The Lee Ranger District offers nearly 300 miles of trails. The following are some of the popular hikes ranging from short hikes to longer, more strenuous ones.
The Lion's Tail National Recreation Trail is an interpretive trail designed for the visually impaired and built in cooperation with the Lions Club. Learn about forest ecology and rely on your senses along this .5 miles loop trail. From New Market, take US 211 east for about 5 miles. Turn left on FDR 274 (Chrisman Hollow Road) at the top of the mountain and proceed north for 8 miles to the trailhead parking area.
The Massanutten Storybook Trail tells the story of the building of the Massanutten Mountain Range. Discover the scenic overlook to Page Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is a .25 paved, interpretive trail suitable for wheelchairs. From New Market, take US 211 east for about 5 miles. Turn left on FDR 274 (Chrisman Hollow Road) at the top of the mountain and proceed north for 1.5 miles to the trailhead parking area.
The Discovery Way Trail is a .2 mile paved interpretive trail that is suitable for wheelchairs. Discover the rock with the living skin, an indian toothbrush, tea trees, a tree finder and much more. The trailhead is just south of Massanutten Visitor Center parking lot.
The Pig Iron Interpretive Trail is a .25 mile, self guided interpretive loop trail, beginning at Elizabeth Furnace Picnic Area. It illustrates the pig iron industry of the 19th century. The trail passes by the remains of Elizabeth Furnace and describes the furnace community.
The Charcoal Interpretive Trail is a .5 mile, self-guided interpretive trail, also beginning at Elizabeth Furnace Picnic Area. It interprets charcoaling, a companion to the pig iron industry, by describing the lives of the charcoal workers and the impacts of charcoal production on the forest.
The Kennedy Peak Trail is a moderately steep 5.4 mile trail which climbs to an observation tower with excellent views of Page Valley. Begin the hike at Edith Gap, heading north on the Massanutten Mountain West Trail (orange blaze). At 2.4 miles, take the spur trail (white blaze) .3 mile to the observation tower. From Camp Roosevelt, take SR 675 east to Edith Gap.
The Signal Knob Loop is a steep 10.2 mile hike leading to the site of an important Union and Confederate outpost during the Civil War. The loop is composed of four trails: Signal Knob Trail (yellow blaze), Massanutten Mountain West Trail (orange blaze), Bear Wallow Trail (blue Blaze), and the Bear Wallow Spur Trail (white blaze). The trailhead is at the Bear Wallow/Signal Knob parking lot on SR 678 approximately 1 mile north of the Elizabeth Furnace picnic area.
The Taskers Gap/Peters Mill Run ATV Complex includes 21 miles of motorized trails in the Edinburg Gap Area. A variety of loop trail opportunities and difficulty levels for ATVs and motorbikes are available. Some routes are also open to full-sized four-wheel drive vehicles. Users must stay on designated trails. From Edinburg, take SR 678 south east to Edinburg Gap where parking is available.
In addition to the trail information on the Lee Ranger District provided here, several publications are for sale to help you plan any of these or other hikes in the area. Some popular titles are as follows:
- Guide to Massanutten Mountain Circuit Hikes in VA, WV, and MD
- Lee Ranger District Map
- George Washington National Forest Map
- Hiking the Old Dominion
- PATC Maps: F, G, H, L, and M