This road was once part of Skyline Drive - the first part of the Drive ready for traffic! However, it was closed for security reasons when President and Mrs. Hoover were spending their weekends at Rapidan Camp, their "summer white house" and never reopened to the public.
Today, Rapidan Road is used to take visitors on a tour of the President's Camp. Check at Byrd Visitor Center for details. If you'd like to hike to the Camp, there are several options. We recommend the beautiful Mill Prong Trail a mile and a half south of here. It's a 4-mile round trip hike along a stream to the Camp. You can also start here and take the Mill Prong Horse Trail that is ahead on the right. If you follow the road all the way it's a 12.6-mile round trip and you may encounter dust and vehicles along the road.