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Onemile Run Hike

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Distance:
7.4 Miles / 11.9 km
Type:
Out-and-Back
Difficulty:
Hard
Time to Hike:
3 hours, ~42 minutes
Features:
Surface Type:
Dirt
Park:
Shenandoah National Park
Town:
Simmons Gap, Virginia
Directions:
38.298217, -78.649283
Added:
March 18, 2025
Updated:
April 05, 2025
Guide by:
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1,439'

Total Change
1,611'

Ascent
1,611'

Descent

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Key Takeaways

  • Onemile Run Trail in Shenandoah National Park is a less-traveled, 7.4-mile out-and-back hike featuring numerous stream crossings and evidence of a 2016 fire.
  • The trail offers solitude, scenic beauty, and a chance to see a healthy hemlock stand, making it appealing to hikers seeking a less crowded experience.
  • Be prepared for multiple stream crossings (potentially leading to wet feet), a steep uphill climb at the end, and the possibility of encountering hazards like weakened trees if camping.

Onemile Run Hike

If Shenandoah National Park maintained a list of park trails ranked by the number of hikers who travel them, the Onemile Run Trail would very likely be at the bottom of the list - among the least hiked trails in the park. Several factors contribute to the lack of use on this trail. The best view on the entire hike is from your car before you even start the hike. Additionally, this hike is not part of a loop, but requires an out and back hike, as there is no public access from outside of the park. And it is in the Southern District of the Park, which is less utilized than the Central or Northern Districts. Therefore, unless you hike with a group, you are less likely to see other users than on nearly any trail in the Park.

But there are great reasons to check this trail out! If you are looking for a beautiful hike with few other hikers and lots of stream crossings, or if you would like to backpack into an area that is more pristine than the more popular Big Run drainage just to the south, or if you would like to see a healthy stand of hemlocks, check this trail out. (Remember that SNP backcountry regulations prohibit campfires or camping within 10 yards of a stream or 20 yards from a park trail). Along this hike, there is near constant evidence of the April, 2016 fire that raged through this part of the park.

Because of the number of stream crossings, do not attempt this trail after unusually wet periods. And if you do camp, be sure to check for “widowmakers” when placing a tent: trees that are weakened or dead and could flatten your tent overnight!

  • Mile 0.0 – Park at the Twomile Run Overlook on the Skyline Drive. At 2700 feet elevation, your car sits near the high point of this hike, so you will have a long uphill hike at the end of your journey. Travel south along the Skyline Drive to a concrete post that signals the beginning of the Onemile Run Trail. Heading north from parking takes you to the trailhead for the Rocky Mount/Gap Run Trail.
  • Mile 0.1 – The trail starts by heading uphill, but this does not last long. After cresting at about 2850 feet elevation, the trail starts dropping steeply over the next 1.25 miles until it reaches Onemile Run more than 1000 feet below, and follows the stream that forms the valley. Follow the trail along Twomile Ridge.
  • Mile 1.1 – The trail leaves Twomile Ridge and heads down to Onemile Run, the stream that creates this valley.
  • Mile 1.4 – Cross a side tributary of Onemile Run, the first of 13 stream crossings each way on this hike.
  • Mile 1.5 – Reach Onemile Run and immediately cross, only to cross back to the other side about 300 feet further down the trail.
  • Mile 1.7 – Repeat as necessary: two more stream crossings within 200 feet of each other. Look for a stand of healthy hemlocks along here, reportedly only one of two stands in Shenandoah National Park treated for the Hemlock woolly adelgid infestation that has killed so many hemlocks in Virginia.
  • Mile 1.8 – Cross back to the north side of the stream, and then return about 500 feet later. There are multiple opportunities to camp along this section of trail, but there are no established campsites. There is no need for a fire ring, though, because of the campfire prohibition. Be sure to check for trees that might come down at night if setting up a tent or hammock!  There are nice rock formations visible during this part of the hike.
  • Mile 2.1 – Cross the stream again, and continue alternating the sides of the stream for several more crossings. Each one can be an adventure! (Expect wet feet by the end of this hike if your boots are not waterproof.) The trail is never far from the stream. The valley will start to open up as the ridges on each side begin to recede. You will hike near a talus slope, located just to the right of the trail.
  • Mile 2.6 – There is small waterfall hidden from the trail on the left.
  • Mile 2.9 – Cross the stream for the twelfth time, and move to the south side of the stream.
  • Mile 3.0 – Reach the thirteenth and final stream crossing (in this direction). From here to the park border, the trail leaves Onemile Run and traverses through woods that show evidence of the 2016 fire. This part of the hike is less interesting, and only recommended if you want to say you’ve hiked this entire trail.
  • Mile 3.8 – A concrete mileage post signals the park boundary. Although the trail appears blazed further than this point, this is the end of public property, so we advise you to turn around here. Return via the same route.
  • Mile 6.2 – After again crossing Onemile Run many times, the trail again leaves the valley and begins climbing back to the trailhead. You better have saved some energy! Over the next 1.25 miles, you will need to climb over 1000 feet to get out of this valley.
  • Mile 7.8 – Reach the Skyline Drive. Walk north (left) along the Drive to return to your vehicle.
  • Mile 7.9 – Return to your vehicle.
By HikingUpward Contributor: Jeff Monroe
Explore 64 trails near Simmons Gap, VA
  1. Parking

    38.298217, -78.649283
  2. Main Trailhead

    38.298217, -78.649283
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

Seasons

All

Blaze Color

Blue

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Trip Reports (Reviews)

Rated 2.8 out of 5 based on 5 ratings.
By: Sean
7.4 miles / 11.9 km
July 02, 2019
Unfortunately I did not see the 6/29/2019 review before my hike today. As with that reviewer, things were fine until 2.0 miles in. As they reported, there starts blowdown after blowdown, and recurring overgrowth. At the 2.2 mile point the overgrowth mostly obscured the trail and was over my head for about 100 feet. (The leaf shape on these young tall is similar to the tulip poplar tree. I could make out further blue blazes (there were enough but I'd like to see more blazes) so I continued on, hoping it would get better. There were good stretches between 2.2 and 3.0 miles but there was still recurring blowdown and overgrowth -- many times worse than any other trail I've been on in the park. At 3.1 miles it was so bad -- a wall of foliage, branches, and tree trunks -- I gave up and went back. I wanted to go on and make it to the end but that was too much. If someone ever finds this trail cleared at 2 miles and beyond, please let us know.
Legacy Review
By: SChiker
7.4 miles / 11.9 km
June 29, 2019
A small group from our hiking club did this hike on Saturday 6/29/19. I do not recommend this trail until it has been cleared. The trail was somewhat maintained until around two miles in, when the maintenance ended, and we were faced with blowdown after blowdown and so much overgrowth, it was more like bushwhacking than hiking. An area of the trail at around 2.2 miles in was consumed by overgrowth and came over our heads. We could no longer see our feet or what we were stepping on. We chose this hike on a Saturday to avoid the weekend crowds. We learned quickly there's a very good reason this trail is not frequently used.
Legacy Review
By: Melanie Perl (Hikermel)
7.4 miles / 11.9 km
June 21, 2019
This trail is no longer maintained beyond the seventh stream crossing down from Skyline Drive. PATC does maintain it to this point, however it is currently without an overseer. A small crew was out on May 7, 2019 and cleared the trail of blowdowns. Another crew was out on June 21, 2019 and weeded to the seventh stream crossing. It's a beautiful trail with some views near the top now due to the 2016 fire, as well as a sweet little stream that follows the trail for over a mile. Give it a chance :) And, let me know if you're interested in overseeing it! Hikermel~ District Manager, PATC, side trails, southern district of SNP.
Legacy Review

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In Simmons Gap, VA

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