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Big Schloss Hike

Big Schloss is another treasure in the George Washington National Forest. Relatively easy at only 4.4 miles and 1,000 vertical feet, it's the sister hike to Tibbet Knob which heads to the south from the same parking location. Tibbet Knob has two short rock scrabbles, but a 10th of the hikers, and just as good views.

Big Schloss peak, named by German immigrants provides a wonderful view of the surrounding valleys. Make sure to bring a packed lunch because you will want to linger at the Big Schloss rock outcropping and soak in the view.

If you want to make a weekend out of it, the Wolf Gap recreation area has 9 well maintained campsites with bathroom facilities. If you have some extra hiking time consider hiking the Tibbet Knob route as well. The views are every bit as good.

Mile 0.0 - Leave the Wolf Gap Campground (near campsite #9) and start up the orange blazed Mill Mountain Trail to begin the steepest portion of the hike. The first mile has several switch backs before arriving at the ridge line of Mill Mountain.

Once getting to the ridge line, turn left and continue following the now narrower trail as it follows the ridge before arriving at the junction of the Big Schloss Trail in 1.9 miles.

Turn right onto the white blazed Big Schloss Trail for another 0.3 miles before crossing a wooden bridge that will take you to the overlook just 50 yards further along. Enjoy the view it's one of the best! To return, just retrace your route back to the Wolf gap Campground.
Explore 79 trails near Edinburg, VA

Know Before You Go

  • Big Schloss is a 4.6-mile, relatively easy hike with scenic views in George Washington National Forest, accessible from Wolf Gap Campground near Edinburg, VA.
  • The hike features a steep initial ascent followed by a ridge walk to the Big Schloss Trail, leading to a rock outcropping with valley views, making it a great spot for a picnic.
  • Consider combining the Big Schloss hike with the less crowded Tibbet Knob trail (accessible from the same parking location) or camping at Wolf Gap recreation area for a weekend trip.
Interactive topographic map for Big Schloss Hike located in Edinburg, VA. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
4.6 mi
Difficulty
Easy
Type
Out-and-Back
Est. Time
2.3 hrs
Elev. Gain
1,309'
Rating
4.5
Added
January 23, 2025
Updated
April 04, 2025

Weather Forecast

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Total Change
695'
Ascent
1,309'
Descent
1,304'
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Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Mountain Summit
Camping

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    38.924046, -78.689489
  2. Main Trailhead

    38.923703, -78.689575

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Snakes (Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, others)
Poison Ivy or Poison Oak

Markers

Blaze Color

Orange

Availability

All seasons

Surface type

Dirt

Trip Reports (Reviews)

Rated 4.45 out of 5 based on 100 ratings.

Ready to help fellow hikers? Add a trip report to share your experience and provide valuable insights for other hikers!

By: Chris
4.6 miles / 7.4 km
May 31, 2019
Did an early afternoon trip. I was moving at a pretty good pace as the weather was cool, so it took me about an hour to get up and 45 minutes to get back down after I spent 20 - 30 minutes up top. If I hadn't needed to get home, I would have spent longer up there as it is really quite nice to relax on the rocks. I came across three pairs on the way up, a group of 6 at the top and about four more people on the way down. Having the top to yourself is quite an experience. With the leaves having filled in, there aren't too many views on the way up. The mountain laurel was blooming which was nice and the trail had drained well enough that only a few spots were muddy. As an aside, there were quite a few spots where folks had made fires, including under a rock overhang near the top which I could smell was relatively fresh. It's forest service land, so perhaps that's legal but it certainly wasn't LNT... I wasn't aware this is a horse trail, but there was also evidence of horses having been on the trail recently, so beware as you're walking! This trail is now one of my favorites!
Legacy Review
By: Longhair the Tank
4.6 miles / 7.4 km
April 28, 2018
This is a very pretty hike, and the camping available at the recreational area is very nice. My group and I found great difficulty in the initial 800 ft climb to the first overlook. The grade in some places felt almost as steep as 45 degrees. After the initial climb, the trail just wandered along the ridge, and we reached Big Schloss for good break to take in the views.
Legacy Review
By: Rachel S.
4.6 miles / 7.4 km
April 14, 2018
THIS IS MY FAVORITE LOCAL HIKE (I live in Winchester)!!! It's amazing in the summer and fall. We just went in April and it was still beautiful but there was not much foliage. The great thing about that was that you could see even farther into the distance, but I prefer the greenery. The best time to go would be between July-October for the summer or fall views.
Legacy Review
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

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