Hightop Mountain via Smith Roach Gap (AT)
Trail Names
Appalachian Trail
Location
Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Smith Roach Gap, Stanardsville VA
Permitted Uses
Hiking, Nature Study, Overnight Camping allowed with a permit. Trash must be packed out.
Prohibited Uses
Campfires,Hunting, Bicycles and vehicles are prohibited.
Hours
Daylight hours only, unless camping with a required permit.
Fees and Parking
There is a fee to enter the Shenandoah National Park. If you enter on foot, the fee is $15.00 per person. If entering via private vehicle, with up to 4 persons over the age of 16 in the car, the fee is $30.00 per car. Persons who are under the age of 16 are not included in the 4 person limit. Those entering by motorcycle are charged a $25.00 fee. If you are part of a Commercial enterprise, Educational Group or a Non Commercial vehicle with more than 16 persons entering the park, there is a fee schedule on the Parks website with fees ranging from Zero to $200.00 depending on the organization and the amount of people in the vehicle. A more economical way to use the park, especially if you plan to hike more than one day, is to buy an annual pass for $55.00, or if you qualify, a Senior annual pass for $20.00 or a Senior lifetime pass for $80.00. There are several free passes available to Military members, Veterans and Gold Star Family members as well as an Access pass for those with permanent disability, Families with a 4th Grader and Volunteers. Cash is NOT accepted for payment so be prepared with an alternate means of payment: either a Credit, Debit card or Mobile payment. These are the ONLY accepted means of payment as of 7/1/2025 when the park went completely cashless. Children under the age of 16 are free and are not required to have a pass. This trailhead is somewhat smaller than some others we have seen on the Skyline Drive and had parking space enough for about 10 vehicles.
Pets
Pets must be on a leash.
Accessibility
This hike was not wheelchair accessible.
Hiker Amenities
There was no information kiosk, no trash bins and no restrooms at this trailhead.
Length and Trail Information
This hike was done as an out and back hike, was approximately 3.6 miles and was an easy hike. This hike is part of the Appalachian Trail and is blazed by a white marker. There are cement posts with metal engraved markers at each junction. The cement posts have the Appalachian Trail Blaze on them.
This hike was done in hopes of seeing the beautiful views from the top of Hightop Mountain. The weather gods were not smiling on us that day and we were forced to deal with a lot of low hanging cloud cover, mist and foggy conditions. This trail is quite narrow, and the three of us hiking together were hiking single file. The substrate was not too difficult to navigate and there were no sections along the trail that we considered to be hard. The lead hiker, unfortunately, was the one to absorb most of the wetness still clinging to the vegetation crowding the trail. Pants and boots very quickly became soaked. It’s a good idea to have rain gear on, even when it’s not actively raining as the vegetation along this trail was quite thick. The lack of views due to misty conditions encouraged us to shift our focus to the smaller things along the trail such as identifying flora, fungi and birdsong. We also got to see a spring that is essential to hikers trekking the Appalachian trail.
As anticipated, when we reached the summit our views were obscured by the mist, so visibility was limited to a few hundred feet. We decided to take a break here, have a snack and hope for a break in the clouds. Our patience was briefly rewarded and there was a slight break that afforded us a glimpse of the Shenandoah Valley below and some mountains in the distance.
Even though we weren't able to enjoy the grand views, we still enjoyed this hike and would encourage visitors to enjoy it as well.
