Brown Mountain Trail

Latest News:

September 11, 2025

It's been a long time since I've updated, partly as I was hospitalized in 2021, then I've had knee issues more recently (although generally improving), and I have not been working on this trail very consistently since then. But in recent weeks, I have worked on the trail, and I have this update.

Even though it is the first half of September, a lot of leaves are turning color, probably due to recent drought. Especially Black Gum trees, but also Blueberry bushes and Virginia Creeper vines, are red, and Birches and Sassafras are turning yellow. The trail has recently been cleared, except the westernmost 0.6 mile.

The trail description below has been changed--some views have become overgrown, while others have opened up.

Old News Items for Brown Mountain Trail

The Brown Mountain Trail is a 5.3 mile trail in the Southern Section of the Shenandoah National Park. It is my opinion that it is one of the most scenic in the park. It has many surprises for those who will look around.

The Brown Mountain Trail starts at the Brown Mountain Overlook at mile 77 on the Skyline Drive (12 miles south of US 33) and leads west over Rocky Mountain and Brown Mountain and then descends to the Big Run Portal, where Big Run squeezes between the foot of Brown Mountain and the Rockytop ridge. Note - Brown Mountain is not visible from Brown Mountain Overlook--it is hidden behind taller Rocky Mountain.

This trail is part of a circuit hike described in the PATC publication, Circuit Hikes in the Shenandoah National Park. The circuit hike follows the length of the Brown Mountain Trail, then leads up the Big Run Portal Trail and the Rocky Mountain Run Trail, finishing on the first 0.7 miles of the Brown Mountain Trail. It is described as "Strenuous - recommended for experienced hikers only", probably because the last 2 or 3 miles are fairly steep uphill (other hikes with more climb don't have the "for experience hikers only" warning in them). The total length of the circuit is 10.1 miles and it has a total uphill climb of 2600 feet.

The features of this hike are: Rocky Mountain, Brown Mountain, and Big Run.

Rocky Mountain

There are two summits of Rocky Mountain: the east peak at about 2830' and the west peak at 2864'. Rocky Mountain is seen from the Skyline Drive for a few miles including at Brown Mountain Overlook. The Brown Mountain Trail goes near the top of the rocky east peak, where a hiker can climb the rocks up to the top, but it skirts the north side of the west peak, staying about 80' below the wooded summit.
There are views east from the east peak toward the Skyline Drive and main Blue Ridge including from Hightop to the northeast and Loft Mountain/Big Flat Mountain to the south. (Big Flat Mountain is where the Loft Mountain Campground is.) On the west side of Rocky Mountain there is a burn area from a 1986 forest fire with views of Brown Mountain, Rockytop, and the
Shenandoah Valley with the Massanutten range. Near the saddle between Rocky Mountain and Brown Mountain, but still on the Rocky Mountain side there is a view north from the trail that includes a ridge coming down from the east peak and also Twomile Mountain and Rocky Mount. There are rocks on the south side of the trail near this point, and great views to the south if you climb to the top. From there you can see the Big Run valley, Rockytop, and other mountains to the south: Lewis Peak, Trayfoot, Cedar Mountain, and Loft Mountain/Big Flat Mountain.

Brown Mountain

         Brown Mountain rises only about 50 feet from the saddle between it and Rocky Mountain, but at 2590' it stands high above the Shenandoah Valley, which is about 1000' at the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Prominent on Brown Mountain are King and Queen Rocks, two nearly vertical cliffs side by side on a ridge projecting north from Brown Mountain's summit. These are plainly visible from US 340 at the base of Brown Mountain, but also from US 33 east of Harrisonburg from several places. In fact there are three places when these rocks are visible straight ahead as you go east on this highway.
         There is a west peak of Brown Mountain, elevation 2192'. There are some great views from cliffs at this summit, which is south of the Brown Mountain Trail.
        On Brown Mountain there are views from the valley view (west), elevation 2360', south from two sets of rocks at about 2280'; from the slab on the north side of the west peak at about 2080' and from the burn area near Big Run at about 1400'. There are also numerous views through openings in the trees, often revealing King and Queen Rocks.

Big Run

Big Run is the stream with the largest watershed in the Shenandoah National Park, a total of 11 square miles. Eventually it flows into the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, about halfway between Grottoes and Elkton. It drains a valley between the Rocky Mountain/Brown Mountain ridge and the Rockytop ridge. At the foot of these ridges, Big Run takes a meandering course between the "toes" of these ridges, which make some cliffs by the trailless portion of this creek.
The source of Big Run is near the Loft Mountain Wayside, at an elevation of 2640'. It flows west through trailless Eppert Hollow about 2 miles then turns north at an elevation of 1540' and then it is followed by the Big Run Portal Trail, a horse trail. About 2 miles downstream, at 1350' it is joined by Rocky Mountain Run, its biggest tributary. About 1-1/2 miles downstream from there, elevation 1230', there is a metal bridge the Big Run Portal Trail crosses, which is also the point where the Brown Mountain Trail ends. Below that Big Run winds between the toes of the ridges for 1/2 mile and then 2 miles away from the west base of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Shortly before reaching the river, Big Run is bridged by US 340 and the Norfolk Southern Railroad. In dry periods, particularly in the summer, Big Run goes dry (water goes underground) in this final section.

Looking at Big Run off the bridge at the Portal

Big Run has several pools deep enough for swimming, some as much as 6' deep. However, big storms will alter the creek bed so some pools will appear, disappear, or greatly change in depth as a result of a big storm. Big Run is warmer than most streams in the summer, and is good for swimming even for those who can't endure cold water.

Looking up Brown Mountain and Big Run from next crossing up from bridge.

Trail Distances

0.0 - Brown Mountain Overlook (elevation 2844') at mile 77 on the Skyline Drive. The view is of Rocky Mountain plus to the north (Twomile Ridge and Rocky Mount), Massanutten Peak and Lairds Knob are visible to the right of Rocky Mountain, and to the left of it are the Big Run valley, the Rockytop ridge, and in the background to the south is Trayfoot. The Brown Mountain Trail begins in the break of the rock wall, descending through an area cleared in 2006 for better viewing.
0.7 - After descending in the woods with occasional switchbacks, the trail comes to a concrete signpost in a saddle (elevation 2390') at the intersection with the Rocky Mountain Run Trail, which descends to the left. This is the return trail for the circuit hike.
1.6 - Rocky Mountain east summit (elevation 2830'). The trail goes along the left side of some rocks with views of the main Blue Ridge (Skyline Drive). There is easy climbing up the rocks to the top.
2.4 - After skirting the west summit of Rocky Mountain on the right side, the trail comes to a burn area from the May 1986 fire. Here the trees are short enough that there are good views of Rockytop, Brown Mountain, the Shenandoah Valley, and Massanutten Mountain.
2.8 - Just before the saddle between Rocky Mountain and Brown Mountain, there are big rocks on the left of the trail, and if you climb to the top, there is a great view of the Big Run valley and Rockytop ridge.
3.0 - After a short ascent, the trail reaches the east summit of Brown Mountain (elevation 2590'). No view here.
3.3 - Shenandoah Valley view, elevation 2330'. A side path to the right leads to some rocks with a good view of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain.
3.4 - View of Big Run from "Spine Rocks", which are a continuation of the vertical layers that make up King and Queen Rocks and the Shenandoah Valley view. From this point, you can also look up Rocky Mountain and see the rocks at mile 2.8.
3.9 - After skirting the west peak of Brown Mountain, the Trail crosses "The Slab" where the rock layer is tilted same as the side of the mountain. There are good views here of King and Queen Rocks, and if you climb to the top and look over, there is a great view of the Big Run Portal far below. If the water level is up, you can hear Big Run from there.
4.5 - First (elev. 1750') of 6 switchbacks that get closer together. There is a view here of Rockytop and the Big Run valley.
5.0 - Entering another burn area, there is a broad view of the Big Run Portal and the foot of the Rockytop ridge with its cliffs and rockslides, seen over the short trees that have grown back since 1986.
5.3 - At the base of the mountain, come to a concrete signpost, turn left, and very soon emerge on the Big Run Portal Trail (yellow blazed), with the metal bridge of Big Run (elevation 1240') to the right. To the left, it is 1.4 miles (and four crossings of Big Run) to the Rocky Mountain Run Trail, which leads back to the Brown Mountain Trail at mile 0.7.

Geology and Flora

The entire Brown Mountain Trail goes over members of the Chilhowee group of Cambrian rocks, which are sandstone/quartzite. Most of the trail is on the white to pink quartzite of the Erwin or Antietam formation, which makes up all of the cliffs of the hike. These rocks have Skolithus trace fossils--believed to be vertical burrows of worms, which make it fairly easy to determine the original bedding plane of these rocks, and see how much they have been tilted. On the descent to the saddle where the Rocky Mountain Run Trail comes up, plus some between the summits of Rocky Mountain, the rock is the black sandstone of the older Hampton formation.
At places, such as the Rocky Mountain east summit, and the King and Queen Rocks to Spine Rocks area, the rock layers are tilted 90Â°. Other places the tilt is much less. As you get close to Big Run, you can see some plunging cliffs on the Rockytop ridge that have their corresponding cliffs on Brown Mountain. These rock layers continue to plunge deep under the Shenandoah Valley (don't be fooled by the near level valley floor!) as far as the axis of Massanutten Mountain, where they are miles underground.

Looking out between King and Queen Rocks King and Queen Rocks viewed form Slab

        The sandstone and quartzite of these rocks are fairly pure Silicon Dioxide, and are rather poor in nutrients. Because of this, there are many trees found in the Shenandoah National Park which do not grow on these mountains.
        Trees commonly found on Rocky Mountain and Brown Mountain are: Chestnut, White, Black, Red, Blackjack, and Scrub Oaks; Pitch, Virginia, Table Mountain, and White Pine; Hickory, Red and Striped Maple, Birch, Black Gum, Serviceberry (Shadbush), Sassafras, Chestnut, and Chickapin.  The Chestnut Oaks are the most common oaks on the heights of the mountain in fairly mature forest.
        Shrubs include Mountain Laurel, Early Azalea, Minibush, Blueberries, and Black Huckleberries.

Best Times to Go

Perhaps I should first state what the bad times to go are. They are:
1. When the water is high so that crossing Big Run (there are no bridges for the circuit hike which has four Big Run crossings) becomes hazardous. In such case, the hike out and back is still suitable, for there are no stream crossings on the Brown Mountain Trail itself.
2. In late fall, when the leaves first fall off, the trail is covered with leaves in many places, and it is easy to slip and fall.
3. When there is ice on the trail. Usually, when this happens, the Skyline Drive is closed, so you couldn't get there anyway.
Good times to go are:
1. Dry winter days - During the winter, there are more clear days, with great views of the nearby mountains, hollows, Shenandoah Valley, and Massanutten Mountain. On clear enough days, you can also see across the valley to the "western mountains", that is, North Mountain and Shenandoah Mountain and other ridges west of the valley.
2. Spring - There are several kinds of wildflowers in bloom in the spring. I think the best time is early May. Flowers in bloom then include Early Azalea (which also have a sweet aroma), Dwarf Crested Iris, Blueberries, Huckleberries, and Minibush are found many places along the trail. There is one spot near the center point of the trail where there is a patch of Pink Lady's Slippers, at a point where the trail makes a right turn on the west side of Rocky Mountain. In later spring, late May to early June, Mountain Laurel thick with white to pink flowers, are found along most of the length of the trail--I highly recommend this time, too. Also in early June are Silkgrass in certain spots in the burn areas.
3. Summer - From mid June into August is when the Blueberries and Black Huckleberries are ripe. They are most prevalent in the burn areas, but can be found over most of the length of the trail. Mid to late July is the best time to find these berries. Also, after a long, hot hike, few things are better than to find a good swimming spot. This you can find below the bridge at the end of the Brown Mountain Trail in the Big Run Portal. Here the water can be warm enough for those who don't like cold water--it's almost as warm as a swimming pool. There is also a good deep spot just above the fourth crossing of Big Run above the bridge on the Big Run Portal Trail, just below the intersection with the Rocky Mountain Run Trail. Here the water is noticeably cooler than down at the bridge--just what you need before a long, hot climb back to the Skyline Drive! During the summer, it is less likely that the water will be too high to get through, and more bearable if you have to wade.
4. Fall - Some of the best fall colors I've seen in this region are along this trail. Depending on which year, the reds of the scrub and red oaks near the Big Run Portal can be great. The peak is usually near the end of October, but in one week it can change a lot. The maples have a great combination of colors throughout October. Some are red, some yellow, and there is a progression through a given tree (the top changes first, then the ends of the branches, and finally the interior near the trunk). Black Gums turn a nice red, usually in early October, but some start to turn in the midst of summer.

Huckleberry plants in the Rocky Mountain burn area, fall colors.

Big Run Portal, in fall colors.

History

        The Brown Mountain Trail was built by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s in the preparation of the Shenandoah National Park. It was built as a fire trail, with a narrower tread than the hiking trails. A larger proportion of the old fire trails have been abandoned, but this one became a blue-blazed trail maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club some time before 1970.
        In May 1986 there was a fire that started at the Big Run Portal and spread up the mountain in places, and it even reached the Skyline Drive at one point (between the Ivy Creek Overlook and Loft Mountain Wayside). This left the current burn areas on parts of the trail.
        For most of its history, the trail was named the "Rocky Mountain - Brown Mountain Trail".
        I have been overseeing the Brown Mountain Trail since 1999. At that time, it was badly grown in, and it took some time to clear the growth of small trees.

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