Saddle Trail

The Saddle Trail is the exhale after Old Rag's famous rock scramble — the return leg that takes you off the summit and back to civilization. After clambering over granite slabs on the way up, this blue-blazed descent starts steep and rocky through hardwood forest before mellowing into a wide fire road that feels almost luxuriously easy underfoot. The contrast is striking: one minute you're picking your way down a rooty, uneven slope, the next you're strolling a gravel lane canopied by oaks and tulip poplars. Don't skip it mentally just because the summit is behind you — the forest here is gorgeous, especially when fall color sets the ridge on fire. This trail rewards hikers who understand that the walk back is part of the experience, not just a commute to the parking lot.