we hiked on the Appalachian Trail from Smith Roach Gap north to Hightop Mountain Parking Area. A small, paved off-road parking area for about a half dozen vehicles has been provided at Smith Roach Gap. In addition, a paved, pull-in parking area for another half dozen vehicles is available at the Hightop Mountain Parking Area. Both parking areas are located in the southern section of the park, but near the Swift Run entrance station.
The trail climbs 965 feet from Smith Roach Gap to Hightop summit in 1.8 miles for an average grade of 10%. It then descends 950 feet in 1.5 miles to the Hightop Mountain Parking Area for an average descending grade of 12%.
| Mile |
Feature |
Elevation |
| 0.0 |
Smith Roach Gap |
2622 feet |
| 1.0 |
False summit |
-- |
| 1.1 |
Hightop Hut Service Road |
-- |
| 1.2 |
Hightop Hut side trail |
-- |
| 1.45 |
Second false summit |
-- |
| 1.7 |
Spring |
-- |
| 1.8 |
Hightop summit |
3587 feet |
| 1.85 |
Overlook |
-- |
| 3.3 |
Hightop Mountain Parking Area |
2637 feet |
 |
Topographic map with GPS route
|
 |
Elevation profile
|
 |
Trailhead
|
 |
Typical trail conditions
|
 |
| Bollards keep motorized vehicles off the trail |
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Crossing the Smith Roach Gap Fire Road
|
 |
Beginning the climb
|
 |
Sidehill meandering
|
 |
White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) turns pink near the end of its season
|
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Fog beginning to move in
|
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Approaching the Hightop Hut Access Road
|
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A damp section of the trail
|
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The side trail to the left leads to Hightop Hut
|
 |
Straight and level
|
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A well-rutted trail
|
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A waterbar near the summit?
|
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A mountaintop spring
|
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Trillium and tree roots
|
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Wide path to the summit
|
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Hightop Summit
|
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A mountaintop understory of ferns
|
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Foggy view from the overlook
|
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US 33 in Swift Run
|
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The fog lifts as we start down the trail
|
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More trillium
|
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Straight and descending
|
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Hillside of trillium
|
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Beneath green boughs
|
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A typical stone waterbar
|
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More straight and descending
|
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Sweeping turn
|
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Stone path
|
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More stone path
|
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Giant stone dominos
|
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Experimental plantings in a clearing
|
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Approaching Skyline Drive
|
 |
Skyline Drive
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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.
