How much is an Old Rag ticket?

$2 per person, purchased in advance on Recreation.gov. This is in addition to a Shenandoah National Park entrance pass.

When do Old Rag tickets go on sale?

Tickets release in two waves, both at 10 a.m. Eastern: 400 tickets 30 days before your hike date, and another 400 tickets 5 days before. There are 800 total per day.

Do I need a ticket for Old Rag in winter?

No. Day-use tickets are required only from March 1 through November 30. In December, January and February no ticket is needed, though a park entrance pass still applies.

What if Old Rag tickets are sold out?

Check again at 10 a.m. ET five days before your date for the second release wave, and watch for cancellations, which reappear at random. Otherwise hike midweek, come December through February when no ticket is required, or hike White Oak Canyon, which needs no ticket at all.

Which trails require an Old Rag ticket?

The Ridge Trail, Saddle Trail, and Ridge Access Trail — every route to the Old Rag summit. Nearby trails such as White Oak Canyon and Cedar Run require no day-use ticket.

Old Rag Tickets 2026: How to Get One (and What to Do If They're Sold Out)

Written by Jim · Host at the foot of the mountain · @hikeoldrag

Last updated August 18, 2026 — current for the 2026 season.

Old Rag is the only hike in Shenandoah that requires its own ticket. The good news: it costs $2 and it is not a lottery. The catch: there are only 800 per day, they release in two separate waves, and good-weather weekends disappear fast. Understand the timing and you'll never miss one.

Birch's Library cabin reflected in its pond at the foot of Old Rag

Skip the 6 a.m. drive Sleep right near the trailhead

5+ private acres bordering Shenandoah National Park. Walk to Old Rag and White Oak Canyon. Whole property to yourself.

Check Dates

The rules, in one table

Cost	$2 per person
Where	Recreation.gov — in advance, not at the trailhead
When required	March 1 – November 30
Daily cap	800 tickets
First release	400 tickets, 30 days ahead, 10:00 a.m. ET
Second release	400 tickets, 5 days ahead, 10:00 a.m. ET
Which trails	Ridge Trail, Saddle Trail, Ridge Access Trail — every summit route
Also required	Shenandoah National Park entrance pass (separate)
Winter	No ticket needed Dec–Feb (entrance pass still applies)

How to get one, step by step

Pick your date and work backward. Mark the day 30 days before it on your calendar with a 10:00 a.m. Eastern alarm. That's when the first 400 drop.
Make a Recreation.gov account beforehand. Do not be creating a login while tickets are selling. Card saved, password known.
Be on the page at 9:58 a.m. and refresh into the release. Weekend dates in October can move quickly.
Buy a ticket for every person in your group. They're per-hiker, not per-vehicle.
Missed it? Come back at 10:00 a.m. five days out for the second wave of 400. Plenty of people get theirs here.
Screenshot or print it. This matters more than people realize — see below.

Screenshot your ticket before you leave pavement. There is no cell service at the trailhead or in this valley. If your ticket lives in an email you haven't opened, you cannot show it to the ranger checking at the Ridge Trail junction. Save it offline, or print it.

What to do when your date is sold out

This happens constantly for October Saturdays. You have more options than people think:

1. Wait for the 5-day release

Half the day's inventory — 400 tickets — doesn't exist until five days before. If the 30-day wave sold out, the mountain is not full. Set another alarm.

2. Watch for cancellations

Plans change and tickets return to the pool at unpredictable hours. Check the night before and the morning of. It's genuinely worth a few refreshes.

3. Move to a weekday

Midweek dates rarely sell out, and everything else about Old Rag gets better too — parking is easier and the scramble doesn't bottleneck.

4. Come in winter

December through February needs no day-use ticket at all. A clear cold day on Old Rag — dry granite, hard blue light, views to the Piedmont, and a fraction of the crowd — is one of the best-kept secrets in Virginia. Bring traction devices and start early for daylight.

5. Hike White Oak Canyon instead

White Oak Canyon and Cedar Run require no day-use ticket, ever. Six waterfalls, leashed dogs welcome, and on a hot day genuinely the better hike. This is what I tell guests whose Old Rag date didn't come through, and almost nobody regrets it.

Common mistakes

Assuming the entrance pass covers it. Two separate things. You need both.
Buying one ticket for the car. It's per person, including kids.
Thinking a ticket reserves parking. It does not — and with the main lot closed through November 2026, parking is the harder problem.
Showing up without it saved offline. No signal means no retrieving it.
Booking the wrong date. Tickets are date-specific and don't roll over.

Got your ticket?

Now get the 6 a.m. start that makes it easy

Birch's Library is the closest cabin to Old Rag's Berry Hollow trailhead — walk to the mountain, hike at sunrise, and skip the drive-and-park gamble entirely. 5+ private acres bordering the park, a creek you can hear from bed, two ponds, and an 1865 log cabin on the property.

★ 5.0 on Airbnb (Guest Favorite) · 10/10 on Vrbo · Book direct and skip platform fees

Check dates at the cabin →

Birch's Library cabin and pond at the foot of Old Rag Mountain

FAQ

Are Old Rag tickets refundable?

Check Recreation.gov's current policy at checkout — at $2 most people simply forfeit them, which is exactly why cancellations don't always reappear.

Can I buy a ticket at the trailhead?

No. They're advance-purchase online only, and there's no cell service to buy one on arrival.

Do children need tickets?

Tickets are per person. Check the current terms on Recreation.gov for any age exemptions before you buy.

Do I need a ticket for White Oak Canyon or Cedar Run?

No. The day-use system applies to Old Rag's summit trails only.

Is there a ranger actually checking?

Yes, commonly at the Ridge Trail junction during busy season. Have it saved offline.

Keep planning

📷

@hikeoldrag

Conditions, crowds and cancellation tips

Posted from the base of the mountain — trail conditions, parking status, and a heads-up when tickets start moving for big weekends.

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