Flagpole Knob

Came down from Flagpole Knob after a night of camping near the summit. Trail was easier thank Skidmore Lake/Dunkle Hollow, aside from the heights and single lane along the mountainside for a fair portion of the trail, there wasn't really any risk of pinstriping or any sections where damage was any concern. Did encounter someone coming up and we had to do a careful dance to squeeze by each other with the mountain dropping off to one side (snagged a screenshot from our dashcam to give some perspective). There's definitely several off-trail places that people drive on, I do wonder to what extent it's intentional/allowed at this point, but we stayed on trail regardless. I will say I'm not sure what optional areas are referenced that would elevate this to moderate, maybe if you just went wheeling in some of the spin-offs? Overall easy trail, but again will be checking it out again soon.

The trail is very easy and I would like to echo what John said about the 'illegal off-trail paths'. It is sad to see how some people will abuse the land despite its beauty. The memorials felt out of place at the top, but I am not sure of the history there. Overall it's a great view at the top, but not sure I will go back anytime soon given the other options in the area.

Great trail

5-stars for the view from the knob, but two stars for the trail. The trail was fairly boring. If you want to see the knob and take a more exciting way in, try going in via Dunkle Hollow or Union Springs to Stone Camp!

I am a bit conflicted in writing this review. I think Flagpole is a must-do trail if you have never done it. The view from the top is absolutely incredible. However, the trail is very easy so expect to see a lot of people. The amount of illegal off-trail paths nearing the summit was disheartening to see as well. I also found it a bit weird that people left memorials of their family and friends who have passed in such a spot with the potential for disrespect/vandalism.

Im new to this.. Wife and i first came from red knobto flagpole knob to 33.. Trail wasn't much of a problem there were a couple high water areas.. Just a few wks ago we drove up Union Springs, now i had no idea what i was getting into.. But my stock 04 dakota did it like a champ.. Looking forward to more adventures.. Just need to figure how to get my jeep badge well my dakota.

Multiple ways to get to the knob. This route listed definitely is the easier. From Switzer lake it's still easy enough for stock jeep or truck to make the trip. This route a sedan can make it. Once in a while you'll see some cars up at the top for camping. This is a very popular spot so come early if you plan to stay. However, there is plenty of space and an alternate spot which is a bit more challenging to get to.

The ride up wasn’t bad as at all. We pulled off to do a few mud holes and climbs but nothing too serious. Once we got to the summit we hung out a bit and decided to take union springs trail out. If you decide to do this, make sure you have 4WD. There were some pretty hairy spots but all in all it was good fun. I would rate the difficulty of flagpole a solid 2 if you stay on the path and union springs a 5. 2008 Jeep Wrangler Ult X 35x12.50x17 mud hogs

Great trail and scenery. Not technical -- stock Jeeps may have a moderate time on it.

We started at Switzer Lake and came up via the lake road (which I've seen called Dunkle Hollow and Skidmore Fork--unsure which is 100% correct). About half a mile into the ascent, thunderstorms started and they did not relent, making the trail quite challenging at certain parts. It was an absolute blast, but I'm eager to see what changes when it's dry! The view at the top (Flagpole Knob itself) was neat, but shrubs/trees unfortunately obscure a lot of the view. We took the forest road down and it was relatively uneventful and somewhat uninteresting. Definitely recommend taking any of the other paths instead of that road if you want a bit of a more interesting ride and journey.

Got the top of Flag Pole Knob coming up Dunkle Hallow. Went down Flag Pole road. The road itself is really easy, pretty much a dirt road that any 2WD car can drive on. There are more technical options along the trail which you can use for fun. Overall the main trail is easy and can be done in any vehicle. When you get close to the top of Flag Pole Knob, it will require some work and not all roads are meant for stock vehicles so either park and walk a few yards to the top or just be away possible challenges..

Great trail, got through in a stock TRD Sport Tacoma, although it’s extremely rocky!!! There are a few 3-4ft shelves you have to conquer and it can be crazy without knowing what you’re doing. Had a great time.(we did it at night)

Trail was open and recently graded.

We actually came up from Skidmore to Flagpole. We took our new 2019 4runner trd pro out here all the way from Baltimore. We camped overnight and I must say it was a great place. Other than being a little risky when people pass coming down from the top. The 4runner trd pro stock made it easy. We even did some offroading in some muddy areas. We will be back.

Trail (Forest Road 85) is in excellent condition. The road seems to have new gravel spread over it and there isn't even a single washed out or heavily rutted section, making it completely passable (when dry) with even just a high clearance 2WD vehicle with A/T tires. While the road itself is in excellent condition and is fun to drive, the views from the top of Flagpole Knob are somewhat disappointing. Much of the view is blocked by the shrub, and the clearing itself feels much smaller in person than suggested in the photos. There is also visible garbage strewn about the knob, which I ended up taking 10 minutes to collect. Lots of flies and gnats seemed attracted by the garbage, making it somewhat undesirable to camp up there at least during the summer. I ended up backtracking, went exploring a bit further to the southwest and found that Reddish Knob had much more spectacular views than Flagpole Knob.

Trail is open as of three days ago. This is a much easier trail then coming from the north. Basically a gravel road. If you continue past the knob down Skidmore it’s a much tougher trail.

According to the National Forest website this trail will temporarily be closed from 4/22/2019 to 6/24/2019. The excerpt below is from their website. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/gwj/alerts-notices North River RD to Temporarily Close Flagple Road (FS 85A) beginning 4/22/19 Date(s): Apr 9, 2019 - Jun 24, 2019 The USDA Forest Service will temporarily close a section of Flagpole Road (FSR 85A) in Rockingham County, Va. beginning April 22, 2019 to repair storm damage. The road will be closed at the intersection of Briery Branch Road (SR 924) and extend 3.85 miles beyond this intersection. The road will reopen when repairs are complete which is expected to be in approximately nine weeks. This repair work is needed to address damage to the road infrastructure and will improve drainage and road safety. While repairs are underway, portions of the road will be unpassable. Also, heavy equipment will be traveling into and along the road making the road unsafe for visitor traffic. For more information contact the North River Ranger District office at 540-432-0187.

Spent the night on flagpole knob and came down 85A this morning. The trail was as expected from reading the descriptions and other reviews. It was wet, but nothing was a problem for a stock Jeep Renegade. A few puddles between 6-10” deep, and rocks here and there. But again no problem. We went up on Skidmore and Dunkle Hollow. I heard from a few that the rain had a big affect on the trail. Now that I’ve experienced both of them, (this was my first trip) 85A is a lot easier. If you’re unsure of your rig’s or your capabilities, go on this trail first. If you want more of a challenge, head to Dunkle Hollow.

Spent a Father's Day weekend taking two new offroaders to Flag Pole and Union Springs trails. We set camp just past Switzer Lake. If you follow Rt 33 W out of Harrinsonburg, VA you will enter into the GWNF after about 15 minutes of driving. Shortly after entering the national forest, you will come to a set of climbing switchbacks. Skidmore Fork will be the first left, and it can come up surprisingly quick, so be ready for it, as well as oncoming traffic coming down the mountain. Immediately after turning onto Skidmmore Fork, you will be greeted with a magnificant view of Switzer Lake. This a wonderful place to go trouth fishing (be sure to have all required licenses and permit stamps) and boating. There is no swimming allowed. For a place to camp, continue driving past the lake. You will cross small concrete bridge, immediately after which there is a fork in the road, Takeing the left fork wil lead you to 2 separate sites, Both are vary large and can support multiple tents. I personally prefer the site further from the road. It requires going down a very short trail (maybe 600 feet), but this seceond site feels much more secluded than the first. Continuing on Skidmore fork will lead you up the mountain towards a T-inersection. The drive is very easy as it is a well maintained fire road. 4 wheel drive is not needed unless ther have been significant rain storms. At the t-intersection you can go right, which will lead to Flag Pole meadow and Flag Pole trail, or left, which leads to Union Springs/Stoney run. My group did both. Flag Pole is very much like Skidmore Fork. It is primarily a dirt road with onyl the occasional spot where 4 wheel drive might be needed. A few offshoots offer some mud holes and small areas to allow for suspension articulation, but these are vew few. It is a relaxing drive that gets the feet of any first timer to offroading wet. Union Springs/Stoney Run offers much more. Taking the left hand turn from teh top of Skidmore will immediately put you onto a series of downhill staricases. These can be slick when it rains, so be ready for that. This is a good opportunity to practice proper driving lines as well, as mutiple angles can be used to go down, and even up, these staircases. Continueing on the trail, we found it it to be very similar to Skidmore Fork and Flag Pole, however, we opted to use 4 wheel drive since we were heading down the trail rather than up it. The 4 wheel drivea llowed us to save our brakes, using our vehicles' engines and gearing to manage speed. Along the trail we found several primitive camp sites that offer beautiful voews of the region. There are 4 notable obstabcles on this trail. The staircases, as mentioned already are the first you encounter heding down the trail. The second is a split slab on the right side of the trail. You will know you're just about to it when you pass by the remains of a stone cabin on your left. This is a good obstacle to practice spotting, line judgement, and vehicle srticulation. It is not stock friendly. Going through the obstacle, you immeidately join back up with the main trail, The third obstacle is another staircase, however, this one is much more technical than the first ones and it does offer a bypass. This is a good obstacle for spotter lessons, as it is easy to get hung up on your vehicle differnetials. Lastly, there are th mud pits. This a clearing that offers many small mud holes that can get very deep. having proper recovery gear at the ready is a good idea. At the time we went, they were more water filled than mud, but it was still close to 3' deep. Overall these are fun trails. They are relaxing, offer breathtaking views, and a fun for the offorader. having Switzer Lake and large primitive sites acting as base camp, they make for a great weekend getaway.