Old Rag runs on a 2 dollar day-use ticket from March 1 through November 30, and Recreation.gov releases them in two waves: 400 at 10 a.m. Eastern thirty days out, and the other 400 at 10 a.m. Eastern five days out. Today’s thirty day wave covers October 15.
That is the mechanism that decides whether you hike Virginia’s most popular summit in foliage season or spend a Saturday morning refreshing a page. Our Shenandoah guide covers the rest of the park for anyone who ends up on the wrong side of it.
- Ticket required: March 1 through November 30, on the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails.
- Cost: 2 dollars per person, plus a park entrance pass, which is separate.
- Two waves: 400 tickets 30 days out and 400 tickets 5 days out, both at 10 a.m. Eastern.
- No ticket at all: December, January and February.
The Thirty Day Wave Is Rolling Through October Right Now
Because the window rolls forward one day at a time, mid October is entering the booking system this week and late October follows through the end of the month. There is no single on-sale moment to catch, only a daily 10 a.m. Eastern drop.
The practical version is simple. Count back thirty days from the date you want, set an alarm for 10 a.m. Eastern that morning, and understand that you are competing for 400 tickets rather than 800.
The Second Four Hundred Are the Real Backstop
Half the day’s supply is deliberately held until five days before the hike. Recreation.gov describes it as a rolling daily window, which means a sold out October Saturday is not settled until that second drop happens.
That is also when a forecast becomes worth reading. Five days is close enough to know whether the ridge will be in cloud, which is the difference between a scramble with a view and a scramble without one.
Two Dollars, but One of Them Is Gone If You Cancel
The ticket itself is 2 dollars per person. You can cancel or change until noon the day before, but Recreation.gov states it cannot refund the 1 dollar cancellation fee for any reason.
The entrance pass is a separate charge and a separate requirement. Every Old Rag hiker needs both, and the ticket alone does not get you through an entrance station.
What the Ticket Actually Covers
It applies to hikers on the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails, which is the classic circuit including the rock scramble. It is a per person requirement rather than a per vehicle one, unlike the summit road reservations at other parks.
Outside those three trails the rest of Shenandoah needs no ticket. That matters if your thirty day attempt fails, because the park has hundreds of miles of other trail that never sold out in the first place.
The Park Will Not Name a Peak Weekend
Shenandoah says plainly that it is impossible to predict a peak time for fall colour, and that conditions vary dramatically from area to area with weather changing them hour to hour. There is no official date to book around.
What the park does publish is a crowding pattern. Its two northern entrances, Front Royal and Thornton Gap, are the busiest and carry the longest waits, and it suggests a circuit south through other entrance stations during peak fall.
Midweek Is the Park’s Own Advice
The guidance is direct: visit during the week for the best chance of avoiding crowded trails and full parking lots, and if a parking area is full, move on to another trail rather than waiting.
Campgrounds follow the same curve. The park says autumn weekends are usually fully booked, so a Saturday Old Rag ticket without a bed already reserved is only half a plan.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Want a mid October Old Rag date | Count back 30 days and book at 10 a.m. Eastern that morning. That wave is rolling through October now. |
| Missed the 30 day drop | Wait for the 5 day wave, which holds the other 400 tickets and lands at 10 a.m. Eastern. |
| Are flexible on the day | Take a weekday. The park’s own advice is that midweek is the way to avoid full lots and crowded trail. |
| Cannot get a ticket at all | Hike elsewhere in the park. Only the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails need one. |
| Are coming from the north | Expect the longest entrance waits at Front Royal and Thornton Gap, and consider entering further south. |
10 a.m. Eastern is the only time that matters. Both waves drop at the same hour, thirty days out and five days out.
November 30 ends the requirement. December through February needs no ticket, which is the quiet way to hike Old Rag if you can take the cold.
The entrance pass is not included. Budget it separately and have it before you arrive at a gate.
When do Old Rag tickets go on sale?
In two waves, both at 10 a.m. Eastern. Four hundred tickets are released thirty days before the date and the other four hundred five days before it.
How much does it cost?
Two dollars per day-use ticket, plus a park entrance pass, which is charged separately and is also required.
Which trails need a ticket?
The Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails. Other trails in Shenandoah do not require an Old Rag day-use ticket.
Can I cancel?
Until noon the day before. Recreation.gov states the 1 dollar cancellation fee cannot be refunded for any reason.
Is there a season without tickets?
Yes. Day-use tickets are not required during December, January and February.
When is peak fall colour?
The park says it is impossible to predict, and that conditions vary by area and change hour to hour. No official peak date is published.
