PRINT: Bouldering in White Oak Canyon, Shenandoah National Park

White Oak Canyon

Virginia > Shenandoah & NW… > Shenandoah NP

Description

**This is a work in progress. If anyone knows the proper names for any of these routes, or who made the FAs, I'm happy to include them.

White Oak Canyon is best known for the hordes of DC hikers that swarm the trail year round. What isn't as well known is that the area has incredible potential for trad, ice, and mixed climbing!

Jeff Watson's Virginia Climber's Guide boasts White Oak Canyon as the best undeveloped climbing in the state. Undeveloped is certainly the right word! You'll find no shortage of loose blocks, and the occasional choss, but you'll be surprised by the amount of good rock to be found as well! There are numerous crags to explore ranging from 40' - 100', as well as dozens of boulders to work.

For hiking info, check here: hikingupward.com/snp/whiteoak/

Getting There

You can hike in from Shenandoah by parking at the trail head at mile marker 42.6 on Skyline Drive. It's a ~2 mile approach to the base of the upper falls, where the first good crag is.

Alternatively, you can hike in from below via the parking lot off of Berry Hollow Rd. This makes a longer approach to the good climbing though. (38.539489, -78.349186)

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Solo mission at the middle falls - feb 12, 2021

Mid kick (Screenshot from a video I took). Feb 12, 2021.

Upper Falls Wall. The top is a major viewpoint, where hikers stop to take in the falls.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Aaron Parlier
Boone, NC

Thanks for adding the area, this sounds like an awesome location! Any access issues or concerns? Great stuff! Apr 13, 2014

Dallas Branum
Denver, CO

There are no access issues here, though it does lie within the SNP, so a park pass or day use fee is required to park at either trail head. There is no camping allowed at the base of the wall, and a prominent sign states so. Apr 14, 2014

Jonsie

Wow...forgot about this place! I remember toproping/bouldering in White Oak with my little brother and some high school buddies back in 1994/5 or so. Really cool area and we had the whole place to ourselves for days! Not to mention Old Rag right across the way. Aug 14, 2014

Ricky Marske
Fairfax Station, VA

This area has potential to be a Rumney-esque destination (obviously not as good in terms of quality or quantity as Rumney, but it still boasts a large number of walls in a relatively small area. Sep 28, 2020

Joseph DeGaetano
Fayetteville, WV but curren…

Rumney-esque is going a bit too far. There is a decent selection of bouldering, but nothing is really consolidated and compared to nearby Old Rag and the hundreds of boulders scattered on its flanks, this area pales in comparison. There is only one main wall that is worth roping up for IMO, which is located about halfway up/down the trail. This area would make a great adventure destination for someone looking for an overnight trip, but no way is it ever going to pass for a sport crag or trad crag like Rumney or Old Rag. We did one line on the main wall that I spoke of earlier, way back around the year 2000. If my memory serves me well, it was the easiest and most obvious gear-protected line on the cliff. Again, if my memory serves me well (which at 43 and 1000s of routes later can be hazy) the rest of the cliff would require bolts (either full sport climbs or mixed routes) and remember it is NPS land so hand-drilling only. Apr 4, 2022