Sky Meadows State Park · VA
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail runs the Blue Ridge crest along the park's western edge, linking the North Ridge, South Ridge and Ambassador Whitehouse trails into the signature Sky Meadows loop.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the trail running plan today.
Today's best: trail running
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Score breakdown
- − 84°F air — Above trail running's comfort zone (28–78°F)
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
- − 83 min of daylight — You need at least 244 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 12.04 mi
- Elevation gain
- 3113 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.0453, -77.9462 — VA.
Park
Part of Sky Meadows State Park.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Appalachian Trail?
Appalachian Trail is a 12.04-mile route with 3113 feet of elevation gain — moderate — some sustained climbing or technical sections; expect to work for it but no specialized skills required. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Appalachian Trail?
Appalachian Trail is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Appalachian Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Appalachian Trail is in Sky Meadows State Park, which is managed by the managing agency. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the agency. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.