West Virginia · Hiking · Near Front Royal

Half Moon

2.4 mi
round trip
3,294 ft
climb
2,507 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Is Half Moon open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. It doesn't name Half Moon, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Half Moon is an easy out-and-back hike in the Lee Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in West Virginia, about 2.4 miles long with a total elevation gain of 599 feet. The trail starts at roughly 1,943 feet and reaches a high point of about 2,507 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.47 miles in, with a grade of 17 percent. The trail is on natural surface and is open to both horses and bikes. It is not an accessible trail, according to the Forest Service's accessibility status. The route is open year-round. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 72°F in May to about 76°F in September, and that station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. The Bucktail Cutoff Trail and the Halfmoon Trail, a mountain biking route, both lie about 0.2 miles away. Wolf Gap campground is about 5.4 miles off, and the Cacapon River offers canoeing about 6.2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Mill Mountain Shelter

    Campground

    Campground · 1.7 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsNyttend, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

    Strasburg Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 15 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Nyttend, Public domain (commons)

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