Shenandoah National Park visitors who want to hike Old Rag, one of the park’s most popular destinations, will need a permit for the foreseeable future.
Late last week, the park announced that it would make its pilot ticketing program, which debuted in 2022 and capped visitation at 800 visitors per day, permanent. Hikers who wanted to tackle the peak had to purchase a $2 permit beforehand. After analyzing visitor feedback and the overall impact of the pilot program, officials determined that extending the plan was in the peak’s best interest.
The permanent program follows similar rules and will remain in place from March 1 to November 30. The first round of tickets will become available on February 17. Half of the daily permits for Old Rag will be released 30 days in advance, while the remaining half will become available to the public 5 days beforehand.
The program is intended to reduce congestion on one of the East Coast’s most popular hikes, which draws hundreds of visitors with 360-degree views from its summit, Shenandoah National Park’s Superintendent, Pat Kenney, told Virginia’s WHSV.
“It’s sort of like being in a traffic jam right? People will start to think of other solutions to get through the traffic,” Kenney told the station. “People were starting to think about finding alternative routes other than the marked trail going up to the summit. There are safety concerns for people going off the marked trail.” Hikers rerouting around the peak previously caused damage to the Old Rag area, and park officials hope the new ticketing system could give those areas the chance to heal.
The park began considering new visitor management practices on its most popular peak in 2021, after officials documented more than 80,000 annual visitors. Many of those visited during the same part of the season, causing bottlenecks at places like the shoe area of Old Rag. The park opened several comment periods to allow hikers to weigh in before making its final decision.
Half of ticket proceeds will go towards the administrative costs of the program while the other half will be allocated to visitor and resource protection. Officials warn visitors that acquiring a ticket doesn’t guarantee a parking spot, and a National Park pass is still required for entry. Hikers can acquire their tickets online prior to visiting.
From 2024
