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AT-Front Royal Junction
4.6 ★★★★★ 57 Google reviews · Running trail in Front Royal, Virginia · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 4 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from AT-Front Royal Junction's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Kid-friendly hiking area thought to be in Shenandoah National Park.
What runners say about AT-Front Royal Junction
“A beautiful and tranquil walk in the woods while fording several small streams.”
Front Royal, Virginia: This is an enjoyable 8.0 mile hike out and back from the U.S. Route 522 Appalachian Trail junction. It runs 4.0 miles south (bordering the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute) to the Shenandoah National Park northern boundary (SNB).
Having backpacked a couple hundred miles of the AT, I always stop to visit trail crossings, and if time allows, walk some of the trail. That was the case during this road trip to visit my mother far to the south in Florida.
Small parking lot to access the A.T. to Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter. It is about 3.2 miles away with 1,480 feet of elevation gain round trip.
Hikers may not realize it, but Mountain Home is just a few steps east of this crossing. The trail parallels the road for 1/4 mile, and then it's just 120 steps more to the driveway, on the left, through the rock wall gate.
Trail conditions & character
“Not much parking, but I got there early on a weekday and had it to myself (and only one other car there when I got back around lunchtime).”
“Heading south bound on the AT is a heck of a climb to the Tom Floyd Shelter, then into Shenandoah National Park.”
“Great hike, but the only real special view was from the Compton Peak East overlook.”
Plan your run at AT-Front Royal Junction
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- Distance4 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Front Royal
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter, Appalachian Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 23 reviews
Royal Shenandoah Greenway
4 ★★★★☆ 4 reviews
Fox Hollow Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 74 reviews
Easy 1.2-mi circuit trail through the forest, with historic rock piles & the Fox family cemetery.
The Andreae Family Wellness and Recreation Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 25 reviews
Dickey Ridge Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 174 reviews
Mountainous hike in Shenandoah National Park featuring picnic areas & scenic valley views.