Mountain · 1 route

South Marshall

3,211 ft · Virginia

Summit
3,211 ft
Routes
1 way up

Route up South Marshall

  1. Appalachian TrailExpertabout 3,567 ft of climbing17.5 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up South Marshall, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
Appalachian TrailMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About South Marshall

South Marshall is a summit in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, on land that is also part of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor. The nearest town is Washington, Virginia, about 5 miles away. Summer and early fall are the mildest times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Big Meadows weather station run to highs around 75°F with lows near 59°F in July, easing to about 69°F and 52°F in September. Big Devils Stairs Trail and Bluff Trail both start within a mile. Mathews Arm Campground is about 4 miles off, and the climbing at Fort Windham Rocks is about 4.5 miles away.

Forecast on South Marshall

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Questions about South Marshall

How tall is South Marshall?

3,211 ft (979 m).

How many routes go to the summit of South Marshall?

One: Appalachian Trail.

Mountains nearby

More mountains in Virginia

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: May–Sep. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 64–75°F and lows of 46–59°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Big Meadows, VA weather station, 21 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan36° high19° low
  2. Feb38° high22° low
  3. Mar44° high27° low
  4. Apr57° high37° low
  5. May64° high46° low
  6. Jun70° high54° low
  7. Jul75° high59° low
  8. Aug73° high58° low
  9. Sep69° high52° low
  10. Oct58° high42° low
  11. Nov48° high32° low
  12. Dec39° high24° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Washington, Virginia · 5.3 mi

Source: NPS Land Resources boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Appalachian National Scenic Trail as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: NPS Alerts API

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is South Marshall open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Shenandoah National Park. It doesn't name South Marshall, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

  • Active Closure

    Park closure covering Shenandoah National Park · NPS · Shenandoah National Park

  • List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene

    Park closure covering Appalachian National Scenic Trail · NPS · Appalachian National Scenic Trail

  • Emergency Phone Line Unavailable

    Park alert covering Shenandoah National Park · NPS · Shenandoah National Park

  • Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia

    Park alert covering Appalachian National Scenic Trail · NPS · Appalachian National Scenic Trail

  • Parking at Boundary Access Areas

    Park alert covering Shenandoah National Park · NPS · Shenandoah National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Shenandoah National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit South Marshall

Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    36° / 19°

  2. Feb

    38° / 22°

  3. Mar

    44° / 27°

  4. Apr

    57° / 37°

  5. May

    64° / 46°

  6. Jun

    70° / 54°

  7. Jul

    75° / 59°

  8. Aug

    73° / 58°

  9. Sep

    69° / 52°

  10. Oct

    58° / 42°

  11. Nov

    48° / 32°

  12. Dec

    39° / 24°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Meadows, VA, 20.8 mi away at 3,540 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.