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Church Rock Hike

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Distance:
7.3 Miles / 11.7 km
Type:
Out-and-Back
Difficulty:
Hard
Time to Hike:
3 hours, ~39 minutes
Features:
Surface Type:
Dirt
Park:
George Washington National Forest
Town:
Basye, Virginia
Directions:
38.724249, -78.869466
Added:
January 25, 2025
Updated:
April 04, 2025
Guide by:
Copy Trail Link Hiking this trail? Send a friend or family member a link to this trail guide for your own safety. Hike at your own risk (disclaimer)
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1,521'

Total Change
1,759'

Ascent
1,754'

Descent

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Key Takeaways

  • Church Rock Hike in Basye, VA, offers secluded panoramic views from Church Rock and Church Mountain ridgeline after a challenging climb up Church Mountain featuring ten switchbacks.
  • The 7.3-mile hike starts from the lower parking area for most of the year due to seasonal road closures, but can be shortened to 5.6 miles when FR482 is open (Oct 1 - Jan 10).
  • The trail guide highlights key points such as stream crossings, switchbacks, intersections with other trails (Talc Trail), campsite locations (bring water), and specific overlook areas with expansive views.

Church Rock Hike

One of the most secluded panoramic vista hikes in western Virginia. Church Rock has expansive views to the north and east from its main rock outcrop and to the southeast from the Church Mountain ridgeline. The hike climbs Church Mountain with ten switchbacks and it can be challenging if the weather is warm, however the effort is more than worth it as you're rewarded with spectacular views from one of the least visited pinnacles in the Old Dominion.

For most of the year you need to start the hike from the lower parking area as FR482 is closed and only opens from October 1 - January 10. If you do make the hike when it's open the total length will reduce to 5.6 miles. If you plan on doing this as a backpack there are two nice campsites along the route. The first is on the ridge just before the descent in to the saddle, and the second is in the saddle below the overlook from Church Rock. You will have to carry in water.

  • Mile 0.0 - From the lower parking area on FR482 pass around the closed gate and follow gravel FR482 for 1.0 miles. This area was recently timbered and provides nice views of the valley to the east.

  • Mile 1.0 - Arrive at the end of FR482, upper parking area, and the beginning of the Church Rock Trail. Follow the yellow blazed Church Rock Trail for 50 yards where it makes a sharp right. A old unused road continues straight. Remain right on the yellow trail and begin a gradual ascent of Church Mountain. The trail soon turns right and crosses the only stream of the hike. After 0.85 miles on the yellow trail make the first of ten switchbacks on the way to the ridge. As the Church Rock Trail climbs the mountain cross several old road cuts, make sure to follow the yellow blazes. At the second switchback there are views of Church Rock.

  • Mile 3.0 - Arrive at the ridgeline and intersection of the white blazed Talc Trail. The ridge here has very little underbrush and is mostly grass covered. Turn left on the white blazed Talc Trail and in 100 yards there is an opening in the trees to the south and views down the valley. Just before the Talc Trail descends into the saddle pass a campsite with room for multiple tents. Continue into the saddle and pass the second campsite of the hike. This campsite has log seats and more room for camping. Pass through the saddle and begin to climb and scramble through a rocky area. The trail veers left here so keep an eye out for the white blazes. Turn directly uphill steeply requiring hand-over-hand climbing for the remaining 60 yards to the summit.

  • Mile 3.8 - Arrive a the Church Rock overlook area where there are two main view outcrops. The westerly overlook has views along Church Mountain and north of the Great North Mountain range. Cross over to the main easterly overlook with more expansive views where on a clear day you can see both ranges of the Massanutten as well as the Shenandoah National Park in the far distance. This is the turn around point. Retrace your route back to the parking area.

  • Mile 7.3 - Arrive back at the parking area on FR482

Explore 68 trails near Basye, VA
  1. Parking

    38.724249, -78.869466
  2. Main Trailhead

    38.724249, -78.869466
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.

Hazards

Ticks - Lyme Disease More Info (CDC)
Snakes
Poison Ivy/Oak
Rockfalls / Ledges / or Scrambles

Seasons

All

Blaze Color

Yellow

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Trip Reports (Reviews)

Rated 4.14 out of 5 based on 7 ratings.
By: Sean
7.3 miles / 11.7 km
November 02, 2019
When you first pull in on FR482 there are two gates. Pass the one on the left and veer to the one on the right. On this date it was open so I proceeded to the upper parking area that was nearly full at 10 a.m., in part because it was the first day of the hunting season for hunters using muzzleloaders (that season runs through November 15). The gravel road had a few potholes and a large mudhole I made it around in my low-clearance two-wheel-drive sedan, but if it was much worse I could not have passed it. I would have appreciated a few more yellow blazes on the switchbacks. I had the aid of a GPS device but one can get off the trail in spots, especially now when the trail is newly leaf-covered -- it's not bad don't go too far if you aren't seeing yellow blazes. The views from Church Rock are great but not what I'd call "panoramic" due to foliage blocking the views to the south. It was hazy but to the north and east I could make out Signal Knob, Waonaze Peak, Mary's Rock, and Stoney Man. I had nice chats with two hunters sitting in wait not far from the trail. One joked that I looked like a bear. He was right -- a reminder to wear bright apparel when hiking in national forests during hunting seasons.
Legacy Review
By: Ash
7.3 miles / 11.7 km
October 13, 2019
I enjoyed the varied terrain, the fact that it wasn’t constantly rocky, and loved the views at the top. I started at the bottom parking lot and the road walk wasn’t terribly interesting and you do have to watch for traffic. I started around 8:30am and I didn’t see anyone else until my decent. I also didn’t see any wildlife although I did see two pretty large mounds of bear scat. I probably won’t hike this trail again but that’s because I’ve already seen it not because I didn’t enjoy it.
Legacy Review
By: Dnewhall
7.3 miles / 11.7 km
September 29, 2019
First hike ever in Virginia without a single other hiker on the trail or car at the trailhead. On a Sunday! Weirdly open woods for most of the hike, especially on top of the ridge. Spectacular view from the top and my wife’s favorite lunch spot so far. Descent from the top was a bit sketchy and the trail required some care to follow. We stopped at Swover Creek Farm brewery for beer and a pretzel on the way home. Their Rye IPA has the strongest rye flavor of any rye IPA I’ve had. I loved it, but they wouldn’t let me buy it until I’d tried it first.
Legacy Review

Weather Forecast

In Basye, VA

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