Shenandoah National Park · Virginia

Turk Branch Trail

2.5 mi of trail, end to end · Turk Mountain: 2.2 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · 1,200 ft of descent · 1,437 ft–2,596 ft · earth surface · trail class Developed · horse

2,596 ft 1,437 ft · 2.4 mi high 2,596 ft

Turk Mountain 2.2 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

2-3 Hours · dogs allowed

Start South District (Mile 94.1)

A mountain peak in the distance.

A hike to the 2,981 foot summit of Turk Mountain, located in the Shenandoah Wilderness, that provides a wonderful view to the west.

Distance: 2.2-mile round trip hike

Difficulty: Easiest (explanation of our hiking difficulty scale )

Hiking Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Elevation Gain: 690 feet

Hike Description

From the Turk Mountain parking area (mile 94.1), cross Skyline Drive and take the Appalachian Trail south to the trailpost.

Go right onto the Turk Mountain Trail and follow it to the summit for a wonderful view to the west.

Retrace your steps to return to your starting point.

Accessibility This trail does not meet ADA accessibility guidelines.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 317 trails in Shenandoah National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.