Hiking Humpback Rocks

The quintessential central Virginia hike!

Not far off of the freeway, near Waynesboro, Virginia, lies one of the areas most stunning hikes. Humpback Rocks. Everyone has heard of it, and it seems like everyone has hiked it. If you aren’t from the area or somehow haven’t heard of it, here are the basics:

This is an excellent kid and dog friendly hike right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway and just south of Shenandoah National Park. It’s short (and steep!!) and offers gorgeous Blue Ridge mountain view.

Parking and admission are free! Park at the trailhead if you want direct trail access but be aware that the parking lot does fill up frequently on weekends. If that lot is full, go north about 1/4 mile to the Humpback Rocks Visitors center and farm museum. This has a larger parking lot and adds about 1/4 mile to your hiking distance. It also adds a pleasant walk through a historical farm where you can learn a few facts about the history of the area.

Hiking Humpback Rocks is 0.8 miles each way. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s mostly a steep uphill slog (800 foot elevation gain) that feels twice as long as it actually is. The way down is equally as steep and can be slippery due to some loose rocks in places. This is not a great hike for injury prone people or older adults with balance issues.

Bring plenty of water and trekking poles to prevent slipping and to help with the steep uphills.

Watch your step at the top. There are steep drop offs and you really need to stay close to your kids! People have died here!

Here’s a map of the Humpback Rocks area and some other nearby attractions from NPS.gov. https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/humpback-rocks-trails.htm

Want to check out another Charlottesville area hiking trail? Check out my post about the Rivanna Trail: https://eatpraytravel.com/2021/08/31/your-guide-to-the-rivanna-trail/