LURAY, Va. — Starting March 1, outdoor enthusiast hoping to visit Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park will need to purchase a ticket.
Officials at the park say they're implementing a pilot program for day-use tickets in order to manage visitor use on Old Rag Mountain and reduce the impacts to natural resources, as well as improve the overall visitor experience.
“The number of people climbing Old Rag Mountain continues to grow and congestion on the mountain is impacting resources. This pilot project will allow us an opportunity to test a strategy for managing this area to ensure Old Rag is preserved and everyone has a high-quality trip," Superintendent Patrick Kenney said in a press release.
Tickets are now available and can be purchased up to 30 days in advance. Beginning March 1, 2022, all visitors to Old Rag must have a day-use ticket in addition to a Park entrance pass, park officials said.
A total of 800 tickets will be available for each day from March 1 to November 30; 400 will be released 30 days in advance and the remaining 400 will be released five days in advance.
Hikers must purchase tickets online before arriving at the website here. Due to lack of internet connectivity, and lack of cell service, tickets will not be available at the Old Rag fee station.
Tickets are valid for the day of arrival only. A day-use ticket does not guarantee a parking spot, and entrance fees still apply in addition to the day-use ticket fee of $1.00, according to the park service.
Shenandoah National Park said they are implementing the ticketing program following the results of a visitor use study that found significant crowding and congestion at Old Rag during certain times of the year. The study also revealed that most visitors agree that limiting users would improve their experience and safety, and better protect the rare ecological communities found on Old Rag.
For more information, visit the park's website, here.
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