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Virginia Trailfinder
Full field brief

Trailhead view · Syria

Whiteoak Canyon

Distance
4.6mi
Climb
1,656ft
Hiking time
3h–5h
Difficulty
Moderate

Start: 38.55766, -78.36991 open in a map app

1,656 ft up, 1,656 ft down · 1,397–2,967 ft

1,5001,7502,0002,2502,5002,7503,0000 mi1234+1,571 ft · 12.9%Start
4.63 miles measured, 1,656 ft of climbing and 1,656 ft of descent, between 1,397 and 2,967 ft. The hardest part is a 2.3-mile climb of 1,571 ft starting at mile 2.31, averaging 12.9%. The steepest sustained quarter mile averages 24.3%.4.63 miles measured, 1,656 ft of climbing and 1,656 ft of descent, between 1,397 and 2,967 ft. The hardest part is a 2.3-mile climb of 1,571 ft starting at mile 2.31, averaging 12.9%. The steepest sustained quarter mile averages 24.3%.Trailfinder reading Measured from an OpenStreetMap line and the USGS 10 m elevation model, fetched 2026-09-05. Sampled terrain, not a GPS track.

4.63 miles measured, 1,656 ft of climbing and 1,656 ft of descent, between 1,397 and 2,967 ft. The hardest part is a 2.3-mile climb of 1,571 ft starting at mile 2.31, averaging 12.9%. The steepest sustained quarter mile averages 24.3%.

Official notes

Parking
Skyline Drive parking at the upper trailhead; separate lower trailhead near Syria.
Water
Streams throughout, but all water must be treated.
Dogs
Dogs allowed on leash
Cell
Not on file
Emergency
Not on file
  • Slick wet rock near falls
  • Steep rocky descent
  • High water after storms
Check current alerts and closures

This view is a reference, not navigation. The line is sampled from OpenStreetMap and USGS data; carry an offline map and treat cell coverage as unreliable.