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The inside scoop to hiking the Sky Meadows loop

By Laura SchliesskePosted August 29, 2024

One of the most popular loop routes to hike at Sky Meadows State Park, sometimes referred to as “the Sky Meadows loop,” is not a single loop trail, but is comprised of several trails strung together to create a 5-mile trek. With the beautiful scenery and points of interest on this moderate to difficult route, it’s no wonder that this hike is the chosen destination for so many park visitors.

A trail map of Sky Meadows State Park overlayed with orange highlight over a designated loop of trails and a circle in the upper right corner that reads "See blog for a guide to the Sky Meadows loop."

Distance: 5.3 miles, Elevation gain: 1000 feet, Difficulty: Moderate, Average Time Taken: 2.5-3 hours, Subjective Reasons Why: Encompasses various scenery and terrain. Hits high on hiker satisfaction, showcasing views and points of interest that make Sky Meadows unique.

Read on to get the “inside scoop” for how to best enjoy this hike and learn why it’s one of the most popular routes at Sky Meadows. While it doesn’t appear on our trail maps as a trail named “the Sky Meadows Loop,” it is a commonly sought-out hike, that we are happy to recommend and give directions for.

A scenic vista that includes a green pastoral landscape under a blue sky. There is a white barn with a red roof in the distance center of the view.
This loop hike is a great option for showcasing the scenic vistas that Sky Meadows is known for.

Let’s start at the very beginning.

To begin your hike, park in the main parking area and proceed on foot up the road to the Park Office. The main parking area is near the Visitor Center and next to Mount Bleak, the 1840s era Federal-style stone farmhouse. The Park Office is a small white house at the end of the entrance road, which marks the beginning of Boston Mill Road Trail.

A white house at the end of a paved road, with two people viewed from behind and in the distance walking on the road toward the house.
To begin this hike, walk up the road toward the park office. Please go on foot, as this road is for authorized vehicles only.

Boston Mill Road Trail

To start on Boston Mill Road Trail, take a left at the Park Office and look for a gravel trail along a split rail fence. This trail will be noted by green trail blazes. To guide you around this loop, look for signs on junction posts with squares of various colors. Each trail name has its own color. Green is for Boston Mill Road, and it is the first trail of this loop.

A gravel path with a split-rail wooden fence along its left side. There is a green rectangle on the end of the fence facing the camera.
This is what the beginning of your hike on Boston Mill Road Trail will look like.

Although it is called Boston Mill Road, this is a hiking trail and not open to vehicles. However, it is a historic road that was established in 1823 to connect the nearby town of Paris, Virginia with surrounding farms and mills. The road was named for Bosteyon’s Mill, and played an important role in the local economy, which was very grain-centric in the mid-nineteenth century. Today it plays an important role as your introduction to the backcountry trails at Sky Meadows.

A green grass-covered path with a wooden bench to the left, and a wooden signpost to the right in the foreground with different colored square signs listing trail names with direction arrows.
Follow the yellow signs for South Ridge Trail to take this loop in the clockwise direction, which is the best direction. Trail junction posts with colorful squares, trail names, arrows and distances will help you navigate.

South Ridge Trail

Various resources on the internet will recommend this very loop, but in a counterclockwise direction. These websites and/or apps will have you start the loop with either the Piedmont Overlook Trail or North Ridge Trail from Boston Mill Road. However, this park ranger recommends staying on Boston Mill Road a bit longer and starting this loop with the South Ridge Trail, which is identified with yellow signage.

For a short detour and point of interest along your hike, take a right off of South Ridge Trail and follow the sign for the McFarland Spur Trail to a lush wetland habitat.

There are two main reasons for the clockwise preference. Firstly, South Ridge is a more gradual or moderate uphill hike as opposed to the steeper inclines of either North Ridge or Piedmont Overlook trails. Secondly, if you take the loop in the clockwise manner, you’ll have the benefit of facing the scenery on your way down either North Ridge or Piedmont Overlook at the end of the hike.

Ruins of a stone chimney and foundation surrounded by green forest.
Heading up the South Ridge Trail, you can discover the historic Snowden Manor Ruins just after the Historic Area Overlook and before you come to the South Ridge Overlook.

Not to worry though, South Ridge also has some beautiful scenic overlooks to get you started on your hike. In fact, you will encounter three overlooks on South Ridge Trail alone. There’s the Historic Area Overlook, followed by South Ridge Overlook, and then a short spur to George’s Overlook.

A scenic vista of green rolling hills in the distance, a wooden nesting box on a post in the middle distance, and an Eastern Cottontail in the foreground.
South Ridge Overlook with a bonus bunny

North Ridge Trail

After completing the 1.54-mile ascent up South Ridge, you will turn left onto the trail with a blue blaze, North Ridge Trail. North Ridge has the distinction of being one of the most difficult trails in the park. But do not be discouraged, at this point you will be less than half a mile on North Ridge to get to the highest point of elevation on this hike.

A dirt path in the woods, with a wooden bench on the left in the foreground, and two wooden signposts with blue signs indicating North Ridge Trail.
Before taking the right on North Ridge Trail, you can take advantage of one of the park’s benches to rest and gather your strength.

The Appalachian Trail

Yes, this hike will take you to the famous Appalachian National Scenic Trail (or AT). Take a right and follow the iconic white blazes for 0.7 miles and then you can call yourself an “AT hiker.”

A brown rectangular sign surrounded by a green forest, with white letters and arrows pointing ahead that reads "Ashby Gap 2.9 mi., Rod Hollow Shelter 6.6 mi., Harper's Ferry 32.8 mi.
After taking a right at the end of North Ridge, you will be northbound on the Appalachian Trail, but only for 0.7 miles if you want to stay on this loop hike. If you get to Ashby Gap (Route 50), you have gone too far.

You will want to exit the Appalachian Trail once you reach the Ambassador Whitehouse Trail, which has light blue blazes. Now begins the scenic part of this loop where you will be grateful to have chosen the clockwise direction for the views you will face on your way down.

Brown signs with white letters and arrows reading "APPALACIAN TRAIL" and "AMBASSADOR WHITEHOUSE TRAIL." In the background there is a green grass-covered path with blue signs on posts.
Exit the AT at the Ambassador Whitehouse Trail and follow the light blue signs.

Fun fact: The Ambassador Whitehouse Trail is on land designated as National Park Service property, where the Piedmont Environmental Council owns and maintains the Piedmont Memorial Overlook. Sky Meadows State Park benefits from this important partnership where the park’s trails and property are connected to one of the most protected views in the eastern United States.

A field with trees in winter, rolling hills in the background and a large stone with a metal plaque in the foreground reading "WELCOME TO THE PIEDMONT MEMORIAL OVERLOOK."
The Piedmont Memorial Overlook exists as a conservation success story thanks to the Piedmont Environmental Council. It is located on Ambassador Whitehouse Trail (not to be confused with the overlooks on Piedmont Overlook Trail which we will get to next).

North Ridge and Piedmont Overlook Trails

You will be on the Ambassador Whitehouse Trail for 1.1 miles before meeting up with North Ridge Trail (blue blaze) again. Take a left onto North Ridge this time and continue just a short distance before being confronted with the choice of either closing the loop with continuing down North Ridge or taking the Piedmont Overlook Trail to your left, following the red signs.

A dirt path going uphill through the woods, and a signpost to the right with a red sign reading "PIEDMONT OVERLOOK."
As you can see from this photo, choosing to complete the loop with the Piedmont Overlook Trail means you get another opportunity to hike uphill before coming to the next downhill part!

Many people are attracted to the Piedmont Overlook Trail because “overlook” is in the name. Here’s a bit of insider information for you: the final leg of North Ridge Trail is an alternative route which is slightly shorter and also has a great view on the way down.

Two wooden benches on a green grassy hill, facing a pastoral landscape of rolling hills under a blue sky.
The view from Piedmont Overlook Trail makes it one of the park’s most popular trails.

Close the loop and walk back to your starting point.

After getting back down to the bottom of the hill where Piedmont Overlook Trail and North Ridge Trail converge, you walk through a cattle turnstile with a wooden gate (hikers may pass through the gate while cows cannot). Then you will walk down a set of stone steps and find yourself once again back on Boston Mill Road Trail. Take a left here to get back to your starting point where you will follow the paved road back to where you parked.

a gravel path as viewed from the top of a set of stone steps with a wooden railing on the left side and a wooden signpost on the other side of the path, with different colored square signs on it.
After you make your way down these stone steps, take a left on Boston Mill Road Trail and you are on your way back to your starting point.

There you have it; turn-by-turn directions for one of the best hikes in the park. Why stop there? With over 22 miles of trails to explore in the park, there is plenty to keep you returning again and again. You might use this suggestion as a starting point, and then decide on your own “greatest hits” set list. For example, this 5-mile hike can be expanded to a 7-mile hike with the addition of more AT miles and the inclusion of Old Trail (purple signage).

We always encourage you to “know before you go” and plan your route ahead of time. Virginia State Parks offers free geo-referenced maps through the Avenza app, which is a handy tool because the maps are color coded to the trail signage and you can see where you are on the map!

Screenshot of a "recorded track" on Avenza maps for iOs.
The Avenza app allows you to “Record GPS Tracks” like this one of the Sky Meadows loop.