Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah Superintendent Martha Bogle announced that the 12-space "upper lot" on the park boundary at the Ridge Trailhead access for Old Rag Mountain will be permanently closed to public vehicle access and parking.

Temporary signs in the upper and lower lots and at Route #600 to advise
visitors of the impending upper lot closure have been posted. Park staff
will accomplish the closure with the installation of a temporary gate and
other barriers by mid-April 2010. The closure is a result of an
Environmental Assessment entitled Old Rag Parking Lot, which included
extensive public involvement over a two-year period. The Finding of No
Significant Impact for that project was approved in June 2009.

The Old Rag Mountain area trails are some of the most popular day and
overnight use trail areas in park. Visitation on weekends each day can
frequently exceed 500 people completing the 8.8 mile Old Rag circuit hike.

Public vehicle parking has been provided at the 12-space NPS upper parking
lot and the leased 250-space lower lot. Parking space at the upper lot is
frequently overwhelmed, resulting in extensive roadside parking, which extends on to the road pavement and on private land. Access to the trailhead by emergency vehicles for response to incidents on Old Rag
Mountain is hindered by improperly parked visitor vehicles.

It is anticipated that the closure of the NPS upper lot will substantially reduce the conflict and congestion of shared visitor vehicle traffic and pedestrian use on Route #600, will minimize road shoulder parking trespass on adjacent private land, and should potentially reduce crowding and resource impacts at the Ridge and Nicholson Hollow Trailheads.

Upon closure of the upper lot to public vehicle access the site will continue to serve as work trip parking access for PATC and Old Rag Mountain Steward volunteers and for emergency vehicle and other official park administrative access. For the near future, at least one portable toilet will be maintained on site and most trash receptacles will be kept available.

A new parking lot in the area of Nethers Route #600 for Old Rag trail access
is planned for future construction.