Shenandoah National Park · Virginia

Wildcat Ridge Trail

2.7 mi of trail, end to end · about 1,300 ft of climbing · 1,632 ft–2,967 ft · earth surface · trail class Developed · hiking

1,651 ft 2,967 ft · 2.6 mi high 2,967 ft

Riprap - Wildcat Ridge the Park Service's write-up

8-9 Hours · dogs allowed

Start South District (Mile 90 or 92.1)

A color photograph of a woman sitting on a rock atop a mountain looking to the side.

You may choose start this hike at either the Riprap parking area or the Wildcat Ridge parking area. No matter which route you choose, this hike will take you through the forests of the Shenandoah Wilderness and over several stream crossings, while offering beautiful views of the hollows and valleys to the west and north.

Distance: 9.8-mile circuit hike

Difficulty: Very Strenuous (explanation of our hiking difficulty scale )

Hiking Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Elevation Gain: 2,365 feet

Hike Description - From Riprap Parking

From the trailhead at the Riprap parking area (mile 90), follow the Appalachian Trail north.

Turn left on Riprap Trail, continuing past Cavalry Rocks and Chimney Rocks.

Turn left on Wildcat Ridge Trail.

Take another left on the A.T. north, and return to your starting point.

Hike Description - From Wildcat Ridge Parking

From the trailhead at the Wildcat Ridge parking area (mile 92.1), take the Wildcat Ridge Trail past its intersection with the Appalachian Trail.

Turn right onto Riprap Trail.

Take another right on the A.T. south.

Turn left on Wildcat Ridge Trail 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.