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Frazier Discovery Trail

This trail leads up to two lookout points in Shenandoah National Park and is definitely worth a visit. The trail is a loop that meets up with the Appalachian Trail about 0.6 miles in. Follow the AT (white blazes), to the lookout points. Once you notice blue blazes again, continue following them to complete the loop.

Once you reach the summit, you'll notice the trail heading back downhill in both directions. You should be able to find a small trail that leads to a rocky summit where you get amazing views of Shenandoah's surrounding mountains and valleys below.

Going up the right-hand side of the loop first is probably more strenuous than going up the left side because it's uphill for 0.6 miles to the AT.

Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Explore 64 trails near Free Union, VA

Know Before You Go

  • Frazier Discovery Trail is a 1.5-mile loop in Free Union, VA that connects to the Appalachian Trail and offers scenic lookout points in Shenandoah National Park.
  • The trail is marked with white blazes (Appalachian Trail) and blue blazes (Frazier Discovery Trail loop); going right at the start of the loop is a more challenging uphill climb.
  • Dogs are prohibited on the Frazier Discovery Trail.
Interactive topographic map for Frazier Discovery Trail located in Free Union, VA. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
1.5 mi
Difficulty
Moderate
Type
Loop
Est. Time
45 min
Elev. Gain
528'
Rating
0.0
Added
April 29, 2017
Updated
June 10, 2018

Weather Forecast

Today
High 32°F
Partly Sunny
Tonight
Low 27°F
Mostly Cloudy then Isolated Snow Showers
Saturday
High 41°F
Scattered Snow Showers
Saturday Night
Low 25°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Snow
Sunday
High 29°F
Slight Chance Light Snow
Sunday Night
Low 18°F
Mostly Clear
M.L. King Jr. Day
High 31°F
Sunny
Monday Night
Low 10°F
Mostly Clear
Tuesday
High 22°F
Sunny
Tuesday Night
Low 12°F
Mostly Clear
Wednesday
High 35°F
Sunny
Wednesday Night
Low 27°F
Partly Cloudy
Thursday
High 42°F
Slight Chance Rain And Snow
Thursday Night
Low 28°F
Slight Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Freezing Rain
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Total Change
491'
Ascent
528'
Descent
481'
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Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Mountain Summit
Camping
Appalachian Trail logo Appalachian Trail hike

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    38.262669, -78.660463
  2. Main Trailhead

    38.262848, -78.660355

Safety information

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

Markers

Blaze Color

Blue

Availability

Spring

Surface type

Dirt

Trip Reports (Reviews)

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1.5 miles / 2.4 km
April 30, 2017
Hiking
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.

Popular categories

Scenic mountain view representing vista trails
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Scenic campsite with a view representing camping trails
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Appalachian Trail logo representing A.T. hikes
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