Stony Man Trail: An Easy Walk to a Spellbinding Overlook

Stony Man Trail is an incredibly popular short hike in Shenandoah National Park through a dense forest to an unforgettable overlook.

“This is close enough, I’m good”, a woman in a blue parka said. She was squatting in the crevice of two rocks. Her shoulders shrugged against the determined cold.

My hiking buddy, Forrest, and I had just slipped past her and her friends at the overlook on Stony Man Trail. I peered over the jagged ledge in the mid afternoon sun. A sharp drop waited over the rocky cliff.

Crows sailing on the stiff winds to my right broke the daze I was falling into. They dove and banked one at a time as if engaged in some sort of trial.

The walk to the cliff’s edge never hinted that such a rugged landscape was waiting.

Stony Man Mountain is the second highest mountain in Shenandoah National Park, just behind Hawksbill Summit. Both trails feature rocky overlooks situated high above the surrounding valleys.

Unlike Hawksbill, Stony Man isn’t a punishing climb to the overlook.

At a little more than a mile and a half, this is a short hike to an awe-inspiring and, for some, vertigo-inducing view.

Once you reach the trail’s end and gaze out from the craggy overlook, it’s hard not to feel like an adventurer.

That view and adventurous feeling are why Stony Man is such a popular trail.

Expect to have company at Stony Man, especially at the main overlook. I say “main” because there is a second overlook, but more on that later.

Hitting Stony Man Trail

The large parking lot for Stony Man Trail is easy to find from Skyline Drive. Two trails lead to the overlook at Stony Man from the parking area.

Most people follow the Appalachian Trail which eventually connects with Stony Man Trail. The other option is to take the Stony Man Horse Trail.

I think taking the AT is the more pleasant option of the two.

Stony Man Trail – Appalachian Trail

The trail is wide and well marked with a crowded canopy of oaks overhead. There are a few spots where you feel the elevation gain but mostly the walking is easy.

As you near the overlook evidence of high wind is clear in the twisted and stunted shape of the trees.

There is a hitching post at the edge of the short spur trail that takes you to the rocky point.

From the overlook you can see out over the town of Luray and the surrounding areas.

While the long view is wide and impressive, I thought the closer view of the area surrounding the summit was more interesting.

To the left of the summit, rocks lay in discarded heaps along the slope; to the right a jagged fin is frozen in a skyward thrust.

With care, you can maneuver across the overlook to reach the fin.

Climbing around on the fin was the highlight of the hike for me. There is a bit of a natural trail beside the fin but it was blocked by a trail closure sign.

I couldn’t find a name for the blocked trail, but can only assume from reading a map that it connected Stony Man Overlook to the Passamaquoddy Trail far below at some point.

Once you are done at the overlook and ready to begin your trip back, you can take the Stony Man Horse Trail, briefly, to reach another overlook.

It only takes a minute or so and it’s a good detour. You can almost see the summit from the second overlook.

The view here is more of the surrounding mountains and wasn’t crowded while we were there. I noticed the wind wasn’t as severe at this overlook.

You can head back to the Stony Man Trail or stick to the horse trail to get back to the parking lot. Everything was well marked but if you want to look at a map the NPS map shows the trail system clearly.

I really enjoyed the untamed feeling at Stony Man. I went into the hike expecting a great view. It had that, but more it left me feeling like an explorer.

Stony Man is a great hike that won’t disappoint.

After the Hike

One of the great things about short hikes is that they don’t leave you tired at the end. If you are still up for hiking, there are so many options within a few miles.

If you are looking for other short hikes with a rugged terrain in Shenandoah National Park, check out Bearfence Rock Scramble and Black Rock Summit. Both are great hikes that supplement awesome views with challenging rock scrambles and some of our favorite short hikes in the park.

Whether you go on another hike or not, I think hiking Stony Man will be a great experience for anyone that wants to have a bitesize adventure and still have plenty of energy afterward.